David Humphries

After reading your imput Tony, we decide on a significantly smaller reduction of around 15% of TCD (whats 5% amongst friends) If needs be and the Armilaria really gets a hold, then we can return at a much later date to reduce further. We are fortunate with our Dead Hedging here in the leafier parts of North London, as of yet no arsonists touch wood! If you get a chance trial one in a woodland setting using brash with fresh leaves still on. Take a series of shots to help you sell it to clients. The bushy greeness looks relatively unflamable, and creates great habitat for bugs, birds and mamals. 'Some' clients really like these green credentials you can potentially offer.

This is a general thought for all not just yourself SkyHuck, as each to our own etc........ Experience + Training on setting up, positioning, wind speed awareness, rigging/dismantling and maintenance are all obvioulsy critical when using a MEWP. With the above in place though, this should be sufficient to alay fears of machines toppling during arboricultural operations. NEVER EVER USE ONE AS A CRANE !

Great shots Reg, She looks a big ole girl, why was she down for complete dismantle? Was there no scope for leaving as a monitored monolith? love the 7th & 8th ones where the big central section seems to be heading for the camera ! Did he brick it and step back, even at distance?

Waiting in anticipation of a very scary/interesting story!

Nice weather for photos! Have you got any shots of finished tree? If the tree owner was in to leaving monolith for habitat, was there any consideration made to coronet?

I would have thought your uniform is about identity, as such no punter is really going to be able to see your company name whilst your up in the tree. As a climber you need to be working in the best comfort and safety environment that you can put yourself into. So ditch the company colours whilst your arboreal and stick it back on when you get to terra firma. Plus its nice to put on something clean and dry when you get down.

Were pleased with the out come, as most of the team were new to the technique, and the overall spec was a learning curve. It was generally very well recieved by the locals, who didn't make any comments about Pikie Work, and appreciated the aesthetics of the look in its woodland setting, and also the pre, during and after information signs that are on site. Time wise, this was not particularly a commercial job (dont tell me boss though) but took approximately 4 days to complete. We are attempting to keep people away from the root plate so eventually the chestnut pailing will be removed leaving the dead hedge, which will be topped up periodically. Dead hedging is a very good way of managing people and trees, and for getting shot of brush. Pile it high and aim for something akin to Beechers Brook!

1st Picture last November. 2nd - Prior to Works. 3rd - Finished job + dead hedge behind fence. 4th - Detail of fracturing. http://www.arborecology.co.uk/resources/coronetcuts_naturalfracture.PDF Open to your views?

Second ones class, definately the sort of thing i would have done in me youth !

First pic is the top view Lee, i'm guessing there's a quality issue here.

Is this a Pleutorus sp? Located 20ft up a Chestnut trunk on an open vertical wound. Appologies for picture quality.

I know how soft & obvious this sounds, BWTF CRACKING FORUM ! Can't get enough of these video posts. Best way to tackle and communicate ideas/technique between all the different intellect, terminology & language barriers to be found amongst our worldwide community IMO. Keep up the good work Mr B.

Some sort of Mid Life going on Tockmal? http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0169547/Ss/0169547/25.html?hint=tt0169547 Only kidding pal. Good idea, Grip is such an integral part of our climbing system that we the majority take for granted. I used to scoff at a climbing buddy 15 years ago watching him pump his hand gripper during the day. Wish i had taken it on board, too often caught out on a rock face with nothing between me, my under developed grip and a big drop onto the wifes belay !

Agreed Kew and its staff would be an inspirational place to work which might compensate the crap wage, but i reckon the constant drone of being directly under Heathrows flight path, not to mention the annoying tourists would be a serious bummer.

No ! I spent all day reading this instead ! Seriously though, after dealing with a so called emergency hanger, i spent some of today with the team looking at various Safety Issue threads on here. Great Training/Debate Tool. Beats mind numbing maintenance/housekeeping !

IM AFRAID RAIN STOPPED PLAY JACK, Tool inventory, Tool Maintenance and Storm Damage to deal with instead today. Fracture Prunning can wait for another day!

They look to me like they have had their leaders taken out, and then one side branch has been left to take over and been bent with ropes and weights to get the bend. Possibly for a boats rib or something. I've seen oaks pollarded and manipulated like this for particular Ship building parts.

Just for the record, i think that the reduced trees are being left not just because they are the healthier ones, but also to reduce the dramatic impact of the whole Avenue being felled at once.

After 15 years of climbing Rotten, Windblown and Storm Damaged Nightmares, i'm at a place where a MEWP is definately my first thought when considering how to safely tackle a job like that. Obviously you've got to evaluate access, stability of root plate, potential alternative anchor points etc.... But there was a time when i would of been thinking.......... .....what the F*#K, that looks like a great climb and its a good day to die anyway ! ( How stupid does that sound? ) (but its amazing what greying hair a couple of kids, not to mention a fair few near misses can have on your perspective.) I know there's probably some out there who are thinking, common old timer (i'm only 38 btw) it's time to hang up your harness and let the whipper snappers and the care free get on with the "dodgy ones" You don't have to take my approach, because experience teaches us all differently, but please don't let yourself be lying in A&E thinking ............. ...........f*#k, i really wish i had thought about using a MEWP ! .

£710 is £710, but...... i just can't help feeling dissapointed by that figure every time i see it scroll across Steve, i reckon thats a shameful sum in relation to how much hard work you've put in x how many non charitable serial viewers there are on here. Putting up the Raffle Sponsor tag was a cracking idea to try boost late interest, but i guess the thriftiness of Arbies is showing through though. I wonder if one of the bigger charities would have faired better? ( not criticism of choice ) Well done to you, what ever the total be Steve. Great use of the forum imo Come on people jump on, lets see if you can get it up towards 4 figures.

That is seriously scary ! Were there No signs of adaptive growth, fungi etc....? How far up the trunk did the cavity/decay go ?

I can't really answer that comprehensively, as those reducs were prescibed by the other LA, and their contractors carried out the works on their half of the Avenue. Those reduced trees will eventually be coming out and will be replaced with more Carpinus. I'm guessing that the sail reductions are partly to do with the potentialy increased Wind Throw hazard, that is due to almost half of their trees already having been felled. To expand the overall picture further, the other half of the avenue is within a Park. These trees suffer far less root compaction and vehicle damage. Two of these trees have been removed and replaced with Carpinus inside the Park, this was due to Decay and Phytopthora respectively.

Due to Phytopthora, (possible) Psuedomonas & Camararia, this avenue of Hundred year old Aesculus, are in the process of having phased reductions and fells and are being replaced. Rather than like for like (because of the afore mentioned), decision has been made to replant with Carpinus. Any thoughts? The avenue of approximately 50 trees is jointly managed by two LA's. Both have signed up for the species change. BTW..... in the forth pic, i gave serious consideration to this being his own grave instead of a planting pit, due to ripping off half the Iveco's bumper on one of the bollards !!!!!!!!!