David Humphries

Totally on board with that one Roller !!!!!

Correct. The Avenue does back on to woodland where there are loads of decaying standing and fallen dead trunks. I dont feel that compaction is the real problem here. Unfortunately since noting armillaria on the first tree, we had discovered it on the next three along the line. Going to prove that this pathogen is probably everywhere in THIS ENVIRONMENT.

Obviously totally depends on your LA. im speaking from personal experience having worked 22 years for an LA, and have been fortunate to have been backed to the hilt by (many) bosses who see or are persuaded of the benefits of good training.

A good way round all this is get yourseves a local authority job, get all your training paid for (NPTC`s, RFS cert, Tech cert etc..), do a bit of extra private work during days off. Then leave and set up your very own Qualified Company.

I`m very interested, please keep posted on venue/date confirmation/change etc... Will be coming up from London if anyone requires a lift.

I believe the more you climb the safer you are due to you greater experience,if you were to use a mewp for much of you're work you skill levels would drop as would you're fitness,so when you did climb you would be less safe IMO A VERY valid point. Especially the FITNESS angle ! But the more you climb, surely the less you would have the experience/skill to use MEWPS safely, (when or if considered) What is the overiding factor that determines the correct balance ? I do not feel comfortable that it is just finance!

ET AL !!!!

Some of the last few posts are exactly why this thread were started. It has confirmed to me there is a more than noticable chasm between those in the industry who do consider and use, and those that do not. Its bloody obvious that there are huge financial considerations to deal with, hire costs, training, maintenance, storage, LOLER Certed etc... and some of us are fortunate to be in a position where other people pick up those tabs. But ive seen plenty of instances where these can be costed in to quotes, and still leave a healthy profit. The powers that be ie; HSE, AA, ISA, LANTRA, NPTC et al need to be more realistic with coming to terms with this percieved gap, and make access to training and related issues much more open to those who have the experience but maybe not the cash to jump on board, and get the majority in to a possition where MEWPS become a tool of choice and not just a financial one. This may eventually seriously reduce the over subscribed list of climbing accidents we are all hearing/seeing and reading about far too often. RANT OVER

WHATS WITH ALL THE VIEWS AND NON POSTS ! I thought this was a pretty interesting thread. Be honest guys, someone must have some sort of view on the issue?

I think here would be a great opportunity to post a collective pictoral assessment of the readings of various machines. This would give all the non users an idea of whats out there in terms of invasive/non invasive technology and their abilities toward helping to read the overall story of a trees health. I personally think with experience, a good sounding with a nylon/rubber hammer is a pretty damn good tool. Dont go playing "Moby Dick" on tree trunks, like an over enthusiastic young surveyer did on a recent PTI course at merrist wood. ( Poor old Tree thought it was at a rehearsal for the the 02 gig ) I thought Jon Bonham was back in town Lets see your Pictures/Diagrams/Readings

Thats a shame. Beware the wrath of displaced Tree Pixies !!!!! Run and hide to the ends of the earth.!!!!

Nice work MB, out of idle curiosity, why was it a TD ?

We hire in a Mantis TSJ38 roughly two/three times a year, and have a Denka DL28 which just about deals with most of our access issues. How often are you guys using MEWPs? Are you able to talk your clients and more interestingly your Bosses, in to the benefits of using versus the cost (hire/maintenance) implications?

This would be a customer with far too much dough to be persuaded any other way, appreciating our safety advice only, hence the Gano` removal. You should see the 35` Liriodendron hes had planted 10` from his door.

Definately talk them in to leaving it. If not just for the natural interest of watching nature devour itself magnificently, what would the tree pixies play on in the wee hours ! Not sure on the id either, i think it can only truly be determined in a lab.

This week we will be mostly reducing Big B****d Poplars ! One out due to the Ganoderma, the others got a stay of exercution for the time being. Thank goodness for Big Ed and the Block Driver, i`m getting far too old for all this molarky ! Happy Crimbo to one and all and safe climbing.

don't we have enough legislation,if we carry on the way we are going,you'll need a permit to fart,and remember some of the oldest tree we have were butchered in the past. Thats pretty harsh imho True Veteran Pollards were created and used by man in need of survival, sustainably using i.e Tree fodder, Firewood, Charcoal, Tools etc... We should not confuse the bad tree surgery practices of today in the name of access to light, views, developement etc, with the long association man has had with understanding and interacting with trees and the environment around him, unlike most of our modern self-centered societies of today !

Ive been informed that it is possibly P cornicopea, based on its colour (which was a brighter yellow/orange a week before the picture was taken).

Were Tree Surgeons not Cosmetic Surgeons ! Big Bucks to get tickets for that one. Id of given my left and right nut ! Heard theres a real possibility of a World tour next year.

"Manual of wood decays in trees" by K Weber & C Mattheck Great compact little dashbord sized reference book. Most user friendly fungal Id reference ive got, was the freebie Colin Bashford gave out at the Barchams decay seminar a few weeks back. Might be worth contacting him to see if theres any left.

Thanks for the input Tony, I am concerned mainly with windthrow, even though the tree is not showing any serious signs of decay above ground, and according to FC Bulletin 100 (1991) that Quercus has a degree of resistance to Armillaria, i have a gut instinct that to cover the trees and my arse, a reduction is needed. At present i am thinking along the lines of 20% crown retrenchment using Natural Fracture Prunning http://www.arborecology.co.uk/resources/coronetcuts_naturalfracture.PDF The reply from the Arboricultural Advisory Information Service to our question on timing, relayed that mid-winter is the ideal time for pruning evergreen oaks quoting George E Brown. Will post further pics during works.

Any thoughts on this one? On a Mature Fulham Oak

Stage Two - Move Target. Blocked access underneath canopy both sides by fence on field side and dead hedge at the other end. Created new path to replace well used desire line, through woods away from tree. Have now found Armillaria on the next tree along the avenue. Original host possibly Old felled trunk lying in brambles between the first two trees, rhizamorphed up to the eyeballs!!! Is Armilatox of any use? Not comfortable leaving tree at current size due to heavy foot fall in the area, so have decided to reduce. (Stage three - TBC)

Saw this at the Arb show first, thought it was just another over priced shiny gizmo (sorry designer). After seeing vids and reviews, talked work into getting one. I now love this Tool. great vfm imho (though it didn`t come out of my pocket), bril power ratios and dont consider the weight an issue. One thing i would mention though, check for solidity of the cross cut as the teeth would obviously struggle to bite on decaying timber. This job was not suited to it, as i should have realised by all the Fistulina in evidence, that it was internally shot, Doh !!! It was a no fell, being kept as a monolith. Any one think there may be a connection between the Mobile Masts Electro Magnetic Pulses and the demise of this Mature Robur ??????