ChrisG

As above, If anybody has any of the above publications for sale, drop me a pm with costs. Thought I would try and save a few quid before forking out full price. Cheers

Cheers, I'll give you a buzz this week :-)

Want to get UA 5 under my belt to start powerline surveying. If you have any courses or can tailor one, get in touch with dates and costs. I'm based in North West but willing to travel.

So as a freelancer who's PTS expired a while ago, can anybody suggest a company who can do PTS all in, medical, sponsor, course etc. Been doing a bit on TVP's but need to renew. Any help appreciated

TKF, they have adverts on here

I hold an Fdsc in Ecology and Conservation Management studied at Myerscough College, I think you can do some of their Ecology courses online and I can't recommend them enough. My background is in Ecology and I personaly don't think a qualification is enough these days. Whilst it is a good thing to have, field experience is invaluable. Get yourself involved with CIEEM, join your local Bat group and do some volunteering, contact your local Ecologists and ask them if they would consider a volunteer to help with surveys, local Wildlife Trusts etc. Get on some short courses on survey techniques, report writing, legislation. Work on obtaining a proteceted species license or two, as most employers expect this. I voluntered for many years and found that employers were looking for experience as well as qualifications, hence why I did my degree, I got a job before finishing it. Expect a lot of competition and some strange hours depending on what route you take. Can be hard word but very rewarding. PM me if you need any more info.

Alliaria petiolata leaf?

So you've extended/built adjacent to mature trees and now want to change how you use the building and as a result, want the trees to be pruned or felled at the owners expense so your son can have a new bedroom? What about the 200 years worth of tree? If they are that bad, would the reasonable person put buildings/people at risk in the first place? Not being negative, just trying to make you see things from the tree, the courts and the owners point of view.

Just found out I failed on the theory side. GUTTED! Doesn't surprise me though to be honest as I flapped a bit on the exam and, well read above, need to learn how to spue out Matheck and Shigo word for word in order to get through it. Did well on the inspections and Fungi though, so there's a positive Best get my head in the books for next time!

Fantastic course, learned loads and Guy Watson is a top teacher/all round nice chap. A lot of the questions for the theory were worded quite ambiguously I felt, or maybe I was looking into them too much. I don't feel confident about passing to be honest, but I always over analyse these things and get a bit overloaded with info, so let see. Would recommend it to anybody as I got a lot out of it. I must admit that there are elements of the course which could be reviewed, as some subject matter, just wasn't relevant for me, but I suppose LANTRA have to cover a lot of career types etc. I felt the tools used for decay detection section and the health and safety part could be substituted with more industry relevant information, But that's just my opinion, don't let it put you off! Overall a quite hard course though, but then again, it is a professional course.

Cheers Matthew!

I'd have to disagree, I don't think most people in the industry have a knee jerk reaction to fell trees with fruiting bodies at all, but when it comes to Meripilus and Beech, I would take a very cautious approach. The photos you posted seem to show a target area that can be moved (ie the benches, maybe even the path?), In the tree posted on this thread, the combination of house, path, road and Meripilus infected Beech just doesn't scream out retain to me. If the tree was in parkland where target area could be moved, great, but in this instance, if the tree was to fail etc...etc, is that knee jerk or common sense?

How long do you get for each tree on assessment?

I suppose it depends on the tree eh? If you're going to leave a stump that's infested with allsorts, you would need to specify your recommendations are to remove it and how it would be done? I assume you're not going to get marked down for being as detailed as possible, but I suppose it depends on the trainer/assessor?

Merip G High risk target area, Poor management history, Tree of low value = remove and replace. IMO retention of tree, subsequent surveys, management, risks involved are far to costly and high risk when you could remove and replant with a nicer looking, safe specimen.

Cheers gents, The table sounds like a good idea instead of trawling through books My main area of concern is the types of rot and associated affects on timber, but if you can refer to the books I should be ok. Had my head in the books for a while now, but there is a lot to take in and I don't do myself any favours by probably pouring over too much info lol. Just want to get it right on the day, but it sounds like as long as you listen to what Lantra want from you and knuckle down, you're off! Course is being delivered by Guy Watson, Arb Association. Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course ? Training Thanks again chaps.

Cheers Ben, got 7 years industry experience, but mainly from an ecology point of view, still climbing though, endoscopy of suitable features for Bats, surveys from MEWPs etc. Done a couple of basic inspection courses over the years and use clinometers in work so no worries there. Looking forward to it but a bit nervous at the same time as I've not done any techy learning courses since my degree in 2007 :-S

Any hints or tipis on what areas to concentrate appreciated. Cheers everyone

Got some days in Nov and early Dec if anyone's got owt going in North West area

To be honest, if it's infected a few trees in the same area, you've got big problems. A butyl type membrane could be installed as a barrier around trees that are not already infected, but it can be costly and labour intensive. Remove any infected trees immediately and grind out as much stump as possible. Suitable replanting with species that are less susceptible to infection.

You would also put yourself at risk if you know dangerous trees are shedding off boughs and did nothing about it. If someone was struck and it could be proven that the landowner knew there was a risk, it wouldn't go down well in court. My advice would be, move it (keep it for logs), tell the adjacent landowner that they're trees are dangerous and stick up a couple of signs warning of the danger until remedial works are undertaken. Cover ones backside!

Tell that to a load of jobsworth ramblers and see who ends up moving the branch/limb. Ideally, local authority would move it, but depending on location, access etc, it usually falls on the landowner to keep the PROW clear. I know the textbooks prove me wrong, but in reality and all that. I've dealt with cases exactly like this and most of the time nobody notices, but if you get the passionate ramblers involved, they're all over the landowner like a rash, even if the offending bough is nothing to do with them.

On looking at the pictures further, there seems to be a lot of chlorosis in the leaves and that timber looks rotten/dead, suggesting there's a lot more going on than excess weight on the boughs from fruits and leaves.

Owner of the land has a duty to keep the right of way clear. Owner of the tree still owns the branch, leaves, fruits etc. If it costs the owner of the land money to clear the right of way/move the debris, or it has caused damage to the land owners property, they can claim costs back from the tree owner. If the tree/trees are shedding out boughs like that regularly, they are telling you they're not happy and the owner of the trees should be made aware asap, especially with them being over a PROW. Hope this helps a little.