Parametrics

Parametric,you have recieved some very good advice and recommendations from our tree hugger in chief,Hama,i hope you realise he knows his stuff better than most.

cheers,john

yep cheers lads

how about a fastigiate scots pine, a compromise

Noted /// I'll look this one up.

did you move to this area and think its a nice place to live? do you not feel any empathy for the ecosystem that your house partly if not entirely displaced?

 

if i was your TO i would meet your view halfway, and acept the long term fell option, BUT like you standing firm on your YOUR view on the fell, would maintain MY view that YOU must replace with what existed before:biggrin:

O Boy a tree hugger...Take a trip to Quebec. Yes I was impressed with this tree when I moved in 30 years ago...Every time you turn in to the Estate you see this wonderful tree and you think Wow...but now well I hoping its just still in the semi upright position

What sort of damage will this tree do when it falls across their A6 AUDI and convertable MERC.?.I very much doubt the damage would be reparable. As luck has it, I live close to Gatwick, I be on the next plane out of here!

Most of that went way over my head...Give me some home work...But I think Lee Winger has a point and now I know a man that can.

WOW Good idea mate... Never heard of this tests ,,,some sort of radar instrument? This test result might just be the tool to present to the TO in order to produce the decesion I want him to make. He won't come out so take the "mountain to Allar!"

I wasnt insulting anyone, hence the smily!

 

as for the invalidity of reduction to scots pines, that is UTTER rubbish.

 

I know all about phaeolus shweinitzii, a biotrophic parasite of the heart wood. which in the case of scotts pine is a lot slower and less traumatic than on say larix decidua. especialy when vitality is high (see mycorrhizea)

 

a well considered reduction could see this tree retained for at least a decade probably longer, there is no serious die back or thinning of the foliage yet, another indication that the decay is yet to reach its full capaity and into extensive volumes of the root system.

 

Do not try to tell me:001_rolleyes:

 

but given the situation/context I would reccomend removal and replacement with the SAME species

A reduction may be what the Tree Officer will recommend. I hope to ensure that he does no such thing because the problem, as I see it, is simply deferred to a later date. I have to him no quarter on this, ie he comes up with my preferred option without ado.

I do not agree with your idea of replacing it with another Scots pine which I believe is valueless and only becomes interesting/impressive at the age this one is now. How about and ornamental cherry?

I wish I could show you what I mean, I,m doing another video soon which will show a leafy suburb full of mature 30m oaks, beech and pines meters away from buildings and extending over them, really makes things tricky when having to carry out dead woods and reduction work, these estates are some of the most desirable places to live, the green monuments make the area.

 

CO2....... green? I know what your getting at but for me it's more about the architecture of these living structures for me, they are older than us and our fathers and an important part of our landscape including urban and just as important as man made structures.

 

At the end of the day I,m not an educated guy, just a humble climber who loves trees.

 

But I.m also telling you, your tree more than likely has to go because of the problems you have shown and its location, if it was in your back garden and away from targets I,d probably try to tell you to keep it.

Points taken...I agree and understand. The main worry is the damage or worse to the neighbours. If someone gets killed it will be on my head.

Lobbing off branches do not save lives, trees are not great evil monster killers, tree safety requires an in depth knowledge and not merely battering them in half or back. for most here that tree is a fairly straight forward job and not actually overly big, sure it's big enough.

I can see from your view point as in your mindset being your not an arborist,

So please do not think I am being patronising, just merely pointing out this is our area of expertise.

 

Ladders are merely access for some, I prefer to not use them, working off ladders is extremely dangerous in this situation!!

I,d probably just climb up it and cut it down piece by piece from rope and harness.

You sound like the sort of bloke I need to do the job..

I agree with Hama the tree could be retained by maybe reducing sail area and still keep its aesthetics, but givin the location it's not the right choice unfortunately looks like a fell is the only option, I,ve worked on much bigger trees with similar symptoms only with very few targets.

 

As for mini trees in housing estates hell no, as far as I,m concerned we do not have enough mature trees in the urban environment, again where I am working now you will find huge much larger than your tree barely meters away from houses with the canopies spreading well over the roof tops, people can co habit with very mature trees quite well when managed and surprisingly they love them and do not look at them as threats.

Sorry mate I have to reply to this one...aesthetics Well what do you mean by this..Yes its impressive..I am the first to admit that...same as the Empire estate building..Generally people dont look up a bit like deers really.. and the only way to see this tree (apart from the trunk) is to look up...GREEN wise ie CO2 its not doing alot on account of the few stubby branches it has currently left on it...CO2 being produced in the leaf..Leafy mini trees....that's wot we need...

These trees where around before the housing estate was built so they are completely out of scale and in positions that you would not normally plant. So what is wrong with felling the lot and putting in designer mini trees?

Wonder if an arbtalk thread would be an accepted defence in court?

At the end of the day it's the targets that mean this tree should must come down, ticking time bomb isn't everything these days.

Find a competent tree works company explain the situation and go with their opinion, and for god sake put them ladders away removing limbs will not help and could possibly make things worse!

