JonnyVine

Strewth 80%, thats more or less a fell!

II did actualy say "appears" to have very little left David and how can you see the rest of the trunk? Are you guessing the rest is better, it could be worse! I have not forgot that this tree was massive and targets were plenty and of the highest value so I just thought that maybe guessing was inappropriate here. I am supprised that someone of your ability and experience would not want to know more before commiting himself to a definite answer, I know you have retained some horror stories (with excellent results) but this one is a tetchy subject that would make me uneasy. Jonny

The only objection that the law allows is a TPO though... Quite

Di the PTI course!

Like you say, the information you have supplied is legaly sufficient and the clock is ticking so as long as you have a coppy of the letter and sent it SD then you are covered, however I would think that the LPA would reply with objections within the six week allowance, If they didn't, then its open season. PS, have LAs ever done anything fair?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but I struggle to understand how any of us can speculate to be able to have saved this tree when so much additional evidence is required before a decision like this could be made with any positivity, otherwise why not say you are just guessing? No one has yet seen even a clear photograph of the lowest basal section, let alone phisicaly tested the butt! Even a superficial view via photo appears to show very little residual wall left, I am aware, that the risk can be "acceptably" reduced with any tree no matter how decayed, but this would involve such a massive reduction that hardly anything would be left. Treeser, "sinuses" I am unfamilliar with this term, it appears to have manifested on this thread, could you point me to a reference of its origin please.

Hi Tony They certainly wouldn't ignore it due to the further implications which you point out. In my experience, LA's are notoriously suspicious of any application that is so paucing in information and would most certainly require more, upon receipt of, TPO whatever you indicate. Also, to seek pennance for your attempt to pull a quickie over your LPD, double the council tax for your postcode, inform all the local residents that the increase is your fault, move the local recycling depot to the bottom of your road and ban dog walking in all other areas appart from yours (again informing all the locals of the reason for doing this).

Ffs, splitting my sides!

Many woodlands for sale are open access, be careful with this type!!!

I do, with increasing regularity, make mistakes, sometimes with spelling too ( I do not use a spell checker)and yes I did make a pigs ear of post 11, but you did manipulate the post. Getting things wrong is hardly a crime. I can not understand where we went wrong, I read most of your posts and have found myself in agreement with 99% of what you write! Being able to write and be consistently understood on a forum is difficult to say the least, we all have different fields of expertise which makes it even harder I came into arboriculture from studying bio-chemistry so there are some areas that are easier for me to understand where I might need longer for others, it is allso easy to assume that other people can understand what we are trying to say, ie, extremes of temperature! In ecological terms, extremes of temperature can be as little as 5 degrees C, the difference between global warming and an ice age, which I think is what you wrote. I genuinely feel that under different circumstances ( over a pint or good bottle ) the conversation would have been different and quite enjoyable, most certainly the part about Elm trees and their ability to evolve beyond O. novo-ulmi, this is perfectly true however it has been achieved genetically by Abertay university in Dundee , so maybe in the future we could see a rturn of the English Elm just in time to replace the lost Ash. I would be pleased if we could stop the bickering so I can once again enjoy your posts. What ever the outcome I wish you a happy and prosperous new year Jonny

Dear oh dear, now that is a clear dislay of your level of inteligence and maturity!

Allah be praised, knowledge and intelligence. There is hope

Exactly, and if it has been reproducing for several generations???

But I think I have read properly, I read how you stated back in post 5 that native trees had survived vast extremes of temperature!? This had never been disputed so either you yourself need to learn how to read properly or wrongly believe that adapting to a slow change in climate is the same as aquiring immunity to a pathogen! You circumnavigated this inacuracy by cleverly manipulating my post, and then made it look like you had written it

Gary Sorry I could not help with the original problem, if you find the link again, please do post it as I think a quite a number of people would be interested. I have often wondered when a particular species becomes indigenous? And, like you say, does it realy matter? I would rather have none natives than no trees at all. Todays climate is an ideal breeding environment for most pathogenic organisms, not just tree related, which can then hybridise and could take decades to evaluate the potential outcome, if at all. Merry Christmas and a happy new Year Jonny

HCR My mistake, I was had allways been under the belief that Dutch Elm Disease, or DED as you refer had been widely spread by the scolytus beetle! Not a continual chain of cloning? I feel much more unworried knowing that all is well and under controll. I will use the forthcoming break to learn more Festive greetings Jonny

Don't know about boring Jules, I thought that was a profound and interesting post and debateable threads do tend to drift a little. 7' was just a starting height currently I am aware that anything under 6' can not be classed as a high hedge so I just added a foot for good measure, but I do believe that there is a difference between a hedge or tree and a climbing frame/garden shed etc, the latter somehow don't seem to be as intrusive. For me the jury is still to deliver on the deciduous verdict as these also produce conflict, some neighbours loath having to tidy up the leaves from neighbouring trees every Autumn Good luck with the lobbying of parliament Jonny

Paul I would advise anyone not to underestimate the ability of this fungus, its a swine, all the symptoms you have described, good crown, roots apear sound etc are typical and caught me out many years ago, fortunately the only thing damaged was pride. The type of decay is quite similar to K. deusta, I won't bore you with the specifics of degradation, but when the critical stress factor is reached it lets go violently and without warning. If this is Meripilus, give it some respect and do a proper root inspecton as David suggests with airspade Jonny

Jules Very eloquant and emotionaly put and would have been spoiled by an animated icon. Here in England we also have the high hedges bill which would not have helped this case one iota because there has to be two (evergreens) together to constititute being classed as a hedge, but getting anywhere with this is nigh on impossible. I feel that your prediction of a curtain twtching police state is perhaps overeducated forsight in this instance because even a twenty foot surrounding of privet hedge is not going to stop the ubiquitous nosey neighbour and the very fact that a dispute has arisen indicates that any inter-neighbour relationships have broken down or never existed. This was the very reason I initialy made my comment on this thread, in support of the "victim" on the shaded side of the fence and I will repeat that it is a growing trend that I get asked to look at some trees in a neighbouring garden thave grown beyond a civil, reasonable height, invariably I then contact the owner to try and resolve the issue as an independent party and 90% of the time conclude that it has nothing to do with privacy or trees, I usualy find that Ego is the driving force behind the exessive height and Mr nasty is going to fight it tooth and nail. Air and light are so necessary to a healthy living environment and it is so easy to position trees so that they can not develop into a useful tool for bullies. I am a vehement supporter of privacy and civil liberties, however peeping pervs are historic and will spy on the partners tits regardless. Why apply the term " reasonable " to one issue but deprive it for another, anything above 7' is unreasonable and unnecessary Jonny

At the stem base and root plate

If I were you I would be having a much closer look old boy

Seccond that Sky And its going to get a lot worse too with the price of energy rising!

This has to be one of the most common and contradictory subjects I encounter. How does the law expect a neighbour to successfully remove overhanging branches? Expectantly, overhanging branches are going to be in the same axial or vascular plane and I'm sure we are all familliar with the columns of decay that followsuch exessive removal. It is not possible to remove branches correctly at the branch junction without going onto the tree owners property. Clearly a catch22 situation that can and does lead to serious frustration for any neighbour that has cantankerous and stubborn tree owners living next door. I agree with previous sentiment that what was done to this tree is appaling, however, with increasing regularity I am being called out to try and advise homeowners on very similar circumstances and after being advised that there is not much that can be done about the imposing structure next door they resort to desperate measures like this. I firmly believe that exessively high structures in the garden of a dwelling are antisocial and should be illegal and a maximum hight installed. There should be a right to light and anyone wanting high trees on their property should buy somewhere secluded.

Agreed