Arbgirl

Completed and returned. Very interesting! She is studying in my old dept at Kent Uni so felt I had to help. I remember how hard it is to get participants for things like this too!

Thats the one - I knew it has something to do with shopping! Doesnt apply here I think the best option is to try reasoning with the tree owner to allow access and try to keep neighbourly relations as smooth as possible Why did the TO say to fell it? Is it likely to become a future hazard? Suggests to me the TPO should be revoked if it isnt a hazard, just a poor choice for a TPO tree?

I think that there is a law that lets you (or I think it might be the council) force access to the land to carry out tree works (and bill the tree owner for it) but I am sure it is only for cases of hazardous trees and in certain circumstances Will dig out my notes and see what I can find I take it the work is not to be carried out in a conservation area? Or on a TPO'd tree?

Dont forget - PPE is only designed to reduce the severity of the injury - it cant prevent it! So buy the best protection you can afford - chainsaws leave no room for error - its too late to realise you needed Class 2 trousers just after you have chopped your leg off I agree with Borders - Class 2 Type C should be sufficient

Occupiers Liability Act 1957/84

They look like they took well! Nice one! Anyone who has any Taxus cuttings can sell them to Limehurst Limehurst Limited - Yew Harvesters as they are used in the production of Tamoxifen to help women battle breast cancer. I am sure you guys have loads you could sell and think of all the women (and breasts if it helps) that you would be helping!

The site changed hands recently and the work was done before this and no staff there now were there before it changed hands so its a bit of a guessing game. They are right next to a site road and buildings. I couldnt see any exudates but will have a better look next time. I guess the work was done like that as the client probably asked for that to be done. The trees are in an amenity planting bed, all other shrubs look fine and healthy. It looks like some regrowth appeared then died back - hopefully they will recover as the line in the other flower bed have done, I have a feeling the work was done in 2 stages with the sickly looking ones being done more recently - so perhaps they will recover. They will never look nice now though! Much as I dislike amenity planting of rowans and other piddly sized trees (thats a whole other argument) I can see that they (or other suitable species) would be much more appropriate in this situation (and a darn sight cheaper to maintain than the pops). The previous site owner has gone way OTT with his poplar planting though - the whole site seems to have been planted with them (windbreaks I think) - but could prove bloomin' expensive for the new owners in the long run. Having said that the smaller ones were planted without tree guards and the bunnies are doing a great job of ringbarking the smaller ones! I will keep an eye on them and maybe try and take some photos (although it might be hard to disguise the location in photos). I cant really get a look at the foliage as it would require aerial inspection! Its not really my responsibility anyway, but I am always keen to investigate and learn - and hands on learning is always better than books!

Not if its only an inch!

Hi all, I was on a site the other day doing a site visit for non tree related work I spotted a line of poplars that have been "topped" Looks to me to have been about a 50% "reduction" (yes, I know) Basically they have been butchered to 50% of what they were One half of them show regrowth One half look like they are dying VERY high traffic area (ie people walking under them all day and people sleeping under them in caravans all night). I know what I think about the safety/good arb practice of the work done on these trees but would be interested to hear what others think.... I reckon they should all come out for safety and aesthetic reasons - a cynical person might think that they were done by someone who was thinking about making sure they keep themselves in work for sometime afterwards making them "safe" etc in future What does anyone else think about "pollarding" (pfft) poplars? Any idea whats killing them (Xanthomonas? or is it just the shock of the work that has been done on them)? Some regrowth was evident, but that seems to have died back and they just look dreadful. I dont have any pics, sorry

The article says its reptile fencing

Ah yes it seems you may be right Relief as A338 Spur Road cones are banished to night (From Bournemouth Echo)

Ive seen that used in the SW to direct floodwater in areas prone to flooding? Cant see what that would do though?

I be in Devon, so fancied a look at that amazing tree, plus I am always on the lookout for old and interesting trees to show my students! :-)

Its a leaf exchanging tree It keeps its leaves until it grows the new ones, sheds the old leaves then immediately sprouts the new ones The leaves shapes can be quite varied too

Is it a Lucombe Oak ? Quercus x hispanica It was a hybrid developed in the 1760s in Exeter Where is it?

chainsaw ladder:confused1:

Hello :-) CS 30 and 31 dont make you a tree surgeon - do you mean a groundie? You should normally have at least aerial rescue, chipper and First Aid at Work as well to work as a groundsman. A qualification in Arboriculture would also be an advantage. If you want to become a tree surgeon (climber) then you will need further NPTC tickets and probably a course in Arb. Courses normally have a work placement element to them so you could gain experience while you learn, and they give you the chance to get the tickets you need. What does anyone else think?

