10 Bears

You may find this publication of interest then Jules, "Comparison of Three Tools for Measuring Tree Diameter in Stands of Different Age and Tree Size" In short, discrepancies between calipers and dbh tapes are minimal, where dbh tapes run over a 'gap', for instance over a stem depression or flute, then the effect is minimal and essentially averaged out, and as you say, eccentricity is not as significant a factor as you would imagine. As for saggy moobs or measuring diameter at breast height at your throat, I always tell surveyors to measure from the ground where 1.3m is on their body (and 1.5m for BS5837 surveys) and to just put the tape in that equivalent area on the tree. 1.5m is at my throat, and I always thought that measuring breast height there meant that I must be incredibly short by comparison! That FC document posted earlier states all the common conventions which are absolutely correct and should be followed rigorously... but the only item it misses out is how to measure a multi-stemmed tree that bifurcates close to the ground. One method is to measure the entire stool at a 'representative' point and record the diameter and height taken from the ground (and estimate the number of stems if it is a hazel coppice stool for example). Another method for the same situation is to estimate the number of stems eg 25 and estimate an average diameter and record these details. Personally, I don't like this method as it relies upon too much guesswork. A mathematical solution to the low multi-stemmed measurement problem is to sum the squared dbh of the stems like this: Multi-stem dbh = (dbh1^2 + dbh2^2 + ...+dbhn^2)^0.5 Example: 3 stem with dbh's of 10, 12, 14 ((10^2+12^2+14^2)^0.5) = 20.9 Hope the info is of use...

I must have been wandering around with my eyes and ears shut - I did not know about Arbsafe. I will get all my serials together and register all on there. Good work Steve.

Is there not an online forum associated with the course, ie a Moodle, Blackboard or similar? Otherwise, I'm sure if you post questions/queries on here that AT folk would give you some pointers, although in the interests of academic fairness, would not write it for you per se

Two or more movement incidents at different times causing the occlusion at the top and open at the bottom. Sent via the arbtalk app, hence the brevity...

Ah - a simple misunderstanding. Its always hard to read the other persons 'intent' when posting on't web or reading emails (in fact that got me in trouble once, a long time ago). Still, I hope the tree fails through the fence of the chap that killed it just because the tree was spoiling his view...

I get the sentiment, but this is a little unfair Mark, as presumably its nothing to do with the family of the deceased upon whose headstone it lands. Unless the stone is to do with the family of the offender, then its a matter of reaping what you sow!

Perhaps its just preference, but why not paint it Timberwolf orange to match the chipper? You would stand out from the crowd and be instantly recognisable to current and future potential customers. Not for everyone I expect, but just a thought...

Doesn't look like lightening to me, as lightening always has a slight spiral effect to it - in your images this looks like it is formed as a straight vertical? It puts me more in mind of a 'blunt-nosed rib' where lateral or swaying forces have caused the stem to separate along a weak axis - but not to the full extent of going right through to the other side. See P25 of this: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcpg13.pdf/$file/fcpg13.pdf

Yes, I agree with this. You will possibly find that this approach will inadvertently move you someway towards the shelter-belt-filter-matrix as I suggested earlier - depending on how intricate your planting scheme was in the first place i.e. not large blocks of ash, but an intricate mix. Looks like an excellent working site BTW. You have done well to combine the needs of a working area with a healthy amount of afforestation.

Yes, a good point Shires. I have heard/seen different takes on wind firming, everything from leaving the 1st 5m of trees on the edge alone ie no thinning etc. to allow them to adapt naturally, or my preferred method, inter-species mix planting/management to create a low to high profile. Which firming method are you referring to?

I bought these in 2014. I dont have a great deal of experience with lots of different sets, but these have been fine for me and not had any faults etc. [ame]https://www.amazon.co.uk/10km-Binatone-Action-Range-Radio/dp/B00447L1S0[/ame] I decided to test their range, and they even managed to transmit from inside a house with 2'6" thick stone walls to someone 3/4 mile away, on the other side of a 400 metre tall hill with no line of sight whatsoever. I thought that was quite impressive really...

Perhaps its trying to impress another tree with a fancy dinner date?

Being in west Wales, I am going to presume that your shelterbelt is to reduce the effects of wind. Something to rememeber is that belts shouldnt be a solid block of trees. They need sparodic gaps to allow the filtration on wind through to reduce the wind speed, not a solid wall to block wind in its entirety. Where there is a solid (but realtively narrow) block - often on the top or marginally leeward side of a hill where belts are often situated, you will find that as the trees reach the critical height for wind effect - they will just all start blowing over. If you do your first thin of your belt broadly on a diamond matrix style, you will start the process of making it more of a filter than a block. I've attached an image to show what I mean. This image is a bit of an oversimplification - but its something to begin to work towards...

