10 Bears

OK for quick access up to a first branch or similar at usual safe working height for the ladder - but no use when work positioning is required and should be kept back at the yard. Wouldn't want to be on one with using a saw - opposing forces potentially causing a push back off the ladder...

You would probably have to understand my humour for this, but I always thought Creep by Radiohead would make an interesting send off. Here's the chorus: But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here. I don't care if it hurts, I want to have control, I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul, I want you to notice, When I'm not around, You're so ******* special, I wish I was special...

Well, that was an interesting weekend! My area has escaped any major flooding, but all around us there is near devastation. I was out in the car on Sunday morning and there were literally hundreds of people milling around looking shell shocked, most with whatever worldly possessions they could carry in bags and rucksacks. I did what I could to help, but it wasn't enough. I've seen various folks from the local farming community or local workers with machinery are out this morning just doing what they can to help. I'll go out again later. At least I can get home to a dry house, but I really feel for those affected. I read that there was likely more similar storms on the way this winter. Lets hope not!

Just to put this into context. Does the HSE bulletin describe just one injury, or do they have a high occurrence of branch Vs. chin incident? My belief would be that this is the former, and if you worked out the odds on similar injuries occurring to you, I'm sure they would be astronomical. In short - don't worry about it as its probability of occurrence is very low.

Yes, I did the AMUIG scheme and I still have a copy of the 'licence' in the files. There was definitely instruction on fixed prices etc. as a condition of the licence. Well, never mind if things have moved on. It might be time to put my rates up then!

Interesting comment regarding the mortgage report there Chris. They are meant to be a licensed product, and part of the terms of the licence are that they are at a set price - no matter who writes them. So just a guess, are DD's prices in the region of £490?

Well, fire gel is a new one on me too. Thanks for posting the link as my next move was to look it up. The website does say it can be used in trees, but, it also advises to silicone the trays in place for use! I would not recommend siliconing any plastic trays on to trees as part of my usual consultancy work! The initiation of veteranisation is not too unusual in practice ie it can be a sensible option in some circumstances eg conservation of habitat etc, but again, it is so rarely appropriate that it does not often feature in my work. There may be a justification for the veteranisation as Sean says above, for long term management protocols, but your having seen the situation, is there really justification for it? My gut feeling is the survey advice is somewhat from the text book, rather than from the consideration of a breadth of applied knowledge in different situations. I could be wrong but I can't help but wonder if the surveyor is a fairly recent graduate? My advice though, is to go back to the original surveyor either through the mutual client or directly, and ask for a specification for each element that you are unsure of. There is absolutely no harm in asking, and if they are a consultant worth their salt, they would be pleased that you wanted to do the job right rather than to crack on regardless and get it wrong...

yes you are right IMO, it looks like a partially occluded internal shear

Chris, This wasn't an experience vs. qualifications discussion per se, it was based around the need to be fully competent in particular subject matter (ie plant science) in advance. My view is that you don't need to be competent in the subject in advance of attempting a course, others views were that you would need to be competent in the subject to do an FdSc course. I take this view as I don't think it is right that the OP is discouraged from his ambition on advice which I will paraphrase, that the course is 'too hard unless you know it all first'

Would you not expect to see black stains on the location as well if there is active Inonotus? I agree if fruiting bodies had been active you would likely see them on the ground too. I didn't feel this was Inonotus, but I suppose it could be due to the Sporophoric nature of Inonotus. The other most obvious candidate would be Pseudomonas syringae - but there are no obvious signs of the blackened edges..

I'm inclined to think you are correct Stubby. I haven't 'greased my sprocket' (F'nar F'nar) for a good while now, possibly a couple of years more out of laziness then anything, and I have no problems. Purely anecdotal, but surely if the chain is being lubed then there is enough oil for some to end up on the sprocket? As for the OP, I would also go down the bin and buy new route.

Thats a good spot as the canker is mostly covered. Its best seen in the lower left of the first image I believe, and I would agree likely to be Nectria (without seeing anything further) Its not a great position admittedly, and I have seen this in similar locations before. At a couple of RFS meetings I have heard long discussions on similar situations as this, and differing views on the extent that structural strength would be compromised. So, I'm just going to sit back a little on this one and see what others think...

Of course I can understand having advanced knowledge of a subject being helpful, desirable even, to ease a passage through a course. I dare say the advanced knowledge would benefit anyone taking a similar course, and being an online student can feel a little remote so best to be forewarned and feeling forearmed. However to be competent as you stated, conveys that the OP would need the necessary skills and knowledge in the subject - in advance, which is obviously not why anyone would take a course ie to learn what they already know. This may seem like a discussion of semantics, but I think its important to state that there is a significant difference in being prepared to learn, rather than having to be competent in the subject in the first place. If the OP is not competent in advance - should that be a bar to his progress? I believe having the correct mindset and preparedness for learning, both before and during the course, would be as beneficial as becoming competent in the subject mater beforehand. Some foundation knowledge, interest and desire to learn and be academically challenged, yes. Competency in all the subject matter however, is not required at the outset of a course.

