AA Teccie (Paul)

OR, 'better still', why not turn up on the day n 'pay at the gate'...and bring yer mates!, as the last day for formal bookings was yesterday and we do have a number of places left to fill n it'd be great to see more people there. REMEMBER £75 (+VAT...boo hoo!) if you become an AA member on the day...that gives you 20 quid extra to spend on 'Pina Coladas' on the Sat evening. See http://www.trees.org.uk/ARB-Fest for more info. Cheers for now n looking forward to seeing you there. Paul Thanks Jaime..!

Perhaps too simplistic but hopefully it will be a case of "either / or" meets the PUWER requirements, kinda as chipper training can/does. 'Fingers crossed'..! Cheers, Paul

Hi Stuart, Thank you for the information here, very useful. Will the Lantra courses follow the traditional 'independent assessor' route or the ITA (integrated training and assessment) route? If the latter will it still be permissible for Lantra to issue a 'certificate of competence' as required under PUWER ACOP Reg.9 for chainsaw operators? Thanks in anticipation. Paul

Jack, this is very sound advice from Stuart as I have seen first hand with several London..ish based 'ARB Approved Contractors' how the apprenticeship arrangement can benefit both the students/trainees and the employer. I think Bicton do the apprenticeship scheme and possibly the others too. I know Capel Manor (N. London are very active with it.) Good luck with everything..! Paul

Suggesting an alternative approach if I may, i.e. bottom up...instead of top down, and in practice maybe 'BoB' (a bit of both.) Let us not forget that crown decline, aside from any significant H&S issues which must be dealt with, is usually associated with poor rooting environment so maybe decompaction and/or mulching is the way forward. We need to reconsider our position in recommending stuff base purely on crown assessments, and more particularly when our only prescription is to work said crown...afterall, and again aside from essential safety works, remember "pruning is damage" (and of course it removes the very importnat green bits)..who did say that? Thanks all.. Paul

Hi all, APOLOGIES for my not responding sooner, things have been tad busy with the 'ARB SHOW' and so much other good stuff going on, but thank you to my 'learnED colleague' Mr Bray I think he's kept you pretty well informed (thanks Jaime!) Reet, the BOOKING FORM is below (as an attachment) the web-link is here ARBFest for further info so PLEASE, PLEASE get involved and come along as I, and my colleagues, are really keen to get stuff going 'up north' and to meet you. There will be AA books and other publications, i.e. guidance notes, available and of course purchasing at the 'fest' will save the postage, 'every little counts'. So c'mon guys get booked on as there are still places available..! Many thanks.. Paul aa_arbfest_booking_form_120412.pdf

SORRY 'Burytreeman' wrong of me to presume. PTI = Professional Tree Inspection, a Lantra Awards ITA (integrated training and assessment, like wood-chippers or stump grinders can be) 3-day course. Essentially it's an opportunity to demonstrate competence at undertaking detailed inspections of trees and become certificated ('qualified') as such. I have seen the PTI as a criteria appearing on job descriptions and contract specifications over the past 12 months or so...do't ask me to remember where tho. IF you're involved in doing tree safety inspections, and in particular if you're providng written reports, then it's well worth doing. IF you not doing detailed inspections BUT you are interested in parhaps so doing in the future, then it can be a useful 'training event' too. See Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course ? Training as an example and for further info. Thanks for asking... Paul

We can certainly arrange this for you, we have previoulsy run one at Cuerden Valley Park (just south of Preston), but would need an absolute min. no. of 6 (I think) and ideally 8-10 to make it cost viable (REMEMBER too there's a £50+ saving on this 3 day course if you're an AA member...available from £55.) Cheers. Paul

With all due respect, and 'yes' similarly I have climbed stuff like this (and probably worse) myself in the past, this is another example of the 'risk taking' culture which is accepted (by some...by many) within our industry. And, perhaps, (said with the utmost respect and compassion), why too often we are passing on our concerns, and sometimes condolenses, to others with our industry who have been seriously, or fatally, injured. To give the (likely) 'regulators' perspective, i.e. HSE not AA, then your approach and planning for 'working at height' failed, because you would not have got past 'MEWP', and, in the event of anything untoward happening, and particularly to an employee / engaged sub-contactor (AKA 'an employee'...in HSEs eyes), you would likley be found negligent and the costs associated with that would far exceed hiring in a MEWP. I think also the very fact you're asking means there's a doubt! I know it's easy for me to say as I don't have to face the grind every day as you guys do, but please, please think carefully and perhaps ask yourself the question that if something did go wrong could I hold my hand up and say I did all that was 'reasonable', and safe, to plan and undertake this work. Thanks fer reading all n please 'stay safe' out there..! Cheers.. Paul

Thank you 'kind Sir'...I'm sure many would say otherwise, ha! Cheers.. Paul

Hi 'Arbwork', "you're very welcomed", I just hope it's of use / interest...altho I acknowledge it's not the most exciting aspect of what we (YOU) do as an industry, nonetheless it is important stuff. Thanks for the reply. Paul

