AA Teccie (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.

Hmmm, not sure about the CEUs thing but my understanding is your existing ISA Cert Arb is deemed, and recognised as such by the Euro. Arb Council, an equivalent to ETW. IN practice I think this would be generally taken as reda anyway given the recognition and longer existence of the ISA qual. but to what extent, in pratice, it works the other way round I don't know. NOW about that 'ArbAC' & CHAS thing.....just, managed to stop myself, ha!!!

REALLY???...sorry thought I'd forgot to mention it previoulsy...'tee hee!'

Re "double bubble" (nicely put Hama!) don't forget 'ArbAC' & CHAS...the tree contracting industry 'BOGOF(f)', ha!

Yup, any opportunity to improve yer knowledge, beit via this forum OR attendance on a more formal course of study, is "a good idea" and if you look at the names mentioned, i.e. Andy Summerly (TreeLife), Reg Harris (Urban Forestry, de Gouret (Sweden), they are all very respected individuals wihtin the industry. The qual is alos recognised as an equivalency to the ISA Certified Arborist and hence they have a mutual 'deemed to satisfy' arrangement (or similar) in place to support such. Gofrit, n enjoy, is my advice. Cheers.. Paul

Sorry, was just a suggestion, but then surveys / reports / advice is their principle business and I guess, accordingly, they charge a professional fee. Too often, I believe, we undervalue ourselves as an industry and whilst acknowledging times are hard and the market place is tough we need to be careful not to do so. Hope you get it sorted. Paul

Cud try Dom Scanlon (Aspect Tree Consultancy) nr. Ivybridge tel. 01548 831531

Hi 'Chilterns', As others have indicated it's not only the land based colleges that do the chainsaw etc. training and assessments, there are also many private traiing providers out there. See Chainsaw Training Courses - Lantra Awards UK Good luck and 'welcome to the industry'...enjoy! Paul

Hi all, my quick 'twopenneth worth'...if i may. 3 possible scenarios to a 30% reduction on your 100ft tree: 1. Tree (height) reduction = 100ft down to 70ft 2. Tree (linear/radial) crown reduction = 100ft down to 79ft (tree has, for instance, 30ft clear stem, i.e. a crown height of 70ft, therefore 30% of 70ft = 21m hence 70-21=49 + 30ft(clear stem) = 79ft) 3. Tree (volume) crown reduction = 100ft down to 93.6ft (tree has, for instance, 30ft clear stem, i.e. a crown height of 70ft, therefore 12% (BS3998 cited linear equiv. to 30% crown volume reduction) of 70ft = 8.4m hence 70-8.4=63.6 + 30ft(clear stem) = 93.6ft) SORRY, I hope the above figures are correct AND it makes, at least some,sense....couldn't think of an easier way to explain....Tony (S.)?????? Bottom line the BS3998 indicates that 'ordinarily' one should not remove more than 1/3rd of the foliage bearing material in any one hit and neither should any pruning wound size exceed 1/3rd of the parent branch or stem. IF however you need to deviate from this 'recommendation' then you need to have clear justification for so doing, i.e structural tree issues / subsidence mitigation / 'young' tree (high vitality). The next BS3998 seminars (£50...+VAT) are 6th & 7th Sept. at Stoneleigh Park (Warwickshire, just south of Coventry) and Capel Manor (Enfield, N. London) respectively. See Overview - Arboricultural Association for further info. Hope to see you there. Cheers all..n sorry yer still 'ed scratchin'..! Paul

Hi Scotty, thanks for clarifying that. In terms of 'taking weight out of the tree', I wonder if crown reduction actually does so to any significant degree and whether it's just the reduction in 'sail area', which is significant, that we interpret as such...hmmm. Cheers.. Paul

Scotty, sorry to ask ('numpty' Teccie) but are the shots 'before and after' or 'after and after' from two differnt perspectives? If it's the former then, in line with BS3998 (2010), it would appear to be at best a 30% volume reduction, approx. equiv. to a 12% linear reduction, of maybe it's a straight forward 30% linear reduction....WHAT???!!! There is a key difference whihc, on accepting BS3998 (2010) as our industry standard, we need to embrace, be clear on, and specify accordingly. SORRY, I've rather 'hi-jacked' your post. Cheers.. Paul In terms of whether it's enough...others, far more knowledgeable and better placed than I will/have advised.

Hi all, hope yer's r well! I have just posted on 'A-N-other' forum running a parallel thread on this issue. BS3998 (2010) 'Table B.1' cites crown reduction in its various guises, and as applied to the whole tree or selected branches, as "Often Appropriate" (the highest level, i.e. * Done mainly for other reasons but of indirect value / ** Occasionally appropriate / ***Often appropriate), for more situations than any other mode of pruning and specifically cautions crown thinning as an alternative. Perhaps with the advent, or rather 'rebirth', of crown reductions by volume rather than radially, resulting in less of the tree crown being removed in any one hit, LPAs may start to look more favourably on applications. As matter of interest do they reduce their own trees, where apropriate of course? Cheers.. Paul