Amelanchier

You'll still be last:hahaha:

Only pre-requisites are CS31 and CS38 for cutting and climbing respectively (insurance purposes!) There are three categories in both cutting and climbing. Novice Intermediate and Open/Pro. Your designation in a category depends on your honesty when asked about your experience! The chainsaw bit involves the bar and chain change and a simulated fell. Basically we drill holes in 4m pine logs, cram pegs into them and stick the whole 'tree' in the ground with a forwarder. You then start your saw, fell it on a target, sned the pegs off and cut a disc of the end. Then a chap with a set of calipers measures all your cuts and awards points. Oh and its all timed, so maybe that modded saw might come in handy...

Theres some guidance issued by natural england about GCnewts. Ecological impact assesment leading to three main options. Don't touch the site. At all. Destroy some habitat but create some more (in better places!) Move all newts. I have a copy somewhere but it might be an old copy. Stuff might have changed.

Plays a part though don'tcha think? The trees are there for their amenity value. Cameraria, Phytophera / Psudomonas, Guignardia all detract from the visual amenity and therefore lessen the value of the tree (in economic terms). Not a good reason to fell an avenue but if you're no longer getting a return on your investment, it probably tips the scales.

Lee, could you do rootwork on those trees in the avenue pic? You'ld have to take out slabs or is the small area around the base still viable for your machine? As for the miner, my understanding is that its range and intensity currently have more to do with our climatic variations than our attempts at control methods. Unfortunatley, most parasites are host-specific but adaption is not impossible. I think a larger problem exists culturally with the public concept of disease. People I have spoken to see disease going hand in hand with rot and therefore danger. I often point out that not all diseases are fatal or incapacitating. Tree acne/eczema.

You just gave me agonisingly embarassing flashbacks to when I was thinking of going into the paperwork. I sat down with a list of numbers to call for some shadowing in undertaking reports and surveys, called the first guy (who thankfully I knew) and he told me to f*** off. He then laughed, told me exactly what you just said Andy, then told me to f*** off again and hung up. Good times. You could probe my business Cerne but it would probably fall apart. Still really in startup, I've got a lot of course documents you could have from my foundation degree though if you interested.

I judge the climbing part of an Arb comp in Norwich running on the last weekend of April. Open to all, novices and experts. Prizes sponsered by arbtalk.co.uk and arbjobs.com, so you know its all good! Here is the official blurb... "This is a fun competition for all tree climbers and cutters from beginners to die-hard arborists and foresters past their best. The plan for the weekend is to have fun and get as many tree folk together for a bit of a chin-wag etc. If you would like to have a go then please fill in the enrolment form to reserve your place and post, e-mail or fax it back to us ASAP - this will give us some ideas of numbers. Entry into the competition entitles you to free entry into the show for yourself and one other. If you would like to make a weekend of it there is free camping on site with the rest of us tree folk. Trophies and prizes will be awarded to winners of each class: Novice, Open and Senior. There is a special prize for the combined winner of the Climbing and Chainsaw Events. Simulated Work Climb Two competitors at a time will climb around one big tree against the clock, trying to get to all targets in their half of the tree. Climbers will start at the bottom of the tree and make their way up pre-installed lines to the top target, then down to get as many of the remaining targets around their half of the crown before heading down to the ground to land on the last target and unclipping to stop the clock - as easy as that! Rules: All PPE will be scrutinized prior to the climb and must pass. Any known climbing system may be used. Climbers must be attached to the pre-installed line at all times. To score at each target the climber must strop in before touching the target within the taped markers (this will be clearer on the day). All climbers must maintain the climbing system so as to limit slack in their climbing lines. Points: Each Climber will be awarded points for the number of targets touched and for the speed of the climb. Points will be deducted for any unsafe climbing or failing to strop in at each target point. Timing: It is expected that each climbing pair will take approximately 30 minutes to complete the tree. All climbers must report to the Marshal no later than 0900hrs on each day of the Competition for briefing and kit check. Climbers will then be given a number and start time. Further instruction will be sent with tickets nearer the date. For further details contact Tony at [email protected] Chainsaw Competition Bar & chain change, simulated fell and precision cross cut. The competition will include various disciplines from the world championship for loggers. The competition is intended as nothing more than a bit of fun between chainsaw operators. The events will include: i) Bar and chain. ii) Simulated felling and snedding. iii) Precision cross-cutting. The rules will be as close as possible to those of the world championship for loggers. Copies of these may be obtained by contacting via E Mail either: Andy Campbell or Chalky White [email protected] All candidates must report to the Marshal no later than 0900hrs on each day of the competition for briefing. Further instruction will be sent with tickets nearer the date. We hope that a few people will take part and say again that it is intended as an opportunity for likeminded people to get together and have some fun with the tools of our trade!" Come along, bust out your skills, have a laugh, have a beer & win a prize sponsered by arbtalk.co.uk and arbjobs.com 2008 Enrolment form for cutters and climbers competition.doc

