treeseer

...and keep in mind that it takes two to tango; the fungus' strategy depends on the host's strategy. Could be the prof is asking a Zen question and trying to trip you up. one hand clapping

First, the brackets are in sinuses, which are between the butresses. This matters because the tree stands on the buttresses. What % of the sinuses have brackets? Judging by the size of the tree, a crown cleaning and light reduction <10% with <2" cuts might be in order, brackets or no.

Tree Services Magazine - To Prune or to Cable? - April, 2013 - FEATURES Evidently the author just took pics of 2 jobs that he and his boss did and wrote about them. Really nice job imo, and great PR.

Curious how the little one cuts in so while the big one seems to be loosened over time somehow. Both no-brainers to prune, if the tree is being managed at all. 037 is an ash in a parking lot 025 a Liquidambar last is at Kew; surprising to see such defects pass inspection there.

Maybe pick out any black crusties before grinnding that oughta do it. The fungus is everywhere so this does not sound like an enormous issue.

No stem breakage in picture, so soil/root failure. In 2 pics I could only see 2 roots, and small ones at that. Not that big a crown, but it could have been thinned/reduced. Any effort to preserve these old hulks might attend to the roots, at least as much as the branches.

re suitable; attached. Tree may be best able to repair wounds while growing. "Avoid pruning when leaves are forming or falling" is an old wives' tale i have repeated a few thousand times, but now doubt. At any rate we shan't argue about a tree we have not seen. pruning collar dujesieffken.pdf

"a tiny nylon hammer is as effective as a large mallet, " Not for my ear it isn't. "and less likely to be used "vigorously"! Perhaps the opposite could occur, if the little hammer does not make a big enough sound. There are others over here who favor a broader striking surface, in part i suspect to lessen impact per square unit of area?

"included bark...the cankering issue. So he recommends it's removal " Thanks for the context Tony. Wondering why was a combination of light pruning and support (cabling, bracing...) considered inadequate. "I've seen pictures of the cankers ( I may try to post them if I have time) ." please do. How many prior failures at a fork had there been?

With no pic to refer to i would blurt out no wound >2" re waiting til summer yes maybe there is a point depending on condition; if tree has good reserves now maybe no great concern when.

I first saw it presented in 1996 by the legendary John Britton in California. He was a handson man; no drilling. first saw drilling by bartlett guys in 2002. they quickly set the hammer down and started drilling; have not slowed down since. saw mike in 2005? ISA Nashville. tony the radar guy was there as well no contest that i recall or noted but mike's sounding was eerily accurate and very inspiring. isa 2007 Dan Marion led a session using a plain old metal clawhammer. the bartlett guys said forfend but that seems ironic given their penchant for destructive sampling/barrier breaking. I still like the clawhammer on the flare of thickbarked trees, as when flipped it is a good digging implement. i dont fancy the nylon heads; they don't give a thunk like other heavier hammers. I typically use the rubber mallet but have been switching to the below Thor-like wood mallet, as it resembles the tool on my fambly's coat of arms. I don't imagine myself a sounder of Ellisonian dimensions but can hear hollows. As years go by (where's Marianne Faithful come from?) it seems less clear; has anyone used a stethoscope for this task?

Standard operating procedure here on almost any big old tree, thump 360 while inspecting dbh area and maybe the flare too..

Hmm indeed; someone's been to risk assessor school but left during recess. No rot visible in those cuts. That is brutal work--why would the Trust approve work like that?

Well I got 114' up in this willow oak today; glorious fun with gusting wind and pollen a-flying. Got into the cavity and what looked smooth and grey in the earlier pic is dry and browninsh but the resupinate fb is still velvety smooth. Very cool (to me) look at branch collar construction in this socket failure. Teh shell wall is 21" on one side of the hole and 12" on the other. Incredibel that "fell" be the verdict; because "reduction pruning would be too ugly and expensive.' One swath between wounds is caked with Nectria cinnabarina. good graphic to dissuade pruners from making those big cuts in a column.

The way I have always thought of it (and please please if anyone knows different let me know) is that when a tree gets to the age when it can produce heartwood, every year thereafter when it puts on a new ring it consigns an old ring to heartwood. So if that is so evey year a ring of wood is converted from sapwood to heartwood. Not always1:1 but yes. "I have another unproven assumption that heartwood is produced from sapwood by the importation of substances from vigorous new wood along medullary rays and more generally by patrenchymal cells towards the older heart of the tree. Yes those substances would be largely waste products discharged to be shed. "Adding assumptions to guresses to hypotheses that would mean that fungi absorbing compounds from relatively old wood would have access to current contamination in the soil. Yes very often connected through pith into earth. 'Please feel free to strafe my speculation as ruthlessly as its unscientific origin deserves. Sounds like several textbooks; you are joshing re origin methinks.

Callus is undifferentiated, "scar" tissue, like stem cells. When it dfferentiates/lignifies it is called woundwood, as sloth mentioned. This was shigo's terminology and remains in ISA glossary (free online) and also the US Standard. I call it "donut" when there is a big ring; too often unclosed.

