AA Teccie (Paul)

I guess the premise here is Shigo's "mass to energy ratio" and the more mature the tree the less tolerance of 'heavy' pruning including topping / pollarding, generally speaking. However, one also needs to consider 'dosage', i.e. how much the tree will tolerate / cope with and various factors affect that inc. species, age, vitality, disease / dysfunction / previous management etc. etc. BUT as we all know, and see, trees often haven't read Shigo and don't conform. BTW we now have a 'true' Cornwallian ARB Approved Contractor...and there's always room for more. Cheers.. Paul

Hi Kevin, I hope you're well. I guess the point I was trying to emphasise was that of the pollarding 'v' topping terminology and taking a lead from BS3998. However, in terms of the "application of" BS3998 to specific situations I like your suggestion and, of course, we can all recollect when topping, at least in the first instance, has occurred to much larger trees which have then been successfully managed as 'pollards.' Cheers Paul

There's a terminology issue here in regards to customer understanding and industry standards, namely in relation to the term pollarding / re-pollarding. BS3998 gives quite clear guidance on what qualifies as pollarding, at least in the first instance: "If the stem has attained a diameter of more than 50 mm, but less than about 200 mm at 2 m to 3 m height, pollarding may still be initiated." Hence, on many occasions you will be 'topping', albeit in a professional manner of course, and not pollarding. However such terminology to your customer may be off-putting and do you a dis-service BUT it is important you understand when pollarding aligns with BS3998 and when it doesn't. This may seem a tad pedantic, and academic as the outcome will be anyway, BUT it is as per the industry standard. Perhaps give the customer a range of options here with the pro's n con's of each...and the cost differentials of course Sorry, just being very 'AA Teccie...ISH here!' Cheers.. Paul

I would suggest you need to engage the services of a competent arboriculturist / arboricultural consultant (with experience / expertise in the planning / TPO field) very quickly. Regards.. Paul

Hmmm, as a non-expert I hasten to add, does the document not suggest earlier on that you SHOULD record, and tag as appropriate, all trees over 75 or 150mm (in woodlands etc.) I remember being faced with this prospect many years ago as it was the clients instruction / "brief", a landscape architect, however thankfully (BIG PHEW) pragmatism won the day and I didn't have to. Tom - speak with your client and explain the "whys n wherefores", remembering BS5837 is recommendations and guidance, albeit very importantly so, to be interpreted and applied by the 'expert'...n hopefully common sense will prevail. Good luck. Paul, I hope you're well and sorry, I cannot meaningfully contribute to your RPA question. Ask me something about PUWER though and "I'm your man!" Best.. Paul

APOLOGIES here, see below (an extract from the FISA website): Q - I’m an arborist, do I need to undertake a FISA refresher, to work on a FISA member’s site? A - Utility arborist qualifications require a 3 yearly recertification to evidence continued competency, and as they are not harvesting timber, and the majority of the utility work is aerial operations rather than free felling, they fall outside the FISA refresher training requirement. Operators maintaining their utility qualifications / recertification is sufficient evidence of an operators refresher and competence. Therefore they do not require a FISA refresher course to operate on a FISA members site. If a utility qualified operator is employed to “specifically harvest timber” under a harvesting contract and not a utility contract, then attendance of a FISA refresher is required. Hence if you are a 'general' arborist the HSE requirement is refresher training (NOT FISA refreshers) every 5 years beit Lantra / C&G / NPTC / independent (but auditable.) TO be honest I'd stick with Lanta or NPTC as both are well recognised. Cheers.. Paul

Hi im replying on a tablet device which i dont really know how to use. In my opinion this requirement is outside of the scope of FiISA refresher training...albeit ig might be useful anyay. see fisa website - training - frequently asked questions, then scroll down to "I'm an arborist..." question which is relevant. But your general aerial ttreework qualification or training etc still has to be within 5 yeears. good luck.. paul

Hi Tom, I hope you're well. We have made representations to FISA on various matters, some they have been more engaging on than others. This particular topic of refresher training is rather "done and dusted", at least in respect of harvesting operations. Aerial tree work / 'arb' they have acknowledged that FISA specific refresher training is not applicable...but refresher training in general is. Cheers.. Paul

Hi Matty, I feel your frustration BUT this is correct as I understand it. However, if your 'NPTC' refreshers were specific to tree felling operations it would seem not to be in the spirit of this UK FISA - The Forest Industry Safety Accord Hope you get something sorted...good luck! Paul

Some relevant, and interesting, information on the FC website Conifer root and butt rot (Forest Research)

Not sure the Issue 3 will be quite as life changing...but maybe it will. Hoping it gets a big CONGRATULATIONS on arrival Best.. Paul

PHEW...thanks goodness fer that, starting to get a bit worried nobody wanted t help me (ha), n many thanks Andrew, I hope yer well. Cheers Paul

Cryptomeria???

