Mr P

The way I got work was choose a few locations where I wanted to work then look up tree surgery companies in that area and just email them my cv and what I was looking for, regardless if they where recruiting or not!...must have sent about 15 emails but got an offer in Canada (where I am), Australia doing utility arb and New Zealand...you won't get if you don't ask....a couple of companies gave me a contact for other firms that were looking for people...you've nothing to lose!

It was in the middle of summer so I didn't want to kill it! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

So your saying I should go a bit harder on it next time??... Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Thanks for the feedback guys, based on the advice given i went out and did my first big prune....I'm pretty sure I nailed it, hope you like it!! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

I was always told you took out crossing branches as they could cause a wound in the tree and hence open it up to pathogens. As for crown raising, as long as its not a huge amount I can't see the problem. As stated before tho I'm pretty new to private work and so stand to be corrected. Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Ok cheers, think I was doing a bit of both before!!...it might help my speed up the tree and now if a client asks I can tell them the reasons behind it. Cheers again! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

I didnt know wood peckers could do that!!..cheers for the info...Does it kill the tree??....you can see the difference in colour of the canopies in the first photo as the tree behind is also a scots pine. Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Would you say a reduction is similar to a prune but you also cut each branch back to a lateral depending on how much the client wants off?? Cheers for the feedback by the way! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

One of the guys suggested just that, it may have been a wood pecker trying to get at the beetles but the pattern is really uniform I thought a wood pecker would be more random....the crown has turned an orange/brown so I was thinking there might be something else going on Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

We where doing some work in a back yard and the home owner asked me to have a look at his scots pine so I climbed up and saw this.... Boss said its a pine beetle and has wiped out mountain sides in western Canada.....can anyone confirm?? How does it affect the tree??safe to climb?? Cheers paddy Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Oh great I was confused with prune and reduction now we have crown reduction and formative prune to add to the mix hahaha!!....what's your opinion on the difference Sean? Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Fair enough, maybe it was the surveyor was getting me confused as when doing street trees he would have one down as a reduction and one down as a prune....I just did a slightly heavier prune on the reduction one and never heard any complaints....maybe I'm just making something out of nothing! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Cheers reg!!...enjoying your work, it's what I imagined I might of been doing when I came to Canada but I think I might have to go west to get the 200fters! I've yet to do one over a 100 I reckon Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

I've been climbing for 3 years now but it has mostly all been on utility work (until about 4months ago) and due to the nature of the work I never really had to do full prunes or reductions. I've asked this question to a few other climbers but they never really gave me a definitive answer so I was hoping some of you guys with more experience in the field could shed some light on it.... whats the difference between a prune and a reduction??....told you it was basic!! I don't mean a reduction in height as thats pretty obvious but one in volume. I've been told a reduction is just a heavier prune??? Also I was told over here (Toronto) a prune is crossing branches, dead wood and cleaning out the sprouts in the centre of the tree but you generally don't go out to the ends of the branches at all!! Back in Belfast where I learnt to climb I was told that in pruning you also take off some end weight. Any thoughts or opinions are much appreciated as is piss taking cheers paddy Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

My choc lab, the worlds worst hunting dog....keeps trying to bite the barrel of the shotgun esp when aiming!! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

I generally don't wear any but having just moved to Canada I think I'm going to have to get some for the winter as it gets a bit colder than back home!!....I did go through a phase of wearing fingerless gloves for a while in winter which helped a bit and didn't really compromise dexterity but I couldnt find a pair that would last long and the guys kept taking the piss it of me calling me rocky!!....I'd be up a tree and they'd be screaming ADRIAAANNN! Sent using Arbtalk Mobile App

Hey guys, I'm new to this and currently working outside of Toronto where I moved 3 months ago (started climbing in good old sunny Norn Iron!!)...anyway here's one of the dodgier trees I've done so far....locust that has split at the bottom and is over hanging an outside classroom, so had to come down!. Excuse the pegs, got handed long gaff spikes I'm not too comfortable on yet!