One Buck

Well that was fun Thanks for organising Steve. Stirling work as ever.

Marvellous. Thank you.

Got back to this today. These pics are of some further, but pretty unidentifiable fruiting bodies, of what I am pretty sure are bracket fungus (not honey fungus). I am assuming that these are not further fruiting bodies of Psuedoinonotus dryadeus, both because of what is left of their shape, and because if they were I would expect them to be in a similar part of their cycle to the other fruiting bodies of that species? My thoughts were Fistulina hepatica, mainly because of their(admittedly decayed) shape. You can see that above these that further brackets may have been removed. Also visible on the photographs are what appear to be honey fungus rhizomorphs. These were throughout the area of the fruiting bodies, and also in contact with the fruiting bodies. Is it likely that the base of this tree is simultaneously hosting three species of parasitic fungus? Interested in your thoughts David. Thanks.

Hello David. I am going back for a better look today, I was only being shown around yesterday. There is no die back is the crown, though it was perhaps a little more sparse than might be expected. Yes, there are further fruiting bodies. There is also another simultaneous fungal infection present that I was not able to identify (annual and past its best) . I will try and get some better photographs today and put them on your 'dual decay' thread. A quick tap with the sounding hammer suggested that basal decay might be quite advanced. Its quite a prominent tree in a formal landscape, close to a stately home (with the house within falling distance) .. I think that the estate might be rather 'agricultural' in their attitude to retention and the management of decline. Also I am not sure that retrenchment or 'monolithing' would be acceptable aesthetically here. I will recommend 'further investigations' and see what they say, but I think that ultimately it will be a fell. What are your thoughts?

That is an A3 weather writer for scale ..

This is for home use .. my house is log powered - I do about 20 x 1m3 per year (stacked) .. it is mostly oversize, 'arb waste' .. About 80% hardwood, with ~20% softwood.

Thanks. That is what I was hoping for. Guessing the same principles apply to the 'cabled' electric saws which quite a bit cheaper?

Thanks Steve, What are they? How do they perform? and which is quietest? .. .. If you need rid of them, I do get about the country a bit!

Cheers. I had imagined that the 'leccy ones would be almost silent.

Good afternoon chaps, I am looking for reccommendations on a quality, but most importantly a very quiet chainsaw. Its for doing my logs at home. I don't want to cause nuisance to my neighbours, but more importantly I don't want to alert the scrotes who wiped me out last year, when I have saws on the premises. Electric is fine, as is battery, but I was surprised to see them rated almost equally with the small petrol saws when it comes to 'sound power level' in the catalogues. (Or am I misunderstanding this?) Your opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks.

If you plant alder they will actually add nitrogen to your soils .. Get yourself a copy of 'Creating a Forest Garden' by Martin Crawford. Some genius stuff

Once again, thank you kindly. Its nice (and rare in my experience) to find somebody who is both prepared to accept the (considered) risk, and commit some resources to a longer term management plan. Quite looking forward to this one.

Thanks David, I have the Lonsdale book. The rest of the evening will be spent with the other suggested reading. Much appreciated ..

Hello chaps, Could you please direct me in the direction of some decent up to date reading regarding retrenchment pruning. The trees the I am considering are three very large Beech, close to a high value target. One of these has major decay in the stem base (up to 3m), the second (my hammer suggests) has a decayed buttress root (likely caused by the construction of the 'target') with a probable decay column above, and the third has a lovely bloom of meripilus going on .. Normally not knowing the reliability of people to carry out long term and detailed recommendations, I would recommend either felling or 'monolithing' . Unusually, in this case there is a budget and a reliable manager. Admittedly, both my knowledge of proper retrenchment, and my ability to communicate it accurately in my recommendations are a tad rusty. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you ..

Possibly frost damage?

I think that this is more to do with increased levels of phosphorus from the doggy doo having a detrimental effect on mycorrhizas. I seem to remember Germaine Greer (I think it was) ranting about this happening in her bluebell woods a couple of years ago.

- Maybe a tad obvious, and I know you said that you had examined the stem at the base, but have you considered this? Phytophthora lateralis - Tree pests and diseases

On Ash. - Past its 'best'. Probably a little more yellow all over than the photographs show. Thanks very much.

On thing to consider, once you have done all of the damage that you can to the Rhodys, is Pigs. See if you can borrow some pigs off somebody for a few months and they will grub out all of the roots and regen for you (without the use of chemical herbicides).

Thanks Again Sloth. Its a large Robinia in a prominent Position .. Removal at some point I guess?

Thanks Sloth. The 'scales' on this one don't look quite so pronounced as the ones on the fungus on the Robinia pictured on my other post. - Also is Pholiota squarrosa common on Cherry?

It's at the base of Cherry. Thank you.

Its on Robinia.

Saw it on Hawthorn last week. I will try and get a picture.

Thanks David.