Well, I believe the answer is 'perhaps', but it depends on what she has set up with the AMC. She will have signed a contract with them, that states they will administer her affairs in this matter. In a similar situation, I have seen a sub-clause on a contract that states the tenant must contact them directly and not the owner, so I presume this is the case here. The issue is that this does not actually give them power of attorney rights over her affairs. It is only an agreement between the AMC and her. so, in their relationship to you, my understanding is they cannot enforce this situation on you with any rigour - only on to her. They are informing you of her decision to 'agree' to this situation in her contract with them, and are basically using strongarm tactics to you in order for them to demonstrate their worth (and fees) to their client, ie we are the all powerful agent now, so the tenant has deal with us and not with the owner... The only other issue I can think of, is if in your contract with her you have agreed to answer to her or her agents, which again is a common sub-clause. At this point, if this clause is stipulated on your contract with her, unfortunately, you will have also contractually agreed to honour her contract with the agent, and therefore, you have already agreed to only deal with them from this point forward. Does that make sense?

Yes, my thought was wood wasp straight away. See this: http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48637000/jpg/_48637243_woodwasp.jpg Really big, scary looking beasts - but totally harmless to humans. The female just has a large ovipositor (looks like a stinger) and has the black and yellow colouring. This would explain the interest in the split sticks. Also the fact it just landed and sat on your mud guard, they often just land somewhere and take in the scenery, before flying off sounding like the insect equivalent of a Lancaster Bomber. Hornets on the other hand, have the rather disturbing habit of attacking your head...

Wont this feature be readily activated on a regularly used chipper with the high vibrations from chipping timber? Presumably this will decrease battery life significantly if it is repeatedly sending a signal due to the vibrations?

There shouldn't be contradictory information as its all straightforward really. Is this for general info or to show a client or other? Good source for general/laymen: Garden Law - Trees and Roots Review of important cases in context: The root cause | New Law Journal There are others of course, but it depends on what you are trying to do with the information.

Click the link for the internationally recognised symbols for communication between the ground and a rescue chopper http://www.acmg.ca/03public/resources/rescue_singals.asp If only more people knew, there wouldn't be so many waving at the Seakings from the hilltops in the Lake District... Sent via the arbtalk app, hence the brevity...

I have lost jobs, including one on the street where I live - just a few doors up. I was only asked on the Tuesday, but because I waited until Friday to quote as I was too busy to do the quote immediately. Over the years, I know similar gazumpings have happened, so I always try to let the client know when I expect to get the quote to them, but sometimes its just not enough. I used to work for a large, national company and to help with this problem, they employed 'Estimators' whose sole job was to price and quote for works. Obviously as a manager, I had to make sure it was all correct and possible to achieve within budget before it was submitted to the client, but still this approach worked well and took a load off me. At the same company, we also had 'seek-out' periods, where twice a month we would have time set aside purely to concentrate on getting new contracts and finding more work. It was considered very important time for us managers as it made sure we were always trying to add new budgets to our order book - thereby making us profitably useful in the eyes of the company. I wouldn't mind a similar system now, as like you Ian, I can be working until as late as 22:00 doing the quotes/paperwork in my busiest periods. I think there is some sense in assigning time for you to do these tasks, but only if you have a responsible team to take care of the manual, while you work in the office or with clients. It will mean a lot of administrative organisation on your behalf ie to make your office time pay instead of being out with the gang, but it may be a good move in the long run...

Cheers Rupe, that's a good idea. Were you thinking of another solution when you asked if on-road or not? My thoughts are I don't have to go on the road all the time (in fact, it would only be approx 10% of the time max), but it would be convenient in some of my working circumstances. Is there an off-road only policy or similar that you are aware of?

Intending to really. It would be helpful to move product from one site to another, but perhaps not always necessary. It's Ag. Registered and with a full lights kit etc. In any case. Sent via the arbtalk app, hence the brevity...

Just resurrecting this old thread as I am currently having quad bike insurance woes. I have recently bought a quad and I'm not having much luck getting sensible quotes. The NFU wont touch me - in fact they sent a rather rude email to me about not insuring anything for 'forestry' purposes, despite the fact they have always insured my trucks/trailers and at one time, small tractor, all for forestry purposes! Which insurers are people using at the moment? I've been through this thread and will be contacting all insurers mentioned, but how are people getting £200 quotes (adjusted from 2014)? Do you not declare the intended purpose/use as tree work or similar? I appreciate the need to be transparent with insurers, but it makes me wonder if I am using a term when I say, "forestry", that they are not particularly happy with...

That's a poor show really. The JKN may have floated in to the site to become established, but unless there is a disturbance to the ground or some JKN gets physically put in the river, it shouldn't contaminate downstream as it is an asexual propagator - unlike Himalayan Balsam which is an absolute nightmare to have next to a river and will definitely contaminate downstream. Perhaps do as Gary suggests and send a nice suggestive email with locations/photographs and other details - and point out their responsibilities as a landowner/occupier. Perhaps also approach the local rag with a 'public interest' story? It probably wont make you many friends, but may be a step in the right direction to getting it resolved...

That may just be their policy! How do you know that they know and are ignoring it? Have you reported it? Perhaps they are genuinely unaware? Sent via the arbtalk app, hence the brevity...

Oh - forgot to mention, you could always report the situation to Natural England as there is a risk that the JKN can spread from the site, as long as the land is used for: keeping or grazing horses and other livestock farmland used to produce conserved forage (eg, silage and hay) agriculture and in England! They can issue an enforcement notice within 24 hours. Otherwise if its domestic, you will have to go down the council route. Most councils do have a JKN policy, particularly if there is a risk of the JKN leaving site.