Nimby

Just looking for management options on this. Clearly supposed to be planted as a beech hedge but never managed. These are roughly 10 - 25cm dbh and after advice as to if it is too late to try and make a hedge out of it? Will a 50 - 75% reduction kill the trees or will it then become potentially a manageable hedge? 

23 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

Possibly acute oak decline 

Acute oak decline - Forest Research

WWW.FORESTRESEARCH.GOV.UK

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Information including symptoms and distribution about acute oak decline disease of oak (Quercus species), characterised by...

 

Thanks Steve. I must say that this looks more like a desiccated almost frost bitten remnants of fungi rather than AOD staining? If you zoom in on the photo you  will see what I mean. The problem is, we haven't had any frost 🤔  

Just wondering if anyone can identify this black fungus coming from the Oak cavity? TIA.

Interestingly I had a chat with someone who has researched numerous HH appeals and they said this "A hedge is not its trunk, it is its thickest point, so rather like looking at a Xmas Tree you can consider the fattest part of that tree is its bottom part, that becomes the thickest part of any hedge you are looking at.  E.g.  If you had a hedge where it was planted 2M away from the boundary of the complainant, you measure to the thickest part of the overhang of that hedge (often this can be the complainants boundary)."

Firstly, thanks for the reply tis appreciated. 

I was struggling with a measuring point from the hedge (and a pine tree within) and the branches that extend out towards the property. I was in a mindset that the measuring started from the trunk but now know that it's from the densest part of the hedge? is what I gather anyway. Or is it from the point of the nearest branch towards the windows? 

Also, how does the overhang get pruned and who by? 

The Act, (thanks) or guidance in  'High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure' states:

4.36 Problems associated with the width of the hedge, where it overhangs and intrudes on the complainant’s property, will not normally be considered. The exception might be where the height of the hedge is a contributory factor. For example, a hedge might be so high that the complainant could not reasonably be expected to trim overhanging branches, and so cannot alleviate the problems it is causing.

I have a situation with a 16m hedge that has been regularly trimmed upto 2m and the rest overhangs right into the garden and near the house.

Hope that makes sense, because it doesn't to me! 😐

Is there anyone that has dealt with a HH case where overhang is to be considered? I am struggling to understand how to deal with Overhang when looking at the calculation based on the information in the ODPM's document 'Hedge height and light loss'.

I am looking specifically at a hedge that's 16m tall and the overhang is very high up! I am aware that it needs to be considered as part of the Bill but find it quite confusing.

TIA.

Sorry for the resurrection of an old thread, just interested to know how this 'panned out'??!

To me this is not what the TPO system is to be used for, very poor of the LPA. 

On 19/02/2021 at 09:07, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Your LA must have an enviable call pic-up rate to make that work. 
 

Hereabouts, you’d likely spend 10-30+ minutes in a call queue to LA general number, then get redirected to forestry team auto-answer machine which would say leave a message and someone (might) get back to you within 10 days. 
 

Its just not practical to add another 2 weeks to the admin - and shouldn’t be necessary if notice is full and detailed. 
 

Whilst one might have direct mobile numbers for TOs, would never consider s211 notice warrant use of direct line.  Proper emergency maybe, but not s211. 

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. My office and mobile number are on my email sig. I encourage tree contractors to speak to me with any tree issues they have. The Government also encourages this practice.

On 19/02/2021 at 09:07, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

 

Does your LA register s211 notice and allocate a planning application number?

Yes, of course. If it's sent direct to Planning it is logged and forwarded to me. If it is an email direct to me I make sure it is logged with Planning Support. 

On 19/02/2021 at 09:07, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Could you explain how the process ‘works’ in regard to decision making in your situation. 

 

In receipt of s S211 i will go and have a look and make a decision based on what I find. If required (a tree of interest) I will talk to the tree owner/contractor and maybe any other interested parties, PC's Tree Wardens etc and either let them know of what I think or take their comments into consideration prior to the outcome. 

Does anybody not discuss an impending S211 with the TO?

As a TO I am aware of the good contractors in my area, and well as bad, and I always encourage a conversation before the submission then if I know about it just advise to email me. Certain situations I don't even go on site, just email back saying that the Council has no objection. If I have confidence in the ability of a contractor to do the job right and advise the customer correctly then I am less likely to get involved. 

Obviously there are times when I need to inform neighbours, ward Cllrs PC's etc and ask for comments but generally speaking I have made up my mind as to the outcome.

As a Council Officer I do not want to make life difficult for anyone and by working with decent contractors that makes all our lives easier. This also frees up more time for me to deal with idiots!

18 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Anything compromising the root structure ?  If so it might come over itself as Beech do from time to time . 

Recent (5 yrs) re-surfacing of road and heavily compacted ground in the immediate vicinity!! 

