Bundle 2

.....that means it'll arrive in the weeks running up to the tech cert resit Verena...! It'll never release on schedule ! ( call me a cynnic !)

Sorry, I was referring to the "exceptions" that are allowed in 5837...

Ben, I too thought it made little sense to place a carpark within the space allocated....they must have required trees removing ! I was not happy that the carpark area was required to drain up hill either...! They were trying to apply a test of BS5837 in a practical context that simply did not fly.... It is possible of course as many have passed. I suspect you may have experienced the same kind of "mental block" that loomed as I tried to work out how the question could be so abstract! Verena...the 2c. It was allocated 30 marks....this is the first answer I made on the day. Because they were giving marks away. The fact they supplied a survey template is fine. In other years/papers, they allocated marks for re-producing the right template ! Scaled drawings...jesus..I really think the ABC bod that wrote this paper is in cuckoo land ! Yes, it is permissable to alter RPA designated footprints under certain circumstances...look these up Verena I would suggest. For the purposes of an exam, I would keep it simple and plot circles, and overlap them as best you can without making a mess of the drawing ( given the size of paper you are required to produce it on ! ) Ben, I did not do a survey. I plotted nothing. I answered all the text questions only. If Id had time for a survey, Id have gathererd the 11 points I needed Im sure. Someone posted earlier in this thread, not just their frustration but also highlighting that Unit5 requires serious time management if you are going to pass. Verena, I think working BS5837 in your day to day has actually worked against your exam response. It is an exercise in exam technique in that you need to know "how to pass a Tech 3 BS5837 paper" as much as anything !

I shall try and muster some seriously waning interest...might be good for me ! I was told my mark after I asked....I dont care. I thought it was a bloody silly exercise in beating people with a "student" stick...needless to say then, Id be interested to learn what insight their remarks have given you Verena ! I feel sure I can learn something. I need to if Im gonna get it out the way next year ! Tim

About time I read it then....!

It was worth a watch.....guest appearance from Lynn Body, amongst others. ! It made me realise how clean the wood recycling really is ! A good bit showing how organic plant material is recycled directly into new plant growth by way of marked nitrogen ! Very cool...although I think the term used was "incontrevertable " !

It is certainly the view that Shigo expresses. I know it is "de rigeur" to find fault with Shigo's work, if you go back to inspect the wounds created during the winter dormancy, you will often see that the wound occlusion has failed to initiate at the lowest point on the stem ( @ 6 o'clock position) !

Good post.... What a wicked waste !

I take it reduction (hammering is a good description !) is the only option Ian ? Im sure you will have considered the option of decompaction and trffic exclusion. I do find it depressing when our work leads to a trail of destruction and tree care that it less than ideal - often through no fault our own !

I know the Woodland exam was marked by the invigilator who was present on the day I took the exam. I think from past "examiners remarks" that the Plant Supply & etc was also marked by the invigilator present when I took the exam...so then might it be safe to assume it is marked by the body present on the day? I am not certain but have my suspicions thay this is the case.... Thanx Verena...It is too bad that a percentage mark is not given as we would then be able to make a decision within the time frame about remarking....ABC are not all that are they...? Anyway.....I have to say I agree that passing is very disappointing but it is not the be all and end all. The whole learning experience as well as the material we covered is of massive significance to us all and brings us forward as arboriculturists...making all of us better at what we do to varying degrees. Its a tough day and a bit of a trial by ordeal that our efforts are measured by a single performance, and in some cases, only a few marks. Be sensible about it and try to keep a sense of perspective. The reality is that it takes a lot of time and effort, as well as dedication to get through the process and the results should not deter us from returning to fight another day !

Wow...that's impressive indeed Sean- nice one ! They would never survive the uk winter. Varroa would also, very quickly , decimate the strength of any feral colony, to the point of destruction actually ! The birds eat my bees on a daily basis here during the nesting season. I am the only one amongst my neighbours to keep the hedges and grass "unkempt", which attracts alot of urban and mundane wildlife. Whole areas of the city have no sparrows can you believe? Sparrows feed on the bees, and even a sparrowhawk has picked off a sparrow in front of my eyes...! Still...I might see about keeping the hedge a bit shorter next year....lol !

Where's the home page? I can't log out ! AArrggghh !

Nice one... Highly developed then, if not high up the food chain. And apparently with something to protect ! Tim edit...ah yeah..ostoyae. Good info Gerrit !

I wasnt going to make it so easy for him...! I thought the voyage of discovery might be a good thing but hey...! Interestingly, I searched for "Lycoperdon" in the directory search field and it returned "no results"...surely it can do better than that guys ?

Oh yeah !

Excellent.....Makes you wonder why it has developed the "pathogenic" strategy...? Usual need to colonise new food sources I guess. Such efficiency...and I guess it must be fairly high up the food chain in the fungal scene...?

Armillaria ( mellea) I always thought this pathogenic fungi was quite capable of breaching the cells and so root (periderm) regardless of damage being a prerequisite ?

Verena- if you feel like letting me know the nature of the response from ABC, I might try this tack also...but tbh, there isnt much I couldnt improve on in Unit 5. I didnt even bother surveying the trees as I knew there would be no time...AND they were denying us marks this year by providing a table which is a doddle and worth 5-6 + marks....! Also , I felt the they were asking aftyer an unrealistic scenario...would you really go to the lengths of making the site "drain" against the gradient just so what....no dig.! I really thought it was was a bit toy town ! I thought this about the Woodland survey too..."Just imagine these trees aren't here " etc etc... At last the ABC is able to move forward with the curiculum and hoipefully live up the aspirations they boast about the qual being for those "already working" within the industry....cos I felt like a school child again !

@ Shrub...I think you will only get one more shot at it mate ! This is not because you have hit the limit but because the system will stop running in this format after the papers set next year (2012) and work in the newly structured framework thereafter !

One of the Lycoperdon species...search the fungi directory in saprophytic ! ( Puff Balls- Earth balls ! )

I averaged 75% going into the management day ( science paper 93%) Average after management day 67%- bar one paper so be glad the system has changed guys.

Yeah, cheers David. On-line with Myerscough.... Now gotta wait til october to resit the paper I failed ! Mmmm....Ill just let that sink in I think ! @ Sloth- nah..I cant believe I did as well on some papers as I did! How come you know what % you got on failed paper(s) ? I might ring to find out although...do I really wanna know !?

I failed...and Im a bit pissed that they do not tell you what the fail mark is...

Oh bugger ! ( said in a fast show stylee ! )

That'd be my guess mate....It can be distinguished from Rigidiporous by way of the tubes layers ( inside the FB) Check out Perenni in the books, online or with the fungal directory here !