Dear 'collective'...I think the phrase is "use it or lose it" n clearly the latter is applicable here for me. Sorry, don't know how to embed the image in the post (...oops, "as if by magic"...this is one clever bloomin website Steve!) Thanks in advance.. Paul

If you are an AA Member you will very shortly be able to access the FSB scheme as a 'new' member via ourselves and save the ("one-off") £30 joining / admin fee and the AA, as a registered charity, gets a small introductory benefit which will go towards the AA research fund. They are also helping many businesses with the forthcoming "auto-enrolment pensions" stuff...a pending big issue. Cheers.. Paul

Not trying to defend anybody here but inevitably the larger the business the more challenging it is to control and maintain standards and compliance. In terms of only employing ArbACs, the usual term I see is "AA Approved Contractor...or equivalent", i.e. a contractor working to the same standards. This recognises it is not a legal requirement to be ArbAC to operate as an arboricultural contractor, hence other contractors can be considered (and pan-European dependent upon the contract value) and hence is not considered to be 'anti-competitive.' However, most contractors I speak with would welcome the Government introducing a mandatory qualification for tree surgery businesses, which is never going to happen, and perhaps here is a 'voluntary' equivalent...not perfect by any means BUT, I believe, the best option currently AND the more ArbACs = the bigger the voice and the bigger the influence. RE-"spot-checks", in theory this sounds an obvious and easy thing to do, and we do "reserve the right" under the scheme rules, but, in practice, in many instances I suspect would be ineffective as we turn up at the office / yard only to be told the guys are working 50 miles away, or on a hedge trimming job, or on a commercial site we cannot access without authorisation, or on holiday etc. etc. The exception here would probably be the larger organisations working on, for instance. Local Authority contracts and it may be that at some future stage as the scheme continues to grow we can introduce spot-checks. The other major factor here is resources, and time, and, as scheme manager, I cannot justify, nor find, such. I'm satisfied that, overall, most of the ArbACs are compliant most of the time but human nature being what it is we many push the boundaries and ignore the rules when there's no-one around to check. Thanks for your comments / posts here, very useful. Cheers.. Paul

Just a thought, you could consider getting your business 'ARB Approved' to hopefully better position it to access commercial work / contracts. The scheme seems to be gathering some momentum...and nationally, particularly its is now registered with SSiP (see SSIP - Safety Schemes In Procurement) See Arboricultural Association - Become an ARB Approved Contractor for further info or reply direct. Cheers, n good luck with it. Paul

That is an awful lot in one go and I have known them die-off if hit too hard, probably huge physiological shock. Interested to hear others experience. Cheers.. Paul

Indeedie...and some interesting articles therein. Hopefully no.3 will be with you soon too. I do apologise for the lateness here all and thank you for your patience. Best.. Paul

I would suggest it's about being suitably equipped and having the resources available to tackle the bigger jobs. Not discriminatory, at least not directly, as I know a few smaller firms that have lots of heavy duty machinery including a timber lorry...or at least a timber trailer and crane. Don't dwell, therein lies madness...but I do understand your frustration not least as often the associated tree-work standards they will accept are mediocre (even if the documentation refers to BS3998.) Cheers.. Paul

May need to do some pre-course study/reading...covering trees and law, tree physiology, trees and biomechanics, trees and energy systems, fungi and trees and tree inspection techniques. Read the MODULE CONTENT on the website link I provided previously. Cheers.. Paul

Yes, but as others have indicated you also need appropriate professional indemnity insurance. The course is quite testing and, ideally it would be under-pinned by a level 3 arb qual...plus experience too but everyone has to start somewhere. Cheers.. Paul

Hi, look here https://www.lantra.co.uk/awards/product/lantra-awards-technical-award-professional-tree-inspection-ita-course and maybe here Arboricultural Association - Course bearing in mind this course is about tree safety inspections not BS5837 surveys. Cheers.. Paul

Hi all, Please come and join me at Houghall College, Durham on Wed. 17th February to find out more about the ARB Approved Contractor Scheme, what's involved and how it can benefit your business...AND there's no course fee! For further info and booking see Arboricultural Association - Course Detail Thanks all n hope to see you there.. Paul

"Feathers have been duly ruffled"...hence please look forward to the outstanding copies through January-February-March...2016! Thanks for the prompt here.. Paul