AA Teccie (Paul)

"Unqualifieds"???...or rather 'uncertificateds'! There is a course workbook but it's quite a weighty document to scan and post, and of course it's a deliverable item for those atending the course, along with some additional hand-outs. Cheers.. Paul

Hi 'Hama', IF BY THE "RIGHT PHONE NUMBER" you mean to book on the course then ring Tiff at Head Office on 01242 522152. If not post back. Cheers.. Paul

Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course ? Training See above for further info but as you say it isn't a typical training course as such but an opportunity to demonstrate 'competnece' at undertaking detailed tree inspections, and recording the relevant info, via a nationally recognised route, i.e. Lantra Awards ITA (Integrated Training & Assessment). Guy (Watson) delivers the lions share of the AA courses and he's very good indeed. The assessment, on afternoon of Day 3, consists of: 1. Written Paper -20 short questions (general associated knowledge but much inclusion of Mattheck & SHigo stuff.) = 40% marks 2. Tree Inspection exercise (2x trees and recorded field notes on supplied proforma) = 40% 3. Fungi ID and significance etc. (4x fungi, commonly found on trees and 'open book'.) = 20% The pass mark is 70% and the tree inspection exercise MUST be passed (both trees scoring 70% individually) otherwise regardless of overall mark, even if above 70%, the course is failed. The benefit to the course, as will as additional knowldege, is it will assist in demonstrating competence, along with expereince and quals etc., should you be challenged. Hope this helps. Cheers.. Paul

For the first 12-18 months the PTI course ran, Lantra Awards issued training certificates using the same layout/format as those for practical skills training, i.e. chainsaws / tree felling, and hence the 5 year expiry thereby requiring refresher/update training. However this was inappropriate as PTI is a knowledge based course and the requirement is for ongoing CPD, not retraining, which is down to the individual to sort. Hence, as mentioned above, Lantra Awards will issue a new certificate with no expiry (not sure if there's an admin fee incurred tho. Tel. 02476 419703). Cheers.. Paul

Hmmm, thinking this one through a little more (I know too much time...!) and having just had a, completely coincidental, conversation with a collegaue in part covering the same topic, maybe my 'simpleism' is too much so. Having researched a little on line (free dictionary & wiki) it would seem maybe there is a closer association between the terms 'Arborist' & 'Arboriculturist' as UK n N.America (or vica versa respectively), with tree surgeon being a predominant, or exclusive, term to the UK defined as "a specialist in treating damaged trees". That said many UK tree surgeons would also qualify as 'arborists' so maybe we're back to square one...ho hum! Cheers.. Paul

I heard it whilst driving home on the M5...'oh joy!' Simplistically (that's me to a tee!) my interpretation is UK v N. America. Cheers.. Paul

N mi 'ears' r still bl**dy ringing, ha! Nice one Cerne, well done and congrats. Paul

Told you it'd be worth the wait and that one day I'd contribute summat useful, ha! They can encourage...but not insist, and it's often a planning administrator who is the first point of contact and they may not be wholly 'au fait' with the tree stuff so please be patient...and polite...PRETTY PLEASE!

Probably...unless you are 'always' the waste producer and you only ever move chip between the site being worked and your registered 'exempt' woodchip site. Been here a few times recently and 'woodchip', unless VIRGIN TIMBER (chip containing NO greenery / foliage / Leylandii clippings...AND no sweepings), is 'waste' and carries 3 seprarate entries on the european waste catalogue register (this is regardless of the usage recycling etc. you turn the product to...apparently!) Hence definition of the 'waste producer', the fact that domestic residences are 'exempt' and other considerations need to be looked at to make the process as streamlined and unobtrusive as possible. I need to cathc up on commuincation receivde from EA so will post back soon with further info. Cheers.. Paul

Hope to see you at the BS3998 seminar at York (Askham Bryan) tomorrow, please be sure to give me a shout if you're there..! Cheers all.. Paul

