AA Teccie (Paul)

No shooting down at all and hearing things like this is always concerning. i can assure you that all ArbACs show they are capable of undertaking BS3998 compliant pruning at initiall assessment and every 2 years thereafter. To be fair, some just make the grade and others are excellent, hence there can be a variance in standards observed. However not to the extent of being "horrific!" The responsibility fot maintaining standards in betwen times is the 'approved' manager and the safeguard is the complaints procedure...not perfect but the best we can do currently. i would add that often, as with others, ArbACs are often asked to undertake substandard works which we can't control but willninvestigate if it comes to my attention. as i say not perfect but improving alnthe time...i hope. cheers.. paul

Hi all, thanks for your earlier comments and i look forward to seeing you at the show....guddo! paul

Not at all...good call! Yeah, the contractor scheme is moving in the right direction I believe / hope (not before time I know) but numbers are now in the 250 region, from 150 3 years ago. Also encouraging is the fact that the small businesses account for 42% of that 250 where it was previously only 18%. Still, onwards and upwards as they say Thanks again.. Paul

Excellent...there'll be at least 2 of us then See you there Cheers.. Paul

...a picture paints a thousand words yeah Joking apart the consultants scheme is currently undergoing some changes too so "watch this space." Cheers.. Paul

I would have thought that was more likely to be the 'Matheny & Clark' system of Tree Risk Assessment. Paul

I know that Bartletts (Glynn Percival) has done quite a lot with Phosphites for HC BC and had quite good results. See the attached for more info. Managing-Pseudomonas-Bleeding-Canker-of-Horse-Chestnut.pdf

If so, why not come and find out a bit more about what's involved, the benefits it can bring and the 'added value' (inc. CHAS and Trustmark), at the ARB Show next week. Intro sessions on both days, i.e. Friday and Saturday, 10am and 2pm in the Contractors Workshop. Hope to see you there, and I will have application forms available... "just in case" Cheers all.. Paul

Kevin, "brownie points"...never! good news about your intended assessment , thank you and i very much look forward to receiving your application in the near future....oh yeah, 10 brownie points so far cheers Kevin Paul

Regardless of what you actually do with your arisings subsequently, at the point or production they are 'waste', albeit green waste and nor controlled nor hazardous waste. I have fought long and hard to get the 'Virgin Wood' position statement to cover tree surgery arisings but the EA (National Policy Team) disagree. They cite the LoW Regs, (List of Waste Regulations) and the fact that in its various possible guises what we produce is 'waste' (in part as it can cause harm as a previous case where leachate / run-off from a pile of HC woodchips enter a watercourse and killed off some fish.) Codes Waste types 020103, 020107, 200201 Plant tissue 030105 Sawdust, shavings and cuttings from untreated wood only 030301 Waste bark and wood Hence I would strongly advise you register as either a lower tier carrier (no charge) or, for the occasion you have damaged fence panels etc. on board, as an upper tier carrier (£154 for 3 years.) Your call tho.. Paul

Forest Research - Specific recommendations for the management of bleeding canker of horse chestnut provides some 'more specific' advice which may be of help / interest. In practice, whilst burning of infected material on site etc. is probably the recommendation action, and I wouldn't say this if it was Chalara of Ash, many HCs are chipped and transported. I think it's what you do with it thereafter that can result in, or avoid, problems, i.e. spreading around other HCs trees or composting the woodchip and burning the logs. cheers.. Paul PS Don't forget about tool sterilisation too, which is a good practice thing. I think the FC generally recommend a product called 'Propellar' but many use Jeyes Fluid.

Not aware of any updates 'per se' on how to deal with the disease but, anecdotally, many contractors, and some consultants, are telling me trees previously infected appear to be recovering. Hence it may be much to do with individual tree vitality so avoid any additional stress factors including excessive pruning. Cheers.. Paul

Hi all, Due to popular demand (NOT me don't worry ) we are running an additional Professional Tree Inspection course at Ashton Court (a great venue) at the end of July. To book, please follow the links at Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course ? Training Thanks all.. Paul

Hi there, Whilst you will undoubtedly get some good general guidance / information posted here, I would strongly recommend you engage a 'suitably competent' professional, e.g. an arboricultural consultant, to best advise on the specifics of your particular case. Not least as collectively it would appear not to be a straight forward matter. I can help to direct you to a list of accredited arb consultants if you so wish but this is not to infer there aren't many others who can assist you ('pm' me if so.) Regards.. Paul

Yup, only just started n on donation no.6 (I think)...bl**dy urt last time too as a bloke did it n took no prisoners...TECCIE WIMP!

Yeah, sorry about that, I'm behind and still replying to your initial post...KEEP UP TECCIE!!!

Hi there, have a look at the attached which might help Cheers.. Paul PS Thanks to Kevin Johnson for bringing this to my attention. D7_exemption(burning waste).pdf

Hi there, sorry to be something of a "kill-joy" here and I quite understand the temptation to self-fabricate a device given the cost involved. However, a word of caution if I may, in that should the device fail and cause injury, or worse, or damage, if it's not CE marked etc. and LOLER'd your insurance company may not pay out. Thereafter the initial purchase cost, whilst significant, may rapidly pale away. When Liam McKeown does his bit at the HSE SHAD events he brings along his "black museum", as he calls it, which includes several "home-made" lowering devices which have failed. Please consider carefully. Cheers.. Paul

Maybe enters through 'fresh wounds', ie. as with sapwood exposed, but I understand it to be heartwood coloniser...as Tony says. cheers.. Paul PS This is not my area of expertise, hence this caveat

In the PTI context I hope the attached helps a little. Cheers all.. Paul PS Good luck if it is PTI focused! PTI Fungi.doc

BUMP..! Hi all, sorry I've not been contributing very much just lately as I've been snowed under with stuff. Just a quick reminder to say we still have places available for this FREE workshop. Cheers.. Paul

BTW that is a pro...fessional of course Yes, 'topping' is harmful, and often creates future management problems and it's a dangerous activity too. Hence back to the 'fessionals' Regards.. Paul

In principle I agree with 'the above', and indeed have previously posted similarly. However, in light of a more recent query, there is a potential 'grey area' when delivering (definitely), or transporting from site (possibly), woodchips and logs etc. intended for sale. See below: Driver H Driver H is a farm labourer. Their normal duties include transporting livestock and crops around the farm in a lorry. They need to have Driver CPC when driving on public roads while doing this as they’re carrying goods intended for sale, as opposed to materials or equipment. Sorry, I don't have a definitive answer here, and indeed my experience shows you won't get that from DVLA / VOSA either , so quite where you go I don't know. I don't know the 'ins and outs' of driver CPC either but, at least in some instances and bearing in mind driver training / refresher training anyway, it might be worth considering. I'm sure your MV insurers would be happy if you did so which could be worth something Just my thoughts n contributions n sorry for throwing a 'spanner...' Cheers all.. Paul

Nope, never needed to do so previously and not anticipating an 'over-demand' this time. Just turn up n pitch, basically (well after coming to see us first.) Cheers.. Paul