arbsister

I worked with someone who keeps a towel on the inside of his hat through summer, not sure it gets washed very often but he says it works. I like bandanas, they work well, cheap as chips so you can buy enough to have a clean one every day! Probably not as effective as an ST and I still look like a pratt but hopefully not like a T**T. Anyway, what’s with all the girl talk lately? What with the female stand up urinary devises, whether females should be in the industry or not, and now ST talk… perhaps it’s time to re-name AT to girltalk?

Phenomenal work go Jimmy, well done!! Super smooth and frighteningly fast technique– his foot locking that is of course! I've never seen someone look so slow but be so quick. Haven’t tried AP but totally love Globe… despite the cost and CE mark or no, not politically correct but hey. Is AP CEd to PPE standards?

Student Tree Climbing Competition 2-3rd June 2010 The event at Moulton College to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the first Student Tree Climbing competition was a cracking event with access to great trees while the sun was shining… not like last year’s masters day at Merrist Wood where it was blowing a gale and raining quite heavily! Firstly, on behalf of the organisers and students who took part we offer a big, big, big vote of thanks to the following companies and individuals that supported the event with sponsorship, prizes and \ or their time as judges or technicians. Without the generosity and enthusiasm of the people at these organisations, the event would not have happened at all. Thank you doesn’t seem to go far enough really! Major sponsor: Gristwood and Toms Sponsors and prize givers: FR Jones, Greenmech, Arbtalk, Workwear, Arbortec, ISC, Sawpod, Tree Surgeon Insurance, Honey Brothers Also gave prizes or supported the conference and other events: Arboricultural Association, JKS, Cutting Edge, Treeworker, Consulting Arborists Society, Local Parks, Bartletts, Thermoecology/Rhizoecology, Mike Johnson, Nigel Smith, Ian McDermott, Dan Yeomans, Alexander Tree Surgery, Keith Sacre, Russell Ball Judges and technicians: Alex Laver, Simon Herbert, Peter and Louisa Haine, Phil Escrit, Robert Knott, Linda Sarotek, John Treasure, Carl Furr, Ben Blackwell, Dane Wood, Wayne Murphy, Adam Gubbins, Tim Dawson, Alex Hussey, Joe Roper, Joe Brandom, Jordan Garrett, Pip DuBern, Becky Peace, Danny Rhodes, Danny Hill The performance of all students at the competition was fantastic, these climbers and employees of tomorrow did a fantastic job and will soon be snapping at the heals of experienced and senior tree climbers! Well done to Warwichshire, Merrist Wood, Capel Manor, Easton, Moulton and Myerscough Colleges – regardless of who won what, the standards were high and every student performed really, really well. There was a good atmosphere of comraderie with students cheering on their friends as well as learners from other colleges. Well done to all who took part and also to your teachers for helping you to achieve such high standards! Now for the bit that all the students and colleges really want to see… Full competition results will be on the ISA Website, with a link from here, at some point next week. In the interim these are the top three in each of the events, there were some very high and close scores such as the aerial rescue, where three people got the same third place score of 41, it came down to the fastest time in the end! Speedclimb 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Jack Bridges, Capel Manor College 3rd Ross Patrick, Moulton College Footlock 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Simon Newman, Merrist Wood College 3rd Tom Bush, Merrist Wood College Throwline 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Lewis Mancini, Warwickshire College 3rd Laurence Williams, Merrist Wood College Workclimb 1st Christian Power, Warwickshire College 2nd Neil Taylor, Moulton College 3rd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College Aerial Rescue 1st Neal Withers, Moulton College 2nd Neil Taylor, Moulton College 3rd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College Masters Final 1st Neil Taylor, Moulton College 2nd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 3rd Christian Power, Warwickshire College Team Event: 1st Moulton College 2nd Warwickshire College 3rd Merrist Wood College Spirit of the Competition: Alex Reid, Myerscough College

Hi Alex … Just in case you haven’t seen it on the Competition forum… You won the Spirit of the Competition Award. In case you don’t know, this one is voted for by the technicians and judges running the competition. Although you did really well in the competition, this award is not about competition performance… There were other contenders from Warwickshire, Moulton, Easton and Capel Manor but you got the most votes. Clearly you got lots of votes for your enthusiasm, even though you weren’t sure what it was all about, your willingness to travel such a long way on your own having just finished work and for being really encouraging and friendly to the other competitors and exhibitors alike. We’ll be relying on you to enthuse and bring other Myerscough students with you to the comp next year!! Can you PM me your contact details so that I can forward your prize to you? You won £50 worth of ISC products and a years membership to the Consulting Arborists Society so worth getting in touch!

Thanks Dick, it was a great day and really inspired the learners! Moulton won the Green Man trophy you created for me, so he will remain in the Moulton College Arboriculture workshop for another year... Happy Days... Such a shame you weren't there to show other learners the potential for chainsaw carving and to see all the guys from Moulton, Merrist Wood, Easton, Capel Manor, Warwickshire and Myerscough colleges climb - they all did great work and had fun doing it! When are you back from the Black Forest?