GOOD ADVICE... bit dangerous ladders unless you can tie them down..

your poll s a hard one to vote on metrics! how long is a piece of string? your tree would take about 5 hours with the right kit longer without heavy gear but would be cheaper as lower overheads of the firm doing that. swings and roundabouts. more time same money as less time just different approaches to the same job

EXactly my point mate you are spot on.>> This is a poll of peoples personal opinion usually from their own personal experience...It also has the public view/stance who have to go through planning...It is becoming clear that from the results that we all seem to be in the same boat with these tree restrictions and sadly around here they seriously would rather a few motorists died first before lobbing a few branches...With regards to actually cutting the tree down its a matter of safety, type of equipement, preparedness and the speed you want to run your life. If I was a tree surgeon I would not want to cut this monster down and also have in the back of my head the thought that.... I have got to get 30 miles up the road to do another..

A reduction could see this tree safe for decades, but long term, its going to be a downward spiral. where are you metrics?

EXcuse my ignorance at your terms...metrics.??? I am a Landsurveyor...I just stuck up the EDM Totalstation Theodolite ..Or what ever you call it nowadays.. and shot a few points..It records X Y and Z data so its realatively easy to work out the height... To be more accurate I should have set up some 200 metres further back but I live in a housing estate... so not enough room....They should design mini trees for places like this.?!?

REDUCTION.... I am not sure you grasp the concept of this tree. A Scots Pine (mature) has all or most of its branches at one level...THE TOP.. REDUCTION would produce a very bizzare looking stump some 50 to 60 ft high... That should make the local paper for sure!!

Ive found one of our LA's to be fussy about removal under the DDD and there have been recent changes to the DDD scheme.

 

The reason for the fussiness being that they are trying to inforce replacements.

 

But as others have said in this instance, if documented I would say that you would be safe in continuing.

As suggested I will follow the application with a letter of intent and give and extra week or so after that...this is a tactic used on us when they are after the council tax (which is a bomb around here) I hear The Office needs painting gold leaf again!...but I can't wait eight weeks...They took over three months (RAISE CROWN) on the neighbouring lawsonia...we had branches slapping us in the face everytime we opened the lounge windows.

The Tree Man has a bad knee and is off sick. I spoke to his assistant ...

She suggested cutting a few branches off inbetween time. ...

I am not sure if she knows what a mature Scots Pine looks like??

I have an extremely long ladder that is ideal for doing the gutters...

I put it against one side of the trunk .... it looked like a toy ladder you see in the public library along side this monster....

I worked out I would need a ladder two and half times longer to get to the first branch... Bless her pension.

I hope the attached plans give you a better impression. Pink lines are buildings at ground and eaves. Blue line drive way to grass.

The propping idea made me laugh. It certainly would alay my fears to have it propped. I do have a driveway large enough to house a 100 ton crane but I think the Mrs might have something to say about it. How much are they to hire?

Thanks to all for the input.

Hello Parametrics, have you ruled out the possibility that the mushrooms seemingly associated with the roots are not mycorrhizal species rather than decay fungi?

 

 

 

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Hello Parametrics, have you ruled out the possibility that the mushrooms seemingly associated with the roots are not mycorrhizal species rather than decay fungi?

This might be more likely the case but it is strange that they are more or less in a straight line to the tree and nowhere else on the lawn.

Has it always had the lean? Hard to say from pics. It doesn't look promising, given the target if it were to fail and the size of the tree, I think best remove it...

From old photos of the house the lean has markedly increased over the last two years and the neighbours are such nice people, it would be a shame to kill them.

no question, with that lean even without the fungal stuff. get your spikes on!

No way am I going up that tree. Its deceptively huge. I'll leave this one to u guys...hearse on standby.

Hello Parametrics, have you ruled out the possibility that the mushrooms seemingly associated with the roots are not mycorrhizal species rather than decay fungi?

This might be more likely the case but it is strange that they are more or less in a straight line to the tree and nowhere else on the lawn.

Thank you all for replying so quickly.

I now feel justified to push ahead with planning approval (as it has a preservation order on it). I have been told the application will not be looked at until another eight weeks. Our local tree man is unable to come out and give me a direct opinion but with your permission I shall include your comments in the application.

From old photos of the house the lean has markedly increased over the last two years and the neighbours are such nice people, it would be a shame to kill them.

Interesting the opinion poll results to date but it is what I expected. People are divided by the time to cut a sizeable tree and the actual time it takes to get it removed. My personal opinion due to planning laws .. at least a year, but I would also have stamped eight hours to do the job.

Grows Conks Phaeolus schweinitzii - Dyer's Mazegill both sides at base. see pict 1.

Leans greater than 15 degrees towards the neighbours house. see pict 2 & 3

Has over last month developed long extra stems emanating from base. see pict 4

Bark bursting away from trunk with black stuff behind it. see pict 5

Mushrooms growing from roots? see pict 6

Branches falling at regular intervals some very large!

90 foot high Close to Large Lawsonia confer age in access of 30 years.

First aid or apply to have it removed??

Wot think thee?