Tony Croft aka hamadryad

When we do it, we do it well! A profesional lunch! thats an egg poacher middle left of image too!

It aint what you got, its how you use it, a little lumix DMC fs15 costing a mere 150!

Im not keen on "tree valuation" as a rule, the systems in place currently give wild readings making a tree that in a wood be worthless become a million pound "green gem" the valuation methods need to be developed further in my view. I am looking forward to actualy having a go with the TI's and seeing for myself or rather confirming my belief in the system. I am certain with my knowledge of decay fungi i will read the images very well, but we shall see! i dont do math, but images, thats my THANG!

I will say this, there aint no way them is in "used condition" this looks like a load of brand spankers aquired from a supplier! Think that seller needs to justify a few things!

Firstly appologies for turning a request for help into a rant on H+S issues! But I do have to chuckle at some of the postings on this one!

Firstly Marcus that case with the meripilus and Dusta sounds awsome, did you do an article on the case at all? a link possibly? We still have to be careful regarding Meripilus and Ustulina on beech in particular, most of the vets I see laying down in the ancient woods fail to these two, sometimes, not all the time, but eventualy ALL trees go down and with a beech of 300-400 years which is about the longest term for a beech with a full crown it is to be expected that one of these two fungi will result in its ultimate demise, a fact we will never escape. This full crown situation is what I tried to bridge in "pollard - a four letter word" but it went over most peoples heads as a drastic butchers wish to reinstate ancient forgotten methods. I believe almost any tree can be retained if only in a somewhat more mechanicaly stable form as you point out with the 25% reduction in the case you mention. beech are way tougher than we give them credit for. For the record I am a big fan of the TI cameras, i do think it was pushed a little too hard and in the wrong way, setting it back. I can see the simplicity of its use and application, what it can tell and show us, it is a far simpler thing than it is given credit for. Anyone with an eye for tonal differences, and tree anatomy should be able to use it without a hitch, but its hindered by us all being told how much assitance we will all need to use the system and how much training we need to buy in order to make the most of it. I still think the mono images are the better, far more tonal gradiation avaliable to the viewer. what is your view on this point marcus?

I missed the last one, well up for it!

Well at last, today we got to a place worthy of some photography, 16 acres of vet Beech and Oak, awsome. The best bit however was finding this little Fungus, funny as I said the other day I've only seen it once, then bingo todays sample is just awsome! Auricularia mesenterica A saprobe, not one most will know or would be able to evaluate easily as even Jordans book doesnt have a good pictorial representation of this one. Youll find this one on a variety of broadleaved trees, feasting on the dead or dysfunctional sap wood. Its upper surface is zoned similar to Trametes sp, and slightly pubescent (hairy) the basiocarps (fruit bodies) are thick and gelatinous or slightly rubbery. when dessicated they appear as a crust similar to stereum sp, with new fruit bodies pushing through each winter. Is sometimes confused with Bjerkandera adusta the smokey bracket as it has a similar bracketed crustose look to its form especialy when dessicated Another from today, Peniophora quercina Youll find this one Tremella mesenterica often in association with Peniophora species as this is a parasite on this crust fungi genus. There is a similar species that is parasitic on Stereum hirsutum named Tremella aurantia. Finaly i just had to include this image of Pluerotus ostreatus, fruiting on a dead stump of fagus showing one of the best torsional fractures ive ever seen, splendid stuff!

You know me Mozza, I only bump quality threads!

great pics, got the same thing Beech/Oak even more closely matched at Ashridge Pk estate, will dig out the photos, oddly in this match it is also the oak that has died and the beech too is riddled? freaky deakey! i must find those images!

you have my deepest sympathy, believe me, I feel it man! had a stab at it last week, im soooooo weak! stick at it fella, you tried those patches yet? they do help as long as you stay busy!

I know where your coming from, believe me. I am a big fan of Claus, he likes to keep things simple, maybe even old school. He is even trying to demystify complex mechanics in a spoken form so that it is easily accsesable to even the modest arb. (just as well for my sake!) My point is that sometimes simple is better, if I extract a core and show this to a client they can see and fully comprehend the decay/fracture potential of that sample. I sometimes wonder if we dont try to make arboriculture appear to be some black art so only we can comprehend this magic. The best information is the information that is easily and quickly understood, i believe it was einstien who said, if the answer to a problem seems overly complicated it is probably wrong. wise words indeed.

They probably have more deaths because there is more of them doing it! the terrain etc is totaly different, etc etc,

Is he trying to quit the tabs monkey!

Interesting viewpoint.

good thing about them thujas though, they can be restored unlike the Leylandii

Ive often thought about nailing a line of scaffold planks onto the old stumps on our regular hedging, would be time well spent! dont envy you that one. I dont mind a bit of hedging connies but thats just one of those you turn up to in the cold light of early morning and go...... NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Flippin eck, thats a new one on me (image) i mean, OOOOOOOUUUUCHHHHHHH! Makes my scar look like a bee sting!

Oh man, quality stack but lad, you have WAYYYYYYYYYYY too much time to waste!

I get the health and safety act and all the jazz that goes with it but it really is leaning toward overkill, and you're not "allowed" to speak against it, because it isnt "proffesional" I wonder what the Axmen of TV in america would make of "our system"

Yep that is fun! cranes are a blast, in the right pair of hands of course, aint it a strange feeling though being on the crane hook as apposed to the tree! Great shots, really good quality and crystal, shame about the tree, was a severe reduction and veteran managment not an option? will any stump be left as a monolith for the valuable and now rare habitat oportunity?

Why oh why do we let them do this to us! Youll need a risk assesment to wipe your bum or blow your nose at this rate! Surely if there was a risk element on site this would be dealt with in a site introduction meeting? To make one aware of hazards specific to the site covering the site owners backs. asuming we are talking sites like A Glaxos headquarters for example. otherwise a generic risk assesment and briefing to those staff responsible for site surveys should suffice. Being made aware of the basic expected risks should be sufficient? There used to be a great thing caled common sense, that is until we chose to live the american way and live in a sue culture! now everyones as paranoid as the yanks!

Well to be fair the game is "minimalist" tree climb, that guys only using a t shirt! I will remember that next time I need to shin a pole high in the canopy, looked much less effort than a straight shin up!

Well, acording to the master, paul stamets whos book i have right here flammulina velutipes is know as Enokitake, or enoki in forced jars. well done for picking that up, my bad, but your only half right so no gold stars!