daltontrees

Could be elm, famously a poor burner.

It needs to be valid (i.e.contain the right information), but there's no such thing as the Council validating it. If you have confirmation of receipt and are satisfied that it was a valid notice and the 6 weeks are up, go right ahead and do the work. Councils are required to keep a register of CA notices, few do and even fewer publicise them on their websites.

Should ask farmer's permission, tractor or no tractor. Out of courtesy if nothing else. Canals are subject to primary and secondary legislation and byelaws, with the operator bound to keep them open for navigation, and safe. It doesn't surprise me that any landowner with complex responsibilities for their land asks for assurances of some kind that care is going to be taken and that they are not going to be held responsible for harm or damage, and that the contractor has insurance so that its assets in the event of a claim for negligence amount to more than a transit van and a mobile phone.

They probably shouldn't. We don't know if it is being required.

Where's the joke? You just explained what the management would be. Stop boat passing if in mid-cut, stop cutting and let it pass if not. That's probably 95% of what the canal people want stated.

I knew someone would barge in....

Sounds analagous to a road closure and traffic management requirements.

Having waded through 4 pages of replies about this, which demonstrate the usual spectrum of tangential Arbtalk opinions, from being professional to 'fuck 'em', I wonder as often I do why people don't 'see the wood for the trees'. I expect it is a distraction from the answer that this is a canal situation. If you want to use anyone's land or enter their airspace, you generally need their permission and it's not unreasonable for them to want to grant permission only subject to conditions that satisfy them that you have planned the work such that their property will not be destroyed or damaged and that if anything goes wrong they are covered. So, them asking for RAMS, PII, date and indemnity is not just to be expected, it's perfectly reasonable. That is, if you will be on their land or airspace. If you won't be on their land or airspace, just give them proposed dates out of courtesy. That it is a canal makes little difference. There are byelaws against obstructing towpaths and throwing or discharging things into canals, but they're commonsense and not unreasonable. A bit of sawdust drifting unavoidably is trivial. Sounds like you plan to be professional about the job. Add 'courteous' to that and I don't see what more you need to do.

Well, I suppose 'efficiency wrecking' wouldn't have grabbed so much attention.

Looks like a podocarp. Podocarpus salignus maybe?

Yes I got that. At one oint though he say it's all about getting stuff down as safely as possible, as quickly as possible. But you can't have both. Fair enough he admits to a few mistakes because he's rushing. It's interesting to see how others work. I have my own set of tricks, like I chase cuts through then flip the butt away from the stem with the end of the bar just as it detaches, I deliberately tear branches off to get them to land butt-out, and I have got a 2-sink cut that I use which is along the lines of the multi-undercut trick in the video, you can get phenomenal swings with it. I do that cheat undercut too, but usually when darting things off, it works great but I usually end up planting the dart. I did one once that speared the ground so hard the groundy then had to fell the branch using a sink and backcut. It's never about speed, though. I'm sure we've all done some pretty fast wrecking at the end of a day so as to get offsite for good that day, but speed day after day is an accident waiting to happen, and not having to wait long. And never the luxury of a big flat lawn below that is going to get dug up afterwards anyway. If only...

I don't think I've ever had a job that had so few things to hit below me. Nice to have a MEWP. I wonder about the economics of it. Conventional roped climb would have taken 2 hours for that side. c/w Cost of MEWP hire?

Unfortunately, none that can reliably be seen above ground level.

WOw!!!

It may be Meripilus giganteus. That would be my best guess based on tree species, time of year and one photo.

I got rid of my old Aria Cardinal Pro II bass a couple of months ago and got this Chowny Retrovibe, I can't imagine another bass better suited to me. It was second hand but almost mint, previous owner must have hated it because the set-up on it was dreadful. I added an adjustable nut which made a huge difference, and tweaked the intonation, relief and bridge height over a weekend and it is a joy to play now.

I am curious about bone bridges. Do you think they make a significant difference?

Almost constant adjustments, but yes an initial 20 mins spent on a cheap new guitar (9or a 2nd hand bargain) can add £100 of quality. Capo on 10th. adjust bridge height for action. Then capo on 1st, adjust truss rod for relief. Check and adjust for intonation at 13th fret. Then no capo and adjust nut for action. If intonation is off with no capo, that is a real problem. However, I recently felt like chucking my £300 mandolin because the intonation was impossible, but I solved it last week by slipping a needle under the strings at the nut (creating a zero fret). What a difference! I can't put the mandolin down, it sounds beautiful. There's always a way. My golden rule is never to buy a steel strung guitar that doesn't have a truss rod. With a truss rod you have a fighting chance.

Probably Boletus but there are several species of which the cep is only one. Best to err on the safe side before eating, i.e get a proper identification.

No.

Nice one Gary. I'll need to look out for it.

Think ahead. Software is more important than hardware, but choice of software may restrict choice of hardware. Report is likely to have text, a spreadsheet of data and a plan of location and spreads. 2 and 3 can be generated from suitable software. I use Pocket GIS, which allows you to design your survey template then use it as many times as you want to collect tree data. It then lets you upload the data as a spreadsheet, which in run can be imported into a CAD-type mapping programme. I use PT Mapper which is a bit irritating for anything out of the ordinary, but quick and simple. Choice of device is a matter of personal choice, tablets have better screen size but I use Trimble Geo and Juno because they are indestructible and small and with a stylus they are better in the cold and wet.

Almost certainly a cockspur thorn (Crataegus crus-galli). There are popular thornless versions of it which nevertheless occasionally produce vicious thorns almost 2 inches long on suckering shoots.

That's a really useful publication. I sere it clarifies that there is no diseased or dying exemption and tha tthe dangerous exemption should only be used when - " The ash tree is already clearly affected by ash dieback symptoms; and, It is within falling distance (i.e. the total height of the tree) of a highway, service network, built infrastructure,or a space with frequent public use and, The greater part of the crown of the tree is dead; and Crown reduction works necessary to remove any deadwood would, in the opinion of a qualified professional, significantly harm the vitality (or visual amenity) of the tree. Additionally, any ash tree showing basal lesions,either with or without evidence of secondary infection e.g. honey fungus,would also fall within the scope of the dangerous tree exception" That's a nice clear set of rules. As with any risk assessment there has to be likelihood of failure and someone or something there to be harmed or damaged.