Amelanchier

**Vic & Bob tumbleweed moment**

I appreciate your pain - bad tree work is bad enough, but bad tree work on your doorstep really stings. However, we're trying to move the site away from this kind of posting, so whilst I don't want to bin your thread directly, I will close it.

Definately poison the stump. Even the lateral roots left from grinding will regen, probably right through the path... If it is protected, give this as the reason for your application to fell/poison/grind/replant replacement in better location. Causing damage to third party property is a fairly good reason to consent to felling.

AA registered contractors?

Hi gang. I'm after AA journals before Vol 28 No 3 Apr 2005 and ISA Journals after Vol 34 No. 6 Nov 2008. Obviously I'll pay a reasonable price. I realise back copies can be bought from both organisations but I thought I'd see if anyone wanted to declutter their life first! PM me with details - cheers .

If I Remember Correctly. A handy way of stating something whilst reserving the right to be completely wrong - I use it a lot.

I guess thats because somewhere along the line, you have to trust that an awarding body has assessed someone appropriately. Is the apocryphal decline in education the fault of the AA? This doesn't really follow - the problems are twofold. I highly doubt the AA considers you to be unprofessional because you aren't a member, you've inferred this by inverting their aims. If I like beer, it doesn't mean that you don't. Secondly, do you expect the AA to promote your obvious professionalism for free? On the contrary, a qualification is the same as any achievement. It has the value that others give it, just like a service or product. You might not personally ascribe value to qualifications but they are indeed valued by a large proportion of others - particularly outside our little arb bubble. There is a reason why graduates statistically earn more than non graduates. I would suggest education is the key, whether you achieve that through qualification or experience matters less. On balance I would say a 30:70 mix is probably ideal. IIRC the AA offers an equivalent route into membership by interview to evaluate experience (I know, I know you shouldn't have to prove yourself to a bunch of pencil pushers... )

Classic.

I think fundamentally Andy, people who aspire for change in any system /organistaion fall into two camps; reformers and revolutionaries. I (try to) think of myself as a reformer, you've got to be in it to change it. You seem to me to be a revoultionary - tear it down and start again. Unless they have guns or fill the streets with rioters - revolutionaries never win. They are sidelined, marginalised and ignored by the mainstream. Its a shame because the reformers and the revolutionaries want the same thing but will never agree. When I was an angry teenage knowitall [insert joke here] I remember a great teacher once asked me during an arguement, "Is there anything I can say that will make you change you mind?" I stubbornly said "No, because you're wrong." "Well then this conversation was over before it begun."

I dunno - sounds slanderous to me...

As I've said on another thread - there are some false dichotomies here. What, in your opinion, is a non amenity tree? A TO's remit is wider than you think but varies post to post. My given duty for the LPA I worked for was to "Protect and enhance the natural environment and green infrastructure of the district". So there is a considerable difference between the job role and the statutory duties of the TCPA 1990. Trying to raise the standard of work is part of that duty regardless of who is undertaking it AAAC / Non-AAAC / Cowboy / Landscaper / Homeowner / Bored window fitters. Most of it is education, but occaisionally it is enforcement. Now whether you think it works or not, the AA has a complaints procedure, which provides an additional enforcement option. Would you prefer that TO's were prevented from using this option? Given that TO's strive to raise standards (or should do at least), why do you want them to exempt AAACs?

Sure. I just wonder why you think that TOs shouldn't enforce the standards of one particular group of contractors. The fact that most TOs haven't got the time or powers to do so isn't relevant. Well I guess they're damned if they do and damned if the don't . IMO interesting parallels can be drawn with the ISA. They're representing tree workers internationally without talking to non members like me (how very dare they!) and they have a certification scheme that could be accused of your inverse slander (You're an Arborist, does than mean I'm not?). Yet curiously they attract very little vitriol.

And here in this thread.

Yep fair enough. I forgot the smiley

Your question makes assumptions that are not supported. You infer that the AAAC scheme contributes to 'unregulation' and 'unstandardisation'. You also infer that the scheme could do more to prevent these things. Therefore it begs the question, does the AAAC sheme actually do these things? I'd suggest, anecdotes excepted, we don't know if they do.

What's the relevance of the business model to point 3? If you are a professional, does that mean I'm not? Are the LA slandering me as a car seller if they do endorse autotrader?

