krummholz

I've just found a short Simarghu tether I thought I'd lost and wanted to have a shot with 2 rope wrenches on the go, see what this two rope thing is that everyone's so excited about. I'm having difficulty finding anywhere that stocks just the rope wrench without the tether - anyone know of somewhere to buy just the wrench? You definitely used to be able to, maybe they have to sell it with the tether for the CE marking? I'd thought about calling round the shops to see if they had one in a drawer somewhere but thought I'd ask here first. (I'll probably hate the short tether and end up getting a normal tether.)

ISC are bringing out the Squirrel Tether in Feb, a rigid metal tether to be used with the Rope Wrench. You might try a mechanical SRT device - the Akimbo is very compact but comes with some mixed reviews. Or you can buy shorter stiff tethers. I think the realistically though, climbing in dense trees is always crap and frustrating! Maybe you could give the Hitch Hiker a go (if you can find one)? I've never tried one myself, but it looks to have minimal snaggability. It looks like it would be great for open ascents and descents, would be interested to hear from anyone who uses one for working the whole canopy. Also no CE marking or anything so you'd be riding dirty.

I ordered some sample Tough Tags at the beginning of last year to test their durability, they held up really well. I particularly like the bright colours which can be quite useful to identify ownership when freelancing if all your rigging kit ends up getting dispersed all over the place.

@Treerangers Given all that I would simpy refer to the relevant section of BS3998 and the manufacturer's instructions and technical data when re-inspecting/bracing

NPTC have discontinued/cancelled their integrated ticket. I was doing it in October - nice 2 day course, lots of hands on learning using bracing components and tools I'd never had a chance to use with very knowledgeable instructors. The instructor comes in on the second morning and gathers us round for some bad news - he'd just found out the evening before when trying to register us that NPTC had discontinued the Bracing ticket earlier in the year and not told anyone. Apparently there wasn't enough uptake and they had to make some savings somewhere because they'll be rewriting a lot of material due to the WAHR/new technical guidance for climbing stuff going on. The decision was taken around the time of the first lockdown but they'd not thought to tell anyone! Obviously this is very disappointing (apart from the manner in which it was discontinued) as it leaves tree workers and contracters in a limbo concerning liability, but it might also severely limit the use and adoption of bracing as a tool in arboriculture in the UK. OP's main concern was that he wasn't qualified to inspect or re-brace, but the question now is who is? Can only those who got the ticket when it was still around inspect and re-brace? In October we were given the equivalant of a certificate of attendance as you would on a refresher course, which is now the next best thing, but if there were to be a claim against a contracter who had installed or inspected bracing that had failed, how would you prove that you were properly trained and certificated to carry out the works? My assumption is that because there's now no ticket you'd be proving a more general understanding of tree biomechanics, textiles, vector forces...a lot more wooly and foggy, perhaps enough to scare away anyone who doesn't have the ticket for reaching for bracing as a solution for tree management...

Wondering what this looks like 5 years on? Has the wound occluded fully? Did the canker recur on this particular tree?

Where did you read/hear about CE marking and date for it? Pleased to hear they're investing in us Euros

Hi sent you a PM but didn't get a reply, have you got a contact number or email?

It's disconcertingly bouncy if you're used to a static line. I've only really been using SRT for access on it, then switching over to hitchclimber when I've got my top anchor and cambium saver in. If you're only going to use it for SRT i'd get something else

Thought I'd check on here to see if anyone had a Singing Tree Rope Runner gathering sawdust at the bottom of their kitbag that they'd rather have some cash for?

I'm getting the exact same wear and was also thinking that it was wearing pretty quickly... I was planning on using an old sling and finding someone with an industrial sewing machine to make my own replacement.

My dad sent me a picture of a similar plane on Clapham Common, my suggestion was 'Bottle Butt', caused by a delignifying fungus and incremental reaction growth. Guess I was wrong on that one...

pm'd you

A couple of us have been talking about getting Nod from Treeworker up here to run a splicing workshop. We need to get some expressions of interest from folk up here or nearby who would be up for attending to see if the numbers would work. We've not got precise dates in mind just yet but in terms of cost it would be £200 per person for the workshop/tuition (2 days over a weekend). Nod/Treeworker can provide splicing kits for £100. Venue hire would be on top of this but would be split evenly between all participants. Who's up for it?

Hi All I'm looking to do a bit of milling with my Husqvarna 281XP and was wondering what people thought the maximum bar length I could get away with on that unit. Cheers

I'm moving up to Glasgow in July and will be looking for tree work from the 15th August, though I'll also be around for a few weeks in the second half of July if anybody needs a hand with anything. Have my own PPE, climbing kit, saws and transport, and CS30, 31, 38 & 39. I've been climbing with the firm I'm currently with as a second climber for coming up to a year so I'm competent and safe up the tree, just not the most experienced or fastest. Also very happy to work as a groundy hauling logs and brash.

I'm looking into doing the ABC Level 4 Diploma in Arb run by Treelife in September and am keen to get the contact/classroom time with the tutors and other students - everything I've read on Arbtalk about the course has been how useful the classroom time was. However, I'm also moving up to Glasgow in the summer, putting me a good 5-6 hour drive away from the most northernly centre in Leicester. I've chatted to Keely at Treelife and she said that though they're running at capacity at the moment they might consider a proposal to take on students at another centre somewhere if there was enough demand. So is there any interest from people here for doing the Treelife Level 4 course at a centre somewhere more northernly than Leicester? Whether than be Scotland or Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester etc...

I think we have it! Sorbus domestica f. pyrifera. Cheers everyone

Any ideas on what this might be? There's a couple growing on some wasteland near my house. Bark is very pearlike at the base, with lenticles further up. Leaves are pinnate, leaflets are narrow with serated edges. Fruits are very unripe, but pearlike in clusters.

Where can you buy the template? Can't find anything about it online from a quick search?

Not at all Private Eye In The Back: If you go down to the woods today…

Has everyone seen this? HOOF are asking people to write to peers in the House of Lords to support an ammendment in the Infrastructure Bill that would close a back door for future governments to sell of public forests. "The proposed Infrastructure bill is every bit as dangerous to the future of the Forest of Dean as the original Public Bodies bill which we forced the Government to scrap following the "march in the snow" back in 2011 MAKE NO MISTAKE - UNLESS WE ACT TO SECURE AN EXEMPTION FOR OUR PUBLIC FORESTS, THEY CAN BE SOLD OFF - WHICH IS WHAT THIS GOVERNMENT WANTED ALL ALONG." More info on how and what to write on their website Hands off our Forest home page KZ