Arbgirl

Box Elder?

The carb went on my 044 but after a new carb it ran lovely! It was about 25 years old and sold it recently for £250! It only cost me £60 from a mate as well!

Yes, the Tech Cert will cover all aspects of BS5837 including conducting surveys and report writing I am surprised that Common Lime had such a bad time of it, I didnt have any of the problems he mentioned, and I didnt get the impression that the others felt the same way? I did the Tree Life revision course and found it most inspiring and interesting (and it covered stuff that I think was perhaps "missed" by my training provider). It also provided useful hints for exam technique and what the examiners are looking for.

We had a recent H&S bulletin from our Head Office (National Company) stating that we can no longer work with or sub contract to anyone with less than £5 million public liability - which stated (paraphrased) that any contractors who have cover of less than £5 million were considered to be underinsured (they kind of insinuated that they have a poor attitude to health and safety and shouldnt be touched with someone elses!). I agree that you will need employers liabilty insurance if you will have anyone working for you at any time

It is highly likely that the Tech Cert will be a Level 4 when it is running again as is it in the process of being altered to fit in with the new QCF framework I did the Tech Cert and found it fascinating - I would recommend doing it through a college rather than self study - I think the qualification isnt running at present due to the changes but hopefully it will be ready to be relaunched in Sept at Level 4 I think the National Diploma in Arb is only a Level 2 isnt it? The Tech Cert gives you a qualification that allows you to become a member of the Arb Assocation which I dont think the ND arb does. It depends where you want to go with your Arb courses - th ND is aimed at tree surgeons etc whereas the Tech Cert is aimed at people who want to become tree officers/consultants/surveyors and is a paper based course - whereas the ND is hands on/practical learning as well as paper based. I have to say - the Tech Cert isnt easy - its all exams - no coursework - not many people pass first time - most people have to resit at least one exam/or the management day exams. The ND (I think) involves coursework and exams.

Looks like he caught his finger on the saw in his right hand in the second before the end? Ouch

Yes, I realise that - I try to use bio oil when I can get it (as I work for an Environmental company) - I have heard of people using veg oil from Tescos as chain oil but was told that it flings off the chain so is not suitable for bar/chain lubrication If people have been happily using cooking oil for bar/chain lube then I will start using cooking oil instead of biodegradable chain oil

Do you have any more photos ie of the whole tree (s) and surroundings Is the wilting the same all over or just on certain limbs/trees?

I thought that straight veg cooking oil from Tescos did not cling to the chain well enough and that there was a problem with "fling" I understood bio chain oil to be special chain oil designed to cling to the chain and not fly off like normal veg oil? I would be interested to hear if straight veg oil from Tescos will be fine for my saws as buying proper bio chain oil is much more expensive.

Hama - your last one is a Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Fire bugs - Pyrrhocorris apterus Spotted around the base of every tree in a long avenue of Limes in Belgium Apparently abundant on the continent but only found in Devon in the UK Never seen them over here myself

It was on the TV not online:001_smile:

St George..was a foreigner who in legend defended Britain against a dragon..rather ironic that the right wing extremists, thugs and vandals choose the flag of a foreign national as theirs. St George's father was Turkish and his mother a Palestinian. I would never display a St George cross as it has been stolen from England by the right wing extremist minority

Inserts pointless affirmation and platitudes Inserts funny tree related anecdote including part where ended up in customers garden just in pants with groundie in precarious laughable laurel and hardy type situation Random smiley

I think something must have been said or done before this for Patrick Stewart to be like that....... What made me laugh more is that they are standing in front of a sign saying Vaseline !!!!!

What was that all about? I wouldnt expect either of them to be bitchy like that! MEooooww Twas funny though! I like James' belly too:lol:

Does look like Bleeding Canker to me, peeling bark too, is there a cavity in the old wound below the bleed? Did you probe it? Is there more peeling bark anywhere else on it?

Totally agree - the TO should slap a stop notice on these guys straight away Have the trees been surveyed prior to the works? The work totally doesnt comply with BS5837 and a the contractors should have the tree protection plan and steps that will be taken to protect them as part of their method statement. I would speak to the TO as a matter of urgency before those trees are wrecked to the point that they will have to be felled due to root damage!

I think it can be more to do with FC employees having the time to take on work experience guys too. I get dozens of applications from students wanting to do work experience with me. Firstly they try to do all their hours within the summer holidays - which would tie one of my staff up for every hour of the working week (and some of their weekends!) - and they try to do all of it with one employer. With the recession I have less and less time and more work to do (both paper and practical hands on) - so I sadly do not have time for a work experience student. If students perhaps approached employers asking for one day per week or a half day maybe it would be possible to accomodate this. To be honest, I get so many letters that I bin them almost without reading them...as I cannot offer the number of hours that students seem to think we can! Make sure you are realistic about the amount of time and number of hours you expect from employers - spread the work placement over the academic year - dont try to do it in the summer hols as it is asing too much of employers who will (for H&S and insurance reasons) probably have to supervise you closely (at least until you have proved yourself). The FC may not even have insurance cover for student learners or anyone that their insurers would deem "qualified" to closely supervise a newly (NPTC) qualified student. Good luck with it! Its not easy and the market is flooded with work experience students. One last idea, have you tried asking face to face? Its easy to just delete emails and put letters in the bin. I think you might have more luck asking someone on a face to face personal level..

I fastened it to the stake with flat headed tacks, then round the tree, round the middle to create spacer then back to the stake and tack and trim. A staple gun might work too I suppose!

They are supposed to "give" with rain and weather and degrade before they strangle the tree. They are hessian or jute I think. Supposed to be less attractive to vandals, and they dont leave black rubber/litter behind if they fall off etc. They blend in quite well. It comes in large rolls of about 35 m that you cut to size. I will be watching the ones we used on a local site with interest to see if they live up to the claim. The ones I use are called Naturetie

Ok I lied, its not really me ! I will get someone to take a pic next time I have my gear on - or is freestyle allowed?

I'm the one on the left in my picture - beat that for a lunge!

Are ladies who lunge allowed to join in?

I have used Toms Tree Ties too He does biodegradable ones that stop trees being strangled by lack of aftercare too I have used some of his biod ones and I am looking forward to seeing how they perform Stops this type of palaver http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/picture-forum/17274-death-strangulation.html