Student Tree Climbing Competition 2-3rd June 2010 at Moulton College The event at Moulton College to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the first Student Tree Climbing competition was a cracking event with access to great trees while the sun was shining… not like last year’s masters day at Merrist Wood where it was blowing a gale and raining quite heavily! Firstly, on behalf of the organisers and students who took part we offer a big, big, big vote of thanks to the following companies and individuals that supported the event with sponsorship, prizes and \ or their time as judges or technicians. Without the generosity and enthusiasm of the people at these organisations, the event would not have happened at all. Thank you doesn’t seem to go far enough really! Major sponsor: Gristwood and Toms and their fabulous team of arborists Sponsors and prize givers: FR Jones, Greenmech, Arbtalk, Workwear, Arbortec, ISC, Sawpod, Tree Surgeon Insurance, Honey Brothers Also gave prizes or supported the conference and other events: Arboricultural Association, JKS, Cutting Edge, Treeworker, Consulting Arborists Society, Local Parks, Bartletts, Thermoecology/Rhizoecology, Mike Johnson, Nigel Smith, Ian McDermott, Dan Yeomans, Alexander Tree Surgery, Keith Sacre, Russell Ball Judges and technicians: Alex Laver, Simon Herbert, Peter and Louisa Haine, Phil Escrit, Robert Knott, Woody, Linda Sarotek, John Treasure, Carl Furr, Ben Blackwell, Dane Wood, Wayne Murphy, Adam Gubbins, Tim Dawson, Alex Hussey, Joe Roper, Joe Brandom, Jordan Garrett, Pip DuBern, Becky Peace, Danny Rhodes, Danny Hill The performance of all students at the competition was fantastic, these climbers and employees of tomorrow did a fantastic job and will soon be snapping at the heals of experienced and senior tree climbers! Well done to Warwichshire, Merrist Wood, Capel Manor, Easton, Moulton and Myerscough Colleges – regardless of who won what, the standards were high and every student performed really, really well. There was a good atmosphere of camaraderie with students cheering on their friends as well as learners from other colleges. Well done to all who took part and also to your teachers for helping you to achieve such high standards! The students we saw at the competition are a real credit to their teachers and colleges alike; they showed real skill and had a true sense of sportsmanship. Great work, well done!! We’ll look forward to seeing you have a stab at the senior Tree Climbing Competitions… Check the ISA Website for dates and venues. Now for the bit that all the students and colleges really want to see… Full competition results will be on the ISA Website, with a link from arbtalk, at some point next week. In the interim these are the top three in each of the events, there were some very high and close scores such as the aerial rescue, where three people got the same third place score of 41, it came down to the fastest time in the end! Speedclimb 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Jack Bridges, Capel Manor College 3rd Ross Patrick, Moulton College Footlock 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Simon Newman, Merrist Wood College 3rd Tom Bush, Merrist Wood College Throwline 1st Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 2nd Lewis Mancini, Warwickshire College 3rd Laurence Williams, Merrist Wood College Workclimb 1st Christian Power, Warwickshire College 2nd Neil Taylor, Moulton College 3rd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College Aerial Rescue 1st Neal Withers, Moulton College 2nd Neil Taylor, Moulton College 3rd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College Masters Final 1st Neil Taylor, Moulton College 2nd Floris Dressen, Warwickshire College 3rd Christian Power, Warwickshire College Team Event: 1st Moulton College 2nd Warwickshire College 3rd Merrist Wood College Spirit of the Competition: Alex Reid, Myerscough College

Nice one Mark, see you there if the volcano is behaving! Hope you’ve been practicing that stick trick…

Barrier tape works really well for visibility but my students like the satisfaction of the bell ringing... No jokes needed... The cheapest bells I’ve found are from pet shops – parrot bells. You get some funny looks when you buy half a dozen at a time though!

I believe there is a ‘hot’ version that is harmful to the eyes if it comes into physical contact with them because it ‘heats up’ if it comes into contact with water. I think there is also a ‘cool’ version that apparently doesn’t have this side effect. I’m no medic though

I’m pretty sure we had to register ourselves last year but only after we were invited to do so by the ISA via Alana – I think it was! I haven’t had any emails etc… yet this year, not sure if Jo has? She’s usually a bit more on the ball with these things than I am! I’ll try and check in the next few days.

Congratulations Peter and Lou… Have you told the dogs yet? Hope to see you all fighting fit in a couple of weeks at the UK&I !

Coolio – you have loads of potential and will be messing around with fancy tricks before you know it! See ya tomorrow!

I don’t think it was a meter… oh how boys like to exaggerate! It’s true that it didn’t grab immediately but that had more to do with a slightly less than idea rope / friction hitch combination. The VT is a great knot but is not for the total novice… give it time Harris you will soon be ready for the VT. First get to grips with the basics and understand the application of each knot and when it’s worth swapping things around. The popularity of all of the knots with pulleys is related to the fact that they are a bit faster and can allow you to have a hand free when returning from a limb walk etc… but moving up the tree on VT, mitchagen (spelling?) distel etc… is quite different from the prussic and blakes.

Pretty basic I suspect - aimed at people who haven't seen/climbed in a comp before. The focus will techniques involved in aerial rescue, footlock, throwline and a bit of workclimb if time – we won’t look at the actual workclimb tree, rather it will be an explanation of how it works and when you have to do what etc.... No point doing speed climb it's just a mad scramble to the top - fastest squirrel wins! There tend to be workshops at the Irish comp too but that is up in the air at the moment – volunteers willing to help make it happen are most welcome!

Very informal workshops planned for the Friday of UK&I comp, mainly aimed at novices. We've had some technical difficulties with the website but have a session planned to sort it out tonight (with someone who actually knows what they are doing!!) so forms should be available after that. Sorry about the delay, it's all a steep leaning curve!