I'm loving the SIPs. Rainbow stitching allows me to show my metrosexual side. Damn good trousers.

Just checking relative pull ratio of wool and eyes...

Hey if you like that, why not read the whole page he cut and pasted it from at... http://www.southeastclimbing.com/faq/faq_kilonewton.htm

Moi? Easy to do isn't it.

Oh no point really, I just get a bit stroppy when it all goes cryptoparanoid. No personal offence intended. I just hear this stuff all the time, and it wears on me. Ooh have you heard what the EU / Red Ken / BBC / HSE / British Canoe Union want to do... The world is run by business studies students not bond villians. Have guns if it'll make you feel safer. Makes no difference to me or mine. We're safe already.

Stupidity beats conspiracy ever time. What looks like organised evil is some blokes in an office f**king stuff up. Reality is much more mundane that you hope for. But hey I'm naive, I'm just a sheep. They've probably got satellite survellience on you right now. CIA is probably logging your keystrokes for the words president, bomb and jihad.

Sorry, i though we were talking life or death. Blood and guts. Him or me. Y'know real gun stuff. Not "I'd quite like a gun to shoot burglars with but i'm not allowed, isn't it unfair, I think I'll write to the daily mail, its an outrage..." But ok.

I agree with you tockmal. I don't like the government I voted for. But the idea that they are logistically capable of oppressing me is ridiculous. History is not my subject, and I know what Santayana said about "...being condemned to relive it." but is anyone seriously suggesting that the labour government of 2008 is likely to turn on us? Or that if they did, a pump action would stop them? Its not a gun you want, nor the right to use one, what you want is a life free from crime. That's what I want. If you really want a gun. Go buy one. What's stopping you? Not afraid of the powers-that-be are you?

Survival of the fittest! If the ISA will only arm their guys with stickers and sew on badges they'll get muellered by ties every time...

I'm an ISA cert arb. You get a cool sticker to stick on your helmet. Wonder if AA Consultants get a tie pin?

Don't see the problem myself. Consider the ICF. They have a considerable hold over a hell of a lot of trees. They make decisions that I'm not involved in. They have the governments ear. They charge lots of money for courses. And as for entry requirements... passing a charter exam! Elitist b*stards eh!

Indeed. Also there are concerns that organisations with limited budgets will spend so much on tree inspections that they will have to cut back on tree works! So they'll have stacks of paperwork telling them how dangerous their trees are and no money to do anything about it!

ISA & AA Both on cheapo student deals though as i'm technically a student ha ha

? depends on which logo you want to display, which depends on what type of membership you want. I'm currently on a student membership because i'm studying, cost £25 if i remember. For that i get periodically drowned in magazines and journals, and this year a discount on a range of stuff.

ah. One hell of a conservation area! wonder what exemptions under 'part 4 - Vegetation Management Works ' are?

Lee, I admit i've only scan read it but it looks like our existing conservation and TPO legislation. Sorry if i've missed something. I like the reference to applying for permission to 'injure' a tree. Very accurate and emotive use of words.