Technically I believe it is actually from the date of the 'notice' and not from the date of receipt by the LPA. However pragmatism, an reasonableness, would dictate that in practice this is the date used otherwise we'd all be sending them in during the fifth week after writing. REMEMBER too, that whilst encouraged, you are not required to give a sect. 211 notice using the 1APP standard form. Hence should you simply wish to submit a copy of your quote, then provided it is aequately detailed and includes all the necessary infomration, it should suffice. Cheers all.. Paul

Hi Danu, That specification, i.e. 25% reduction, does not comply with the recently updated industry standard BS3998:2010 (Recommendations for Tree Work) as the use of percntages is deemed to be vague and imprecise. SO much so that it is possible the Local PLaning Authority (LPA) may not register the application and require the tree owner to resubmit along the lines of a 1.5m linear reduction in height and a 1.0m linear reduction in spread resulting in a tree with finished dimensions of 20m x 15m, for example. This is then much clearer and more prescriptive to all involved. Further there is a general requirement that any pruning, and in particular crown reduction, should not exceed 1/3rd in terms of foliage bearing material to be removed. If it is proposed to do so then a phased approach, ie. over 2 or 3 grwoing seasons with a rest year in between, is recommended. The bat issue is a potential 'can of worms' in terms of the trees significance but certainly IF it is being used as a roost then very (very) careful consideration should be taken here. (NB This is not a matter for the LPA to act upon nor enforce but they can issue an 'informative' about it regaridng seeking further advice etc. on a consent notice.) Regards.. Paul

Yup, that's different I would suggest. Where a mature tree has alreday been' lopped', or it's lapsed pollard, then I consider it appropriate to use the term 'pollard' or repollard' as appropriate. Cheers.. Paul

Given the species involved, i.e. London Plane (generally a very 'vigorous' species) then undoubtedly it will tolerate much 'heavier' pruning than BS3998:2010 generally recommends....however! As something of a stickler for terminology, not least when it presents an opportunity to educate the public (as 'tree owners') on good and bad, sorry 'not so good', practice, I wondered whether it was tecnically correct to refer to this work as 'pollarding'? Sematics maybe but perhaps 'lopping', which, using the BS definition for 'topping' I would describe as "removal of most or all of the crown of a mature tree by indiscriminately cutting through the main branches/limbs" (perhaps that highlights another terminology discrepancy), would have been a more accurate term? Essentially the parameters cited in the standard refer to 50-200mm stem dia. at 2-3m in hieght, then pollarrding can be initiated. Then the standard continues..."Larger trees should not normaly be treated in this way." My overding point here, besides that of avoiding whereever possible 'lopping' mature specimen trees, is one of educating the public that 'lopping' is not pollarding. That is not to say it might not be appropriate to 'lop' under certain circumsatnces but say this and expalin the differnece. There, 'soap-box' removed...PHEW did I hear you say?, ha! Cheers.. Paul

Interestingly I've just looked up the NPTC assessment schedules and it would appear as tho CS44 has been withdrawn, or at least it certainly doesn't apear on there (curently!) Anyway that was just an example of the point you raised asking are 'ALL' NPTC units necessary, and quite rightly point out that many seemingly overlap/duplicate. As we all know training and assssments cost a lot of money and once attained then need updating/refreshing at some later date menaing more cost...hence one has to be sensible and pragmatic. In terms of the 'ArbAC' scheme we expect to see a good cross section of NPTCs, and other training, across the company. As a minimum we would expect CS30/31/32 on the ground, and CS34/35 if Highways Emergency call-out is in place (BUT this is also a good ground unit to do as a 'refresher/update'.) Aerially CS38(as was)/39/41, and CS47 if MEWP operators not climbing. Once in place the BIG issue then becomes effective refreshers and updates, often investigated by HSE in event of an accident, and currently key areas are 'climbing' and 'rigging' as these have advanced considerably, with technologies and techniques changing, in the last few years. These are alos requirements for 'ArbAC'. Hope this to be of help.. Paul PS In actual answer to your question...NO.