Cant speak for larger vehicles but I have been running my cars on biodiesel and also on straight veg oil/diesel mix for over 5 years now. 1st was a Ford Fiesta - ran on 50:50 mix of straight veg oil from Tesco/Lidl and ordinary diesel (reduced to 40:60 mix in winter) and also ran it on 100% biodiesel all year round. We have a couple of good biodiesel producers near here. My current vee hickle is a VW Golf which runs on 100% Biodiesel or the same 50:50 mix as before. Apparently you need to check if the seals in your fuel system are made from natural or synthetic rubber - if natural rubber ( I think its this way round ) then the seals will perish ifyou use biodiesel or veg oil mix. You just need to change the fuel filter after you have run a few tankfuls through as biodiesel gives the engine a good clean out and all the toot from the engine will be flushed out and can block the filter. Having said that I ran the Fiesta for 5 years without ever changing anything and it was fine! As others have said if you put too much straight veg oil into your diesel then it can be harder to start in cold weather and then you are moving into the realms of getting pre-heaters etc which is when you have to spend money. Apparently a lot of pump diesel now has 5% biodiesel in it anyway - so we are all starting to move towards biofuel use without realising it. My mpg went up as well as saving loads of money on fuel, although my exhaust fumes do smell like a chip shop when driving around now! There are also fuel duty and VAT implications to consider if you decide to either produce biodiesel yourself or use veg oil "officially" like ;-) Forgot to add - using biodiesel can invalidate your vehicles warranty - so make sure it is out of warranty before using biodiesel as fuel

I've got a Homelite 290 non runner if you want a project........

I think the same applies to minibus drivers (both of vehicles of under 3.5 tonnes and those over 3.5) who passed their test after 97 - you now need to take the PCV test (except for a few exceptions) to get D1 entitlement on your licence and have to undertake 7 hours training/CPD per year to maintain your licence entitlement Im so glad I passed before 97 (and got automatic minibus/trailer entitlement) as it saves me soooo much hassle! I wonder how many people get caught out by the trailer test that you have to take now before towing? In my day you just hooked up and off you went..now you have to take a test to be able to tow a trailer...thanks Europe!

Is this heartwood decay?

No, its Ok I already know which one I failed............

Hi Tom, No I'm in Devon but always available for freelance.........;-)

The woodland at Duxbury Park, Chorley (ABC HQ) is covered in the stuff (saw that when doing my Tech Cert management exams last month) - its taken over and got out of control. I have noticed it also in Ashdown Forest where it is out of control. Bloomin stuff takes over and outcompetes native flora. I was interested to see that the bluebells dont seem to be bothered by it (certainly not in the earlier part of the year) as it hasnt grown tall enough to suppress flowering, but I wonder if the shade that it will put on the bluebells later in the year will reduce photosynthetic capacity and gradually weaken the bluebells over time. Very sad to see when these darn invasives get a hold.....and dont get me started on knotweed........... Hand pulling is effective if you do it early enough in the year, and make sure you get every part - no point doing it once plants are in seed. It needs to be done regularly each year, but it is possible to reduce/eradicate it, if you have enough willing volunteers! Watercourses play a huge part in the spread of this plant as can be seen by encroachments all along the banks of affected rivers/streams, so tackling any that are near water should be a priority to prevent the spread downstream. Must try eating them as a means of control!!

NPTC are offering (for example) new Level 2 Award/Certificate/Diplomas in various subjects including gamekeeping, countryside management, grave digging (?), and others that I am unfamiliar with due to them not being in my "field" as it were :-) I realise that you guys are talking about industry tickets (where NPTC "training" does not exist - just "training FOR" NPTC assessments - and that this is what you are referring to - however, NPTC are changing, as is the whole qualifications structure :-) Basically NPTC have taken over the training for various qualifications that were previously known as NVQs (which are now defunct)