DH is your version to be compared against the US Forest Service Hazard Tree Evaluation form? could be; that is what it was derived from "If so, yours does look less cluttered and easier (client friendly) to use. Thanks; imo having numbers or low-high ranges does clutter it, at the expense of adaptability "Would the trees age class be listed in the contributions value column? Could be, but species + size would indicate age, if that is important. Age might belong better under Condition maybe? "Should perhaps your client get a section allowing for the input of suggested re-inspection frequency? That would be under "Followup", right column. "Is/would there be a key attached so the client knows what any specific given values/bands mean? David I would expect the words to be written clearly enough to say what they mean. What do you mean by "bands"? PB Does your form take account of the targets and/or occupancy level? I can't tell if the "location exposure" column might refer to that, or if that is more about wind/visibility. I was thinking more of exposure of tree than thinking about target, which would be considered under Priority in the Mitigation column. Is that adequate consideration? maybe so? "How is size measured? Height / diameter / spread...or a combination of those? Whatever seems most relevant; spread is important sometimes and not others, for instance "What is the 'value' to be entered for "contributions"? Whatever the tree contributes that is worth noting. "I like the simplicity of the form and imagine you have your own guidance notes for using it..." Not really written notes just practice "I like that idea of a balanced approach that acknowledges contributions when assessing risk." Yes this is important isn't it "The ISA BMP seems to have more of an emphasis on risk assessment based on likelihood and consequences of failure than your form." Unfortunately, you have to look hard for wording on the need to assess contributions, and residual risk after mitigation, but the wording is in there. All the matrices you mention are tilted toward the negative and tend to obscure the process, so i tend to skim that section.

Would it be unusual to have all that stroma (?) inside and no fb outside? trunk has no wounds at all. Still not allowed to climb and inspect so I'm looking for a camera w a good zoom

That definitely seems to be the case. But which fungus, that is the question. I've seen something like it before but never recorded any data on host species or host condition or extent of spread. i recall it's very slick to the touch.

Quercus phellos lost branch; socket failure revealed hollow core with smooth grey lining. this is someone else's pic as i am not permitted to climb and inspect, so don't ask for a closeup. so what is this smooth grey stuff? have seen similar before but never identified.

Referring to the ISA BMP on risk, I revised the US Forest Service form--as they recommended-- to make it more balanced and credible. Does it look reasonable to you? Tree Risk Management Form 130405.pdf

Plausible but i'm in the states and had not heard the news...rural legend?

Excellent question. No flare often = girdling root = instability. Job 1 is find the flare so Rob you have some digging to do, to get a clue on what's up with that tree. Totally agree w John S re evidence v. opinion. Get more evidence. How long ago were the 2 lower limbs removed? Horrible practice--made tree topheavy, stressed roots by sudden exposure, stole nourishment that could have fought off basal rot. Flare should be clear of turf 1' at least so air can move around it. D-1 Sample specifications for RCX (root collar examination) with hand tools Scope: Trees with fill contacting the trunk. Objective: Mitigate tree damage from the effects of fill on the trunk. Specifications: 1. Rake any coarse woody debris or fresh mulch away from the root collar area. 2. Select tools to avoid root and trunk damage. 3. If a shovel or trowel is used, press the blade against the trunk. Slide it carefully downward until resistance is met. 4. Push the handle toward the trunk, moving the blade away from the trunk. 5. Remove individual adventitious roots and stem-girdling roots as needed. Manage larger roots per ANSI A300 (Part 8), 83.4 and 84.4. Avoid contact between the trunk and any remaining adventitious, girdling, and circling roots. 6. Lift the material away from the trunk and place it in a temporary staging area. 7. Repeat until trunk and flare are clear, out to the root collar, where buttress roots divide. Use smaller hand tools, vacuum, or compressed water or air, to complete the excavation. 8. Separate and dispose of any infertile soil and debris. Retain the fertile soil, fine roots, mycorrhizae, and decomposed mulch. 9. Commence the RCX (root collar examination). 10. Consider replanting the tree, if the flare is over 2 inches (5 cm) below grade. 11. Remove soil and fine roots outside of the root collar to make a gradual slope. 12. Consider installing a device to control erosion. 13. Apply 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of mulch over the root collar. Avoid mulch contact with the flare. 14. Remove the fine roots, fertile soil, mycorrhizae and decomposed mulch from the staging area. 15. Incorporate the material into the outer rootzone. 16. Specify that future management will keep the flare visible. D-2 Sample specifications for RCX (root collar examination) with pneumatic or hydraulic tools 1. Rake any coarse woody debris or fresh mulch away from the flare and root collar. 2. Select tools to avoid root and trunk damage. 3. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations.

well thats all good i reckon; conk is so old and degraded even if there were micromorphological differences i could probably not suss them out. but mayhaps i should try; good practice...?

Thanks David, but that was the definiton of "canker" per se. Understood; i took off very little extra under pressure from paranoid uf; very little.