A very large Beech tree with all sorts going on.

On 25/11/2020 at 17:22, Mick Dempsey said:

 

But you would dictate the scope of the work entirely?

Not necessarily, just discuss it together. I am willing to compromise in most situations. With this I would say let's get an initial amount of work done and have a look from there.  

11 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Therein lies the rub.
 

Certainly from my experience in the UK TOs are not on the side of the homeowner, or the contractor.

If you can circumnavigate them legally it’s worth doing.

 

It never ceases to amaze me the response I read about TO's and tree surgeons. Let's be honest, there are two sides to a coin. I digress.

As a public servant I deal with people as I would like to be dealt with, honestly. Looking at this case, I wouldn't want to live like that with a tree encroaching so much, and suspect most on here wouldn't either. 

I understand why Council's don't want private contractors working on their trees but in this case they need to deal with it themselves. If I was under resourced, tree crew very busy, I would check the OP's insurance and suitability to do the job, we would discuss the works and I'd let him crack on.

A woodland TPO should only really be used if the site is a woodland. Areas orders can be in this situation if needed, in case of emergency etc. 

Had you told anyone that you were going to clear it again?

If the land is down for development (in the Council's Local Plan?) as you say then it is surprising that the head of planning for that LA has signed of the order!  

Honestly, I despise threads like this.

As a TO I would meet the property owner and advise that we, the Council, will carry out works by reducing the encroachment as much as is deemed suitable (for the tree and the resident).

Looking at the photo, I could advise that this is priority work and get it done asap depending on if there's any other works in that area needs doing as well.

I have a situation where a SU wants to remove a tree because there are power lines in close proximity to the bole and they are saying that (according to the HSE) the tree can be climbed with the use a ladder and therefore dangerous!

We have a TPO tree that hasn't any low branches, just a straight bole, and they want to use an 'exemption' to remove the tree. I argued that it cannot be climbed without some form of equipment and surely that has to be considered. Not so. We discussed obvious things like alternative positioning of the poles etc as well as Anti-Climbing mechanisms, like those used on poles but to no avail.

Has anybody ever seen anti-climb gear used on trees? I do not think it would be difficult to rig up a mechanism that is adjustable in order to save an old important tree.

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated as ever.      

Has anyone come across a light brown flux/wetwood type exudate on a Horse Chestnut?

I have seen it before but never really taken much notice of it. I saw it recently and it did concern me, annoyingly I didn't get a photo.

Any pointers to what, if any, effect it may have would be appreciated.

Thanks Jon, that's a fully detailed answer and it is appreciated.

11 hours ago, AA Teccie (Paul) said:

You need a robust and systematic approach to tree inspections, applied consistently and methodically, which may involve one of the afore mentioned but doesn't have to. The Lantra "Professional Tree Inspection" (PTI) certification training is well worth undertaking if you haven't already.

Regards 

Paul 

 

Thanks Paul. I see that course as more training, rather than a system?

9 hours ago, daltontrees said:

I think you need to explain a Tree Health and Safety Report. What is that? Is it something different from a Tree Risk Assessment?

 

It's a good point, that I don't know the answer to.

If a private business is asking "are these trees safe" because they are carrying out a Health and Safety Audit, are you saying they need a TRA? And if they do, do you NEED to be licensed/trained in one of the systems listed above?

If you aren't, are you running a risk yourself? Does qualification/study and experience not count as enough?

Thanks Jon, but I am more than aware of insurances and how that works.

My question is: If you are carrying out Tree Health and Safety Reports, do you need to be using any of the known systems?

Put it another way. Say you are a fully insured Arb Consultant (10 years on the tools and 10 years as a TO for eg) do you need to be using any of the recognised systems listed above. I know they are useful, just needing to know how important they are in legal terms?  

I would like to ask what are the minimum requirements in terms of quals and experience for carrying out TRA's and/or Tree Health and Safety Reports.

It appears that there are numerous 'systems' out there at the moment, TRAQ, QTRA, VTA, VALID & Helliwell etc, but what risks are you taking yourself if you do not use any of these?

Is there any case law out there whereby someone carrying out a report that had consequences due to their lack of a system? If that makes sense?

Why do you want to fell the tree, because of the parking issue? Picture?

The RPA of a hedge is not properly considered in the BS. There are numerous (100's) types of hedges, managed and un-managed. The BS advises that a hedge could or should be referenced on a Topo if it is necessary.

In terms of RPA, common sense needs to be applied. If there's a chance the hedge may be compromised during the development process, analyse the soil type and structure etc. Fencing may be required or in certain situations, ground protection could suffice.

The species, type and size should be considered when considering the RPA.

In summary, is it a 'good' hedge? is there a chance it could be damaged, if so, what is the best way to protect it? Is the soil a shrinkable clay?   etc.....        

Looks like fire damage?