AA Teccie (Paul)

Hi all, Just a quickie to advise the closing date for LAs (Local Authorities) nominating NE regional small business contractors for the 'FREE' assessment draw is nearing a close. ALL nominations must be with us by close of play on 10th October and the associated workshop (FoC) is the following Wed. 11th October at Askham Bryan College. SO, still time (just) to 'encourage' your LA Tree Officer to nominate you. Hope to hear soon. Thanks all.. Paul

N so you should be, 'no mean feat' (said as an assessor for the course), congrats Al n wel done! Paul

All the more reason to ensure the chain catchers are in place and functional(this is one of the most common 'missing' chainsaw safety features we observe during the inspections)...just in case. I agree that purchasing 'cheap' chains is probably a false economy and may carry increased risks. Take care out there. Paul

Stephen, can you send me some down please, ha! Hope yer well! Cheers, Paul PS Hope yer wife's cars not avdertiisng her new found status (v funny!)

Hi Rob, sorry didn't reply last night. To be honest rather than where you register on the QCF we need to see 'full' qualifications to support a memebrship upgrade, i.e. Foundation Certificate (I don't know how many credits at what level equate to this, again, sorry, but back to the college to clarify and hopefully issue a certificate.) Cheers.. Paul

Yeah, what we'd need is something that says level 4 and, as I understand it, the Foundation Certificate achieves that but if you are studying part-time it may be something more than you have at this stage. You'd need to ask at the college. Cheers...n don't for get ur 'pac-a-mac!'

Hi Rob, hope you're well. Yes, in principle, although we would need evdience from the college, i.e. a certificate, to make the award. If you can provided this submit it to [email protected] Cheers.. Paul

Hi there, By the "new course" with Treelife is this at level 4 or level 6? Either way, on succesful completion, that in itself will, I presume, allow use of some form of post-nominals (it used to be Tech.Cert.Arbor.A or RFS PD Arb respectively) recognising the qualification achieved (perhaps DipArb(4) ot DipArb (6))...might be worth checking though. The options for AA related post nominals arise from a combination of number of years prior membership, 0 for Associate and Tecnician, min. 2 for Professional and therefater min. 5 for Fellow, AND qualifications attained starting from level 3. See Membership overview - Arboricultural Association for further info and/or post back. Cheers and good luck with TreeLife I'm (very) sure you'll enjoy it and gain much! Paul

Hi Ginja, I'll try and explain. Firstly apologies if it appears the goalpost is moving, this is caused by the advent of the QCF (Qualifications and Credits Framework), superceding the old NQF (National Qualifications Framework), and the associated reclassification of some qualifications, i.e. (the old) Tech Cert Arb from level 3 to level 4 (from Jan. 2012). In essence if you renew your Asociate membership now, keep it continuous for 2 years, AND attain the FdSc (Arboriculture) which is level 5, you will qualify for 'Professional Member', i.e. M.Arbor.A As I understand it after 12months of study you will have achieved the Foundation Certificate, whihc is level4, and this would allow access to Technician Member, i.e. Tech.Arbor.A Hope this make thinsg a bit clearer (if not shout back.) Cheers.. Paul

Mmmmmmmmm...I'll keep stum n let you debate it. BUT if you wanna chat about ARB Approval, as Hama said can be your for less than £500 per year AND incs. CHAS, just give me a call. Cheers.. Paul

Thank you 'Hama', glad you found it useful and thanks for your contributions, and indeed all who attended. Cheers.. Paul

Nimby, apologies for the delay in replying but I've been out delivering BS3998 seminars for the last couple of days. In answer to your questions 'yes', essentially, it is first drawn gets the free assessment and then the next two get it at half-price. After nomination, and approx. 4-5 weeks before actual assessment dates, which are preset, we hold a FOC workshop in the region where it is expected the contractors will attend and then at the end of the day we do the draw. IF a contractor declined the opportunity (unlikely...I hope!) then we would draw a again. In terms of when am I back in the NW, the first week in October to do the assessments. In terms of when the next opportunity will be, I'm afraid you'll have to wait til next year now as we're alternatining it round the 12 directory regions and NE region is up next. Hope this equates to "a bit more meat" but if you're still hungry please do shout for more. Many thanks.. Paul

Saddleworth??? If you include Dublin as 'abroad' then yes, in terms of further afield no plans, not least as it's a British document/standard. Cheers, Paul

Not at all David, as soon as you click on the link button the Treelife website states that straight away anyway, just 'thinking out loud' to be honest. Hope all's well. Paul

Yup, provided you keep your 'Associate' membership continuous you would qualify for Prof. Member, i.e. M.Arbor.A ...gud eh?! Cheers.. Paul