You can't actually take this jump directly in any case. You will need to do intermediate qualifications as with the academic levels, the preceding level is your access to the next level up and so on. Depending on your age/experience/other quals There are options to do 'Access to HE' courses, which will help fill in some of the missing gaps if needed. Absolutely, I second that. No, I dont agree. To be competent would suggest that they need to know all about plant science before doing the course, therefore what is the point of taking it? I think it would be fairer to say, be familiar with some of the basic principles of plant science and go from there, but above all else, be prepared to put some effort into studying when you are on the course. I agree with some of this, but not entirely. 'Based on your experience' - OK that was your feeling of how you wanted to interpret and engage with the course, but surely this should be given with the caveat 'your experience may be different'. We don't know what the OP's current skillset/experience/other knowledge etc. is. Perhaps they are a natural academic who just hasn't had previous opportunities? Who knows? So you want to finish the BSc. Well, thats a great target to have so best of luck with it. Im sure over the passing academic years there will be plenty of help and input from folk on here.

According to this article - it should be logging you wherever you travel - so essentially via your mobile phone's location (assuming it is location enabled) and not IPs alone. Phones use exactly the same technology as GPS. A good thing about the article though - it also tells you how to switch it off or to change where you have been in each day! See the option under 'Adulterer' for deleting the stop at the mistresses house...

I *think* you have to be logged in to the Google Chrome browser as well. Did you do this Paul?

I just watched the pope song, but couldn't pick up on the swearing. Are you sure there were naughty words in it? I thought it was just a matter of fact, down to earth account of the common day issues which are troubling a large historic institution. I have to agree wholeheartedly with TM's philosophy on this one!

Anyone tried this yet?

I'm not in this minority group, but I empathise! Tim Minchin is a clever comedian - very talented. Really like his shows, but not sure about the eyeshadow...

Well, it still may be Eggs. The suggestion was to look for BW (or C&RT as you correctly said) RA's to see if there was any standard text/procedures that the OP could borrow. No need to blush...

I thought this may be of interest to some of you. I can't post an image as I have tracking turned off, but perhaps you don't. There is location tracking from Google Maps enabled on most phones, either on Android or iOS. Unless you specifically turn it off - Google know everywhere you have been! This will work best if you use a laptop/desktop to do the following steps. 1. Turn on your machine and log in to chrome (if you have an account) 2. Select or paste this: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/timeline 3. You will be taken to the timeline map which is (apparently) secure and viewable by only you. You can use the functions there to see where you were on a given day or for a certain timeframe. 4. Have a play with the features and take a screen print to post on AT to see who has the most interesting timeline map!

Initially I agree with Dean. It appears there are no targets, so little to worry about in the real sense. I would also note that in the second image (buttress with hollow), the tree is doing a good job of laying down additional wood either side of the cavity in an attempt to minimise the impact of the structural loss. Can you see what appears to be woody ridges that are tieing down the buttress like a couple of ropes? From the image, any damage from the Gan. doesn't appear to be well advanced/significant decay, therefore there remains a lot of structural strength in the remaining wood. I would simply note the lean as a feature of the tree. As this is a mature tree it is well adapted to its size shape and condition. So all in, I would simply put this on an annual monitoring - but only if there is a current target or there is a change in site use and a target gets placed in the potential failure zone eg new site for a car port or similar. FYI - Ive not done the PTI either, but I have applied VTA methodology to your images in as reasonable a way as I can.

RYA is a sensible suggestion - perhaps British Waterways have something similar you can borrow from? On council or BW work on the banks of a fast flowing river (not sure who was doing the work TBH), I saw crews set up like this: 1 man chopping in the lower bank next to the fast water, normal saw PPE but wearing a small (less restriction?) life jacket - a bit like this style. All the crew (described below) also had these on. He was attached to a static and anchored safety line with a banksman watching him. Also a ground worker who was normal PPE and attached on a different static line. He helped pull trees back from the bank so the feller could keep working without going up and down. Upstream, not too far was a spotter who appeared to be watching out for debris or similar that would affect the man with the saw if it came too close. Downstream, a man who had a rescue throwline and recovery kit/first aid. All in all it seemed a sensible set up, but I couldn't help wonder who they didn't just postpone the work until the river was in lower spate as this was mid-winter and during the early spring (ie before nesting) the river is considerably lower. Perhaps you could use this as a model for working practice?

Miles, No problem at all. It turned out to be an interesting thread with several views. I hope you get your issues resolved. All the best.

Sorry - can't agree on this point though. The tree is in the right place. Its the build that appears not to have been lead by a tree constraints plan, therefore the building is in the wrong place - quite literally.