Hi all, hope yer well and preparing yer 'Bermudas' etc. for the ARB SHOW this week...take a 'pac-a-mac' just in case! Just a 'heads up' that I've added further guidance / downloads on the AA website at Help becoming an ARB Approved Contractor (PLEASE don't be put off coz it says "Help Becoming an ArbAC' as the regs apply equally to everyone, ArbACs or not, and it's not a hard sell once your in, infact it's not a "sell" at all!) Just in case you're wondering, the 'Asbestos' stuff on there is largely influenced by our 'deemed to satisfy' agreement with CHAS and SAFEcontractor who work principally with the construction sector where asbestos is a very significant hazard (nonetheless not be be ignored.) Hope this to be of use. Cheers.. Paul

Hi there, The obvious choice, perhaps, would be the Scottish Agric College (see Arboricultural Association's Technician's Certificate - SAC (Scottish Agricultural College)) but as you mention 'distance learning' the world (meaning the rest of the UK really) is your oyster. Have a look too at Arboriculture (FE) and Tree Life Training Oh and don't forget the Arb Assoc can help along the way, ha...WHO???!!! Good luck.. Paul

Hi, you could mention it but as it's not a 'notifiable disease' and the source could be anywhere it's unlikely they'll act...realistically, what can / could they do? Perhaps the best option is careful species collection in avoiding P&D susceptible species, trouble is that's an ever decreasing choice. Cheers.. Paul

Monilinia laxa, a fungal disease affecting leaves and shoots is also likely to be at play I would suggest. See Blossom wilt / Royal Horticultural Society As with most visible tree disease symptoms these days there's likely to be a combination of agents, both biotic and often abiotic, and of course oftne finished off by good old 'Honey Fungus'. Cheers all.. Paul

Hi Paul, Perhaps that's exactly why, i.e. if it was a still day when you inspected the tree and then subsequently it failed, at the base/rootplate, on a windy day you may have some level of defence if challenged...dunno! Cheers.. Paul

Congrats, and again great tree work, to: 1. Zelkova Arbor-culture in Ilfracombe (Paul Rich and Marc Buckland) 2. Max Bayles Professional Tree Care in Bovey Tracey (Max Bayles) 3. Greenhills Tree Services in Tavistock (Paul Greenhill) 4. Teign Trees in Teignmouth (Paul Wright) Thanks for supporting the scheme guys and encouraging to hear how beneficial you found the process in improving your businesses, and of course becoming acreddited. Regards.. Paul

Hi all, It's great that you're gonna be there, and /or sending your guys along, thank you for supporting the event and I look forward to meeting up and 'catching up'. C'mon tho everyone, there's still plenty of spaces left and you don't want to be wishing you'd gone when the great 'after event' feedback is posted...I hope (sure)! Thanks again.. Paul

I guess we don't really know within what context the 'other' arb made that statement and, to a greater or lesser extent, we can all kinda understand what he's/she's saying. At the end of the day it is for the professional, i.e. qualified and experienced...or indeed qualified 'by' experience, to consider the tree and the situation and make a valid and appropriate recommendation. In many instances, ideally, with a mature Beech this may involve phase works over a number of years...now there lies a challenge (convincing the tree owner of that approach), afterall the tree didn;t get to that height overnight so why should it be 'heavily' reduced...overnight. Hope you're all well and to see you at the ARB FAIR and/or ARB FEST (bloomin good speaker up there, epitomises above statement of (very) qualified BY experience...nice fella too!) Cheers all.. Paul PS As to the original issue, and with all due respect, I would expect the TPO consent to be suitably conditioned along the lines of "...to a height/clearance above ground level not exceeding '5.0m' and by removal of secondary and tertiary (third order) branches only, no primary branches, and with final pruning cuts not exceeding 75mm dia." (or similar)....hmmm, interesting!

Hi Rob, hope yer well! It is a limited places event, 100 I think, so pre-booking is required (plus that makes sure we've got enough grub for everyone...most important!) Please complete and return, eithert scan and email or complete and post, to us ([email protected] or The Malthouse, Stroud Green, Standish, Stonehouse, Glos. GL10 3DL). Thanks in anticipation and look forward to seeing you there. Cheers.. Paul aa_arbfest_booking_form_120412.pdf

Thanks Pommie, you know where I am n always happy to talk. Cheers.. Paul

Hi David, Not that I was aware of. That said, at the time, I would have mainly established this by the presence of fruiting brackets either on the tree at the time or from previous inspections. I cannot recall either. Regards.. Paul

TPO'd trees to be 'topped', that's interesting! Ultimately if the conditions, assuming them to be relevant and reasonable, are not complied with the LPA could potentially prosecute both you, as the axe wielder, and the owner, aiding and abetting...or similar. Hence you would be (very) well advised to speak with the LPA should you wish to deviate form the conditions, or indeed if you're unsure about them. Good luck..! Paul

IN my previous TO life, we had several Red HCs street trees whihc failed, by snapping off up the stem, assoicated with this canker. In each case there was significnat decay too, rather than just cambium dysfunction. Never seen it so close to the base tho. At least a case of careful, regular monitoring I would suggest. Cheers.. Paul

The bit I've put in bold above is right, plus it seeks to retain tree cover recognising that trees naturally die and need replacing therefore. Yep, ur right, in that if you do serve notice to remove a tree and they don't TPO then there is no duty to replace. There, that's that sortid...I think! Be good to see you at Leeds...fingers crossed. Cheers.. Paul