Hi David, Is it worth mentioning this qualification replaces the 'old' Tech Cert in Arb which, as I understand it, stays at level 3? As an aside, in terms of Arb Association membership levels, from Jan. 2012 Technician Member will be levels 3/4 and Professional Member level will be 5/6 (the only exception to this is HNC Arb which will remain as an acceptable level qualification for Prof Member til 2013.) Thanks.. Paul

Excellent, see you there John. Cheers..! Paul

Yesterday saw the first free 'ARB Approved Contractor' assessment awarded to Cornthwaite Tree Care of Chorley (Lancs) with CP Grimshaw Tree & Woodland Services, of Standish, and N. Buckley Tree Care, of Carnforth, 2nd and 3rd drawn for half price assessments. These visits will take place during early October. Toby Cornthwaite said "I'm really pleased to receive this assessment and the nomination has been the catalyst for us to get on and get it done rather than it dragging on for months which it would have done otherwise." The next region to benefit from the promotion will be the North East (with the 10th Oct. being the closing date for nominations and the associated free workshop will take place on 11th October at Askham Bryan College near York.) Hence there is still plenty of time to be nominated so get on and contact you local authority Tree Officer seeking their support. Thanks go to the 'nominators' for supporting the contractors in making the nominations. Thanks all and 'well done to the Lancs based contractors..!' Paul

Sorry for short notice but only just realised myself..."how time flies!" Tuesday 6th September - Stoneleigh Park, Coventry see BS3998: 2010 Tree Work - Recommendations and Wednesday 7th September - Capel Manor, N. London see BS3998: 2010 Tree Work - Recommendations As the subject heading says these are the last 2 events planned for the UK. Hope to see you there. Cheers all.. Paul

Hi all, Just to add my/our 'ten penneth' if I may. We run the 2 day 'Arb Consultancy' course, delivered by Jeremy Barrell and Jim Quaife, which includes detailed report writing see Arboricultural Consultancy Regarding Treelife course, I haven't done it BUT I have done the PD Arb with Dave and the session on reports was very good and very thorough and involved much 'red pen' (ha!) Re the PTI, which we also deliver, whilst it's an excellent course, and essentially an opportunity to demonstrate competence at detailed tree inspections, including recorded of relevant information, via an auditable assessment process, it doesn't really cover report writing as such: see Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course (Gollum this event is in Somerset so hoepfully no conflict.) Hope the above of interest. Cheers.. Paul

Try the JCLI Landscape Manual, or similar, and also the Euro Arb Council do a nice pamphlet. Cheers.. Paul

Not sure how acceptable it would be but you could simply say the RPA is 12m radius (based on a tree with a diameter of 1.0m, i.e. 12x 1.0m = 12m radius), perhaps too simplistic but avoids the calculation to find the area. The trouble here is that the RPA is often not a circle and hence application of the 'area', to best fit the particular situtaion, is where you as the expert come in. Lastly NJUG 10 (superceded by V.4 I beleive) used to talk about the dripline, i.e. edge of the crown, OR 4 times tree girth, whichever is the greatest, as the root protection zone. Never far out in my expereince. Cheers.. Paul

On a similar note, well...kinda, I was once cautioned by a young PC in Imperial Gradens in Cheltenham for carrying a concealed offensive weapon...AKA a (walking stick type) French Auger...thought it was candid camera moment, ha! Follow up with chief constable revealed the guy had just completed his training and hence 'very green; in his interpretation and applictaion of the law. Cheers.. Paul PS I was allowed to merrily carry my 'offensive weapon', concealed, theerfater.

Hi there, I think there is a big differnece between a person who can undertake a 'tree safety risk assessment', or tree hazard assessment, and record the findings and recommendations (with appropriate timescales of course) on a form and an 'Arboricultural Consultant'. Obvioulsy I am influenced to some extent by the AA Registered Consultant scheme we administer, but, regardless, an effective consultant, as well as having an adequate level of arb technical knowledge, and ideally a qualification to support this (level 3/4 min. I would suggest), is someone who can clearly communicate the findings and recommendations in writing to their client. I would also expect the consultant to have a reasonable understanding of areas inc. subsidence & heave / planning & development / woodland management / tree production and selection etc. etc. as well as tree safety. The competent arborist may be capable of undertaking an adequate tree safety assessment, and record his/her findings etc., but I don't believe that makes one a consultant. There, my 'ten penneth!' Thanks for the opportunity. Paul PS now if you marketed yourself as a 'tree safety advisor' fine!

NO apology needed Hama, that's the whole point of this forum for people to air honest, balanced views, without it much would be lost. I'm keen to know 'why' you wouldn't go on one tho, is this 'hear say' or personel expereince? If the course is no longer 'fit for purpose', and remember it is a one-day bat awareness training day, we need to know and amend / update it accordingly. Thanks for the post. Paul PS I've never actually doen the course myself and it's runs by BCT on our behalf...I beleive.