Tony Croft aka hamadryad

hows your app project going robin?

good observation!

Yes, over-thinning of stands is a widespread practice here in the U.K especially within forestry. My local wood Whippendell has been and continues to be over thinned currently, the number of new shear cracks and failures of shear root balls testament to this. Although this has its upsides for a fungi hunter, the larches have shear cracks and now are fruiting Phaeolus shwienitzii due to the gas intake to the central cores.

No question! welcome Graham:thumbup:

look on the bright side, your phones ringing. its when it dont ring you need to worry!

OHHHH theres fishing there too! any bigguns in that lake!

Q1) Are CODIT walls not weakest in the downward direction? A) Yes that is correct, The vertical pathways within the vessels and the tyloses/resin pits that form to block them when air enters the pathway (dysfunction) Q2) What makes the union appear strong? Does not thickening increase the weight and pressure on the union particularly on the compression side, also the line of the joint is migrating to one side, the side over the building, I understood this was not good. A) I never suggested it was strong, I said it wasnt "particularly weak" Much of the resistance to splitting out is from compression wood forming on the outside face of the wood pushing it back into the canopy. Compresion wood in Deciduos trees indicating stresses but also vigour and adaptive growth. The "Joint" is only partial, and more a roll of tissues this multi stem form may be froma pollard which would explain the joint form. (That would need clarity) So the tree has suffered in the past from the saw though before my time and we cannot remedy that now. It would have been good if one of the codominant stems had been removed instead of the flush cut and tipping. Removing one of the co dominant stems would have made a large wound, and probably enabled a joining of a column of dysfunctional wood to meet the cavity lower down. This would have obvious consequences, another option might be to pollard the tree 3 feet above the unions allowing a new crown to form and be managed cyclically as a pollard say at 5-10 year intervals. Maintaining size and screening, and a supply of Bio fuel, wood for the stove if required, and a hollowing stem for wildlife. What do you think of the idea that trees without high value and intrinsic defects are better removed and replaced? How do you think it would affect the tree to have the stem with the line of union migrating towards its base removed? Yes removals always an option, especially where there is a group of trees and removal of one, say the middle tree in a group of three, might allow better development and form in the others given a little extra space to grow. Sometimes it can be highly beneficial to the wider tree population to have a few removed. where defects or "issues" exists this helps evaluate where thinning of trees can be highly beneficial to tree health and reduce other issues at the same time.

while were having fun, just came across this and thought of our Jonnyvine! reckon its right up his street:lol: Even post a link cos Im sure he will be after a copy:laugh1: [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Friends-Influence-People-ebook/dp/B0044XUINS/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1]How To Win Friends And Influence People eBook: Dale Carnegie: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store[/ame]

numpty

Got my hands on a mates Alaskan today, we had been doing some pruning and felling and leaving the logs till we had one. Some nice bits of spalted timber out of it. The ash log spalted by Inonotus hispidus is going to become a new coffee table.

For crying out loud Jonny lighten up, youll give yourself a freakin ulcer:biggrin:

thats a good line of inquiry, I dont know what phaeolus looks like when its been Parasitized by this so couldnt say but a definate potential

I dont agree with these sorts of policy, we have it here now, and if they are correct in stating it got here by wind (doubtfull) then it is long past control via cleanliness. The waste of resources (the firewood) is going to be immense and criminal, maybe burn/bury the brush but the timber could easily be dry stored. but thats JUST an opinion.

oh cheer up mate, you could be in Sweden with Tobias at minus 50!

Ive got a crabtree book somewhere!

Im not condoning it either by the way! just saying its really a treat each situation as you find it, users are not second class citizens, some need help, others dont just time.

Seen this image before, epic aint it! lots of big old trees get washed down the big river and end up as driftwood, just on a different scale to an english chalk stream scenario!

Yes, its rather obscene to sit with a beer in hand tugging on a fag whilst slating smokers of canabis or any other substance (excluding the HARDER nasties) I dont see many folk drinking wine or smoking benson and hedges to alleviate their symptoms like MS, AIDS etc:001_rolleyes: how would anyone feel about medicinal use of such substances, when alcahol and nicotine serve no medical benifits? chewing coca leaves alleviates alltitude sickness for example. Its all about context if you ask me, and plenty of guys drop into the bar on the way home.

LOL, yeah, keeps it lively i suppose, personaly i could do without the excitement!

follow the link I added early on, sorry for the heated moments, reallywasnt how I intended it to feel or go.

Everyone has to learn by their own mistakes, and we will make em, and hopefully learn from them, anyone who has kids knows this better than anyone, ask my parents! There are three or four basic laws we all share in common, Cause no harm nor loss to others do not steal/cheat. forgotten the others but you get the drift... other than those as you say, its your life:thumbup1:

hello Tucky, get involved! and well done on your tickets today see you around the pages

At the moment, that is very much appreciated sentiment, I will try hard to ensure it stays that way and without getting "bullish":thumbup1:

Thats a fair point but rather extreme, if were talking about normal decent human behaviour, most of the lads we might be discussing! politicians are not "normal" people!