Apologies if grannies, eggs and sucks as I'm sure may be the case. Having recently been involved in delivering the revised BS3998 seminars, and more particularly the pruning bit, I'd like to contribute the following. The standard promotes no more than 1/3rd of the leaf bearing material to be removed in any one hit and similarly no main/primary branch to be removed that would leave a wound on the stem in excess of 1/3rd...great fraction (AND one I can remember!) Further, in terms of crown lifting, if it's back to the main stem and too many wounds in close proximity can coalesce and decay resulting in reduced strength at that point. Also it urges caution with thinning and again states no more than 30%. In all it promotes a much lighter touch and phased management for excessive works thereby allowing for recovery and replenishment of energy along with biomechaincial adaptation if needed. Sounds to me like "Mr Hama' hijacked the standard, ha! Thanks all.. Paul

Nicely put 'Bumble', hope we can oblige. Cheers.. Paul

Hi 'Carrickman', More than happy to bring the seminar to the 'Fair Isle' if the demand is there. I will contact the Irish Branch and see what I can sort. 'Watch this space.' Cheers.. Paul

Hi all, thanks for your interest here! The next event is planned for Askham Bryan, York on Wed. 11th May. A further event is proposed for south and/or mid Wales in early July along with another possibility for south Midlands / Oxfordshire. Further sugestions have been for an event at Capel Manor capturing the N. London / Middlesex areas...some how we need to gauge the levels of interest. Would anyone be willing to help and set up a 'POLL' type post for these venues to which members can indicate their location preferences? Thanks all. Paul PS Cost is £50 (+VAT) and the 'ArbAC' stuff is a (very) quick update aimed primarily at small businesses, usually lasting 15-20mins as the last session, and is NOT a hard sell...so no free 'Ouzo' nor promises of 'fun in the sun', sorry, ha! Cheers.. Paul

Possibly...gonna take this thread to the AA Forum if you don't mind so I can be sure to reply to anyone who posts. See you again shortly. Thanks.. Paul

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Hi all, SORRY to come to this one so late and thanks to 'Monkey D' from prompting me. Sorry also for any duplication I may subject you to as I haven't read all the related posts. I think everyone working in the tree care industry has a responsibility to consider, very carefuly, the ecological aspects AND the hazards caused by deadwood etc. and, after so doing, make a professional judgement of what is required on a 'job by job' / 'site by site' basis. My interpretation of the removal of the 'crown clean' term from the standards is that it introduces a principle of retaining deadwood where appropraite and beneficial so to do...again a matter for your professional judgement. The term is a nice catch all thereby avoidng the need to be more specifc and gives some free reign in terms of what we do BUT with the industry moving forward and gaining increased professioanl recognition and status, to the benefit of all, we need to raise the bar and improve our tree work specifications such that trees are dealt with individually. If you still require to undertake 'CC' then this can be done (see sects. 7.3, 7.4, 7.12 & 7.13) but I would avoid using the term and specify these individually. Lastly there are parts of this standard that place a greater onus on us, inc. more time and more thought, but please see this as an opportunity to increase the gap between the tree care professional, who can and understands, and the 'other' person, who cannot. Cheers all and thanks for taking the time to read this post...u feeling sleepy now...oops! Paul

Riggerbear, tahnks for your post. Check back soon for any progress. Hope to see you there..! Cheers. Paul

Scots Pine !...ur very welcomed, thank you for inviting us to such a fantastic part of the world (and an excellent Indian in Perth called Mumzal???...yummy!) Glad you found it useful. Cheers.. Paul

Hi 'Green Grafter', sorry for delay been 'out n about' for past coupla weeks. 'YES' same person, hope that don't disappoint, ha! Cheers.. Paul