John Hancock

In years to come when a young arborist is chatting to another..."You never see an old tree surgeon do you ?" You know where we'll be.....Driving truck n Chipper! (Least we'll all be very employable)

Include a full (site specific method statement) and a risk assessment (as site specific as you can get) Then your insurance certificates, training certificates etc… That would be sufficient.

Its not just the cost of getting CI+E, I hear the failure rate is very high! So I can understand why you got **** on. I've lifted this off the DVLA web site... 'Subcategory C1: Medium sized goods vehicles 3.5 - 7.5 tonnes MAM Subcategory C1 vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM allowing a combination of up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. But unlike category B, the 750kgs MAM trailer weight limit is an absolute limit. In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to meet higher medical standards and pass both theory and practical tests for subcategory C1. Subcategory C1+E: Medium sized goods vehicles 3.5 - 7.5 tonnes MAM plus trailer over 750kgs MAM Subcategory C1+E allows vehicles to be combined with a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the combination does not exceed 12 tonnes MAM and the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests - subcategory C1 (theory and practical) followed by C1+E practical. There is no subcategory C1+E theory test. It will not be possible to go directly from category B to subcategory C1+E. Because EC regulations limit drivers aged under 21 years to driving vehicles or combinations which weigh no more than 7.5 tonnes MAM, drivers under the age of 21 are not allowed to drive subcategory C1+E vehicles up to 12 tonnes MAM. But 18 year old drivers are allowed to take a test for subcategory C1+E which will allow trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM to be towed. Entitlement is limited to a combination weight of 7.5 tonnes MAM until the driver reaches 21 years, at which time the balance of 12 tonnes MAM entitlement automatically becomes effective'. Just so we know.

I totally agree. If a lad came to me for interview and he held C1+E he’d be on top of my pile straight away! Maybe the industry should be talking to the colleges. Its so important to come out of college as employable as possible, ANS C1+E would def. make you employable…

Sorry for not getting involved guys, it’s my night for visiting the children…still, back now. It does seem one hell of a lot of money to fork out when all we want to do it tow a chipper! I’m looking at it from an employment point of view…Its getting to the stage when an older guy with little experience and qualifications is more likely to get a position just because he can tow a chipper. The world has gone mad!

Is anyone experiencing problems arising from the young ages of drivers and the restrictions imposed on them regarding towing over 750 kg’s? As I’m getting older, the lads are getting younger and I can see real problems arising in the future. It seems that driving licences obtained since 1st January 1997 need to obtain subcategories C1+E. I’ve rang round a few driving schools and the average price is £980!! Apologies if this subject has been discussed before.

Mountain-bikers unite!

Nice tree, in a very prominent position. Do you mean Polyporus squamosus (dryad’s saddle)? We get a lot of that here Worcestershire. As you know its usually confined to trees which have been ‘topped’ or damaged by excessively large or numerous pruning wounds or storm breakage. The beech in Fort Royal was host to Ganoderma Sp. A completely different fungi with different decay characteristics, which can lead to mechanical failure of the stem base or root-plate. I wouldn’t like to comment on which tree has the highest hazard rating as we are talking about two different trees, in different locations with different host pathogens.

I know where you’re coming from! Much easier to be in the tree, I can dictate how fast the operation goes then. If I see the lads standing round, chatting...just 'lop' a bigger section out, that will wake them up! I'm off to sprinkle some soil-conditioning fairy-dust now, on any tree with a hazard rating of 5 and above. :wave:

Big white truck (gets stuck in mud a lot) Big yellow chipper (very hungry, fav' food-wood) Very Big shredder (very, very hungry, fav' food-anything! Big Stump gringer (remote control)

Thanks for all your comments, I guess its good to talk these things through. For those who are interested, this is the stump saying goodbye...:wave: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10126370948&oid=12054243295

Well it sounded like it to me.... But please tell me how soil treatment can (instantly) reduce the hazard rating of a Beech tree which is host to Ganoderma. I say instantly because the tree is in a park, with full public access and three footpaths within falling distance. I am intrigued, I honestly would like to know...

Dont start getting personal. I have given you my views, you are welcome to give yours.

Are you sure its Inonoyus dryadeus and not Inonotus hispidus ? dryadeus effects mostly Quercus and hispidus effects Fraxinus, Platanus, Malus, Juglans, Ulmus and Acer pseudoplatanus.

Like I said before...you have me there! Its a fair cop! Don’t be too hard on local authorities. There are many responsibilities associated with land and tree stock ownership. Beech don’t take to crown thinning or reduction well, and as for soil treatment...How the hell is that going to increase the structural rigidity of the main stem when the lignin is almost totally degraded! My PI insurance is good, but not THAT good!

I think that’s a little strong! As a council, we are a land owner. Any land owner has a Duty of Care towards members of the public and its employees. It is my job to run and maintain a defensible tree management system, and as such all my tree stock has to be inspected, defects identified and control measures put in place. If that tree blew over and injured or even killed someone the HSE would want to know why a tree with a recognised defect was allowed to stay in place. I don’t want to stand up in court and be held accountable and I certainly don’t want a member of the public to be killed by one of my trees. The tree had a defect, there were targets and a control measure was put in place.

You have a good point, I've dismantled trees in very poor condition and sometimes its nice to 'hear' it talking to you...I can get the hell down from it if its telling me something I don’t want to hear...!

I've done the AA course, absolute bloody nightmare! You have to be really careful with your wording on the tree reports, and the fungi ID…...Jesus!! I've spent my whole working career being interested in fungi and their decay characteristics. Test day comes and laid before me were several desiccated examples that had no resemblance to the fungi I had ever seen! (In the real world of Arb) It might have changed now as I suggested there should be a photo of an un-desiccated example next to the dried-up, shrivelled example on the table. Out there in the real world we see fungi in all states, live and dead and I feel the test should represent this.

The ear defenders were not in use as I like to hear what’s going on with the tree and the visor was up for purely photographic purposes (so you could all see my handsome, masculine face!)

Just been trying to load the Tomograph results but the file size it too big! The only way I can do it is to take a pic off my laptop, sorry for the quality..

I agree with the comments about the Silky, Its so nice to climb without a 0200 strapped to your side. I have, however had some nasty cuts from Silky saws...you tend to become complacent with them because they don’t make a buzzing sound.

Simple...I like to climb!

Yes it did, but because it was such a nice tree I expected some come-back from the public so I decided to cover my arse! We posted the tomograph results on the notice board in the park, weeks before we took it down. The pic of the stem being cross-cut shows some of the decay, but it was actually much worse than that lower down...

No, not recent, recent. I have a soft spot for fungi, so always try to take some snaps when I can, in the hope they will help me when i see dried up examples in exam I.D's (fat chance!)