McCarthyism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andy, 1) Your question begs another - you have assumed that AAACs divide the industry. You do not have any proof of this. 2) TOs 'police' standards anyway. They have always been able to contact the AA - would you like them to stop? Presumably you would have a problem with a TO contacting the ISA if a problem were to arise with an ISA cert Arb, or BALI should a landscaper undertake poor work? My publically paid remit as a TO was to preserve and enhance the green infrastruce of the district - 'policing' standards of work is a perfectly reasonable part of that. 3) Assertion of a fact does not neccesarily imply the inverse. I have a car. This does not mean that you dont have a car. You are a Professional, does that mean I'm not? If I log onto autotrader to look for a car for sale, does that unfairly prejudice people selling cars who haven't paid for an advert. This is all getting a bit daft.

Sorry but I don't have a clue what your point is either. And as if it needed saying, the forum rules apply to this thread as much as any other - whilst this is a valid oppourtunity to discuss/criticise the document, confrontational language is unnecessary.

Good to have an AA presence on the 'talk Paul! Should be beneficial for everyone involved.

Nice. Poor old tree was getting a bit of a kicking though huh?

I is wel fik and that.

This is true and often forgotton or ignored (even by LPAs). It applies only to exempted CA trees as well as unathourised works by virtue of s213 of the TCPA 1990 but places the duty on the landowner (and any future landowners)not the contractor - so definately something to mention to your client. Furthermore, the replacement is required to be of an appropriate size and species and is to be planted as soon as is reasonably possible. Another reason to let the client deal with discharging the duty... (I have painful memories of explaining for an hour why a dig your own christmas tree was not a suitable replacement even if it did survive.)

24th & 25th April 2010 It’s time again for the East of England Game Fair which means it’s also time for the Cutters and Climbers Competition. Running since 2005, the main aim of the event is to show off to Joe Public with the aim of raising the local profile of arboriculture. As last year, the competition runs in three parts, testing climbing, spiking and chainsaw skills. The idea being that if we show people what real climbing or real chainsaw work looks like, they may think twice when the ubiquitous cowboys rock up with no PPE, no insurance and no idea. The education aspect works both ways. For the competitors and the judges the benefit is a friendly, open and cooperative environment where ideas and techniques can be shared. To help that noble aim along there’s a beer tent as well… Created and organised by Tree Worker Training proprietor Chalky White, and ably assisted by past and present employees and students, the competition is open to qualified climbers and chainsaw operators regardless of age and gender. The competition consists of three individual events with separate and combined prizes and rankings for each. The vast majority of competitors compete in all three, with the chance to win the much coveted Most Employable Person title. Based on scores from all three events, this honour was first won by Alex Talbot of Tree Surgery Services in 2005 who is now one of our senior officials in the chainsaw arena. Climbing The work climb is adjudicated by me, hopefully with commentary by Nick Pott of Arbjobs.com - Tree Jobs! - Home (). Traditionally a head to head event, our concern over the impact of sending 40+ climbers stamping out all over our regular Oak has lead us to redesign the event for 2010. A new tree has been selected for a solo event with a variety of targets and aerial challenges – I’m determined to fit a zip-line in there somewhere! A simulated limbwalk will be set up as a separate challenge to test how far competitors can get out on an artificial branch without setting off an alarm. Cutting Our cutting competition is organised by Andy Campbell (a top ranked competitor in the UK loggers). This competition takes the most to organise, so there is a large group of volunteers behind the scenes to help set-up and run this event smoothly. Competitors are expected to fell a standing stem, cross cut and snedding. Points will be awarded for the precision of cuts and the time taken to achieve them. Pole Climb Proving very successful on its first outing in 2009, the third event is our unique take on a traditional pole climb. We pit two competitors head to head up the largest poles we can transport down the road. Although these fall short of the 80ft monsters that you might find at the UK championship, they more than make up for it in speed and splinters. This event is run by Martin Platton of MDH Arb Hire Ltd. Download an application form below and email it to [email protected] As if this wasn’t enough, the Forestry Area has more to offer than just competitions. We have a Trade Area headed by Tree Worker Training’s sister company T.H.F. Countryside who offer forestry contracting and mobile saw milling services. Other stands include those that have been around since the first event and who deserve an honourable mention including; Alderhill Ltd; Mr Chris Hall and his company demonstrating their equipment for fence erecting and tree planting, etc. Rouse Power Equipment; a long term supporter, compete with a large selection of chain saws and other powered equipment on display along with anything the budding tree climber could ever want. MDH Arb Hire Ltd; Martin Platton, as well as doing a sterling job of running the pole climb, has a good selection of wood chippers and stump grinders for purchase or hire. There are other various traders and companies all based around the tree services sector. Whether you are looking for firewood, tools or services you are bound to find friendly and helpful advice in the Forestry Area of the East of England. Oh and did I mention the Beer tent??? 2010 Blank Enrolment form for cutters and climbers competition.doc