Doug Blease

Why not a full time course? Most full time courses mean only three days a week in lectures if your lucky with timetables. This is what I have been doing for three years. I also work every weekend. If you want it bad enough, you will make it work.

Hamad, You will learn how to write reports. You will learn the computer skills. These are not pre-requisites of the course. You say you have spent 3k on books, whats stopping you buying a book on word processing, excel, report writing. I am sorry mate but some of your posts do confuse me. You profess to be an intelligent, well read, thinking man who apparently can assess a tree in 30 seconds. Yet you are put off by the idea of dedicating yourself to a commitment to learning. Also, as a current degree student I am constantly insulted by those who believe that young people with a degree dont deserve employment over contractors such as yourself. I am 29 years old and I study with guys straight out of school. Most of them are capable, intelligent people who deserve all that they work for. I started my degree because as you I felt I was unemployable without one having worked in forestry/arb for around 7 years. In a year from now I will have an education and 10+ years of actual hands on experience. Do I deserve a job?

Sounds terrible. Huge sympathies to his family. It sounds like a hard working guy who was faced with a very tricky situation with many variables. Hamad, I know you have apologised but I was initially shocked at your suspicion over sympathy.

What are the neighbours using the track for? Recreation? Livestock? Shooting? Your first point of call should be you Local Access Forum, probably a link on the local council website. This way you highlight your plight in public, then if you have to restrict access, any objections can only come through your Local Access Forum which will highlight the issues around access on your ground. I have studied access law but with more emphasis on Scottish policy. As I understand it the Scottish access code is MUCH MUCH better for all involved than the English system.

Whats the prospect for expanding the woodland annually?

Autoglass?

57% is not a high mark. What was the minimum % required?

How did your fellow students fare on that question? Are you all in the same boat?

The best way to deal with strong wind is to put your ear defenders down. Then the wind dies down with it!

Ahhh! An advantage not lost on the AA either. No wonder you use Lanta HQ for training seminars etc!

Nice surprise wasnt it Shabz!

The Sat Nav directed me right to the lovely ladies at Lantra House, Stoneleigh. Good venue, plenty of trees to look at on the showground for your PTI.

Very good but a bit wordy in places for my taste.

Try Ian Tooth at Fox Earth Arboriculture. You will find his website if you google it. He might have a contact for you.

I am about to join. I think if I finish my honours degree I can become an associate member, or something like that. Very good discount on courses. Half price I think. I can currently get a student rate discount so I dont see what i have to lose!

Adam It totally depends on the type of wood (species) and its moisture content. Cubic measurement is a volume, not weight measurement. If you are selling by the cubic metre, then your not selling by the tonne. Thats the honest way forward. If you are buying your wood by the cord, then you are also buying a volume of wood, not a weight.

Its alright huck, I was just winding you up.

1 tonne of leylandii woodchip weighs about...........

I bet you are their worst nightmare

Matt, you should think about using Jamie and his Valmet for moving the timber. Also he is a crack shot with the throw bag! I would be happy to do some climbing if the dates suit. No spikes = no problem.

Skyhuck, you seem to take a very hard line with the LA? Treat em mean keep em keen? In the past, having made applications in a range of authority areas, I have found it best to fill out the application with the reason being damaged trees. But before you send it in, ring the TO and tell him/her that your sending in an application for removal of a potential hazard tree. Include a covering letter with your preffered intention and photos. This keeps your relationship with the LA healthy. Work WITH them, not against them. If you feel the trees are really on the brink of going over, is it possible to cordon off the target area? You could put a small information board up to explain the problem to the general public, at the same time advertising your contact details and professionalism?

Did you say 20m cutting height? I am not sure you need a mega big MEWP for that. Middle of the range model I think.

Matt, if you can get dates to me then I can tell you how I am set. Sounds like an interesting job. Shame to be losing some valuable trees though. Whats the reason? Landscape? Danger? Risk to access? Thinning? If I was faced with that amount I would be identifying trees which can be easily climbed as opposed to those that will definately need a MEWP. Then you can economically use the platform and climbing concurrently.....if that makes sense!

Matt, the environmentalist in me is hoping your not felling 245 native pines???? Ha surely not! Sounds like another interesting job for the Highlander!

No muckshifter. Not firewood only. Nature Conservation value.