Kveldssanger

That's a fair enough sentiment. Merely an observation by Kevin, I imagine.

Also spotted these growing just by some heavily-decayed B. pendula logs. I'm opting for Lactarius sp. or Russala sp., though cannot say more than that. Perhaps L. trivialis or L. tabidus, though colouration and margins are maybe not that similar.

In some respects yes, though one could raise the issue of genuine impartiality given the close proximity.

Morning walk with the dogs and spotted some crackers. General pictures that I thought were rather grand (a collection of once hedgerow oaks scatter the near horizon): I. hispidus at the principal branch union of a very mature hedgerow F. excelsior: D. concentrica on a fallen log of F. excelsior: G. applanatum on a massive F. excelsior stump: And hopefully one some of you will appreciate - some cross-section photos of a G. applanatum bracket taken from the F. excelsior stump (seeing as there were plenty): Part 1: Part 2:

Funny you ask. Sorbus admonitor (no-parking whitebeam) was found rather recently. Pretty hilarious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbus_admonitor The 'scaffold' of our native tree species was established many moons ago, though the finer intricacies where new (sub-)species develop on local levels will mean we may find more over time. Improvements in identification (due to microscopy, etc) and genetic sequencing mean we can actually ascertain whether a suspected new species is indeed a new one. That is something we could not do 100 years ago.

Here's a picture someone took. https://twitter.com/ian_wfc/status/635105236420546560/photo/1

What!? Really? That's incredible if so.

The video (not the edited version) showing the plane crash into the cars is absolutely awful. What a tragic accident. What can one even do in situations like this? The pilot obviously knew what was unfolding and the cars below... damn...

Haha

Sean, those are some brilliant words you just wrote (in reference to the second paragraph). I'm interested in your pursuit via more alternative medicines - keep us posted on that one, if you feel comfortable to do so. Make sure you fit some NOS onto the back of that new trike! Hahaha.

Hah - sounds about right...! Make sure to explain the benefits of trees as an allegory of an Eastenders episode. That'll do the trick. (is that even possible??)

22/08/15. Fact #12. The survival of any sentient system requires for it to recognise and respond to a stimulus that is challenging its current mode of existence, and subsequently respond in a manner that is both swift and effective. Such response is facilitated by the availability of (stored) energy, and how quickly the stimuli is recognised and then responded to. These two aspects are in turn governed by both vigour and vitality. Vigour is genetic and involves the capacity to resist strain, whereas vitality is situational and involves the tree's ability to grow within the system in which it exists. To illustrate this point (in a crude manner), imagine there are two oak trees (better inherent vigour) and two willows (poorer inherent vigour) with identical genetic traits. One oak and one willow are in optimal environments, whilst the other oak and willow are in sub-optimal environments. All four trees have an identical pathogen infect identical areas of their structure in response to identical wounding extents. The oak, regardless of environment, will be able to respond more effectively than the willow, given the species' better inherent vigour. With regards to vitality however, the oak in the optimal environment will perform more effectively than the oak in the sub-optimal environment, because it will have more stored energy - the same applies to the willow faring better in optimal conditions when compared to less than optimal conditions. Slightly beyond the scope of this post, but something worth considering, is how a willow in an optimal environment would fare when compared to an oak in a sub-optimal environment. Depending on the severity of sub-optimal site conditions, the willow may be able to out-perform the oak, though conversely the oak may be able to out-perform the willow. Ultimately, it would likely depend at where on the continuum of optimal to sub-optimal the oak resides, if assessing ability to response effectively on vitality alone (as genetically the oak is pre-disposed to be in a better position). Source: Shigo, A. (1991) Modern Arboriculture. USA: Shigo & Trees, Associates.

Keep letting her nudge you, Gary! You keep bringing up the benefits to all and sundry.

Do a celtic knotwork one - that'd be bloody incredible.

Wow. Go to the posh ends of London and offer it to that demographic. Would art galleries exhibit stuff like this?

It is indeed more widespread, with fracking representing just one dynamic of a larger issue of conflict of interest and decision-making based on money-making for corporations that already possess absurd amounts of wealth (and power). It's something that could be discussed all day and all night, with people coming in at different angles on a very wide spectrum of thought. I think the key thing with situations with things such as fracking and pesticide usage is transparency, and it seems we do not get that. For instance, the recent three minute video the govt' put up on fracking and what it is - it hardly addressed anything whatsoever. People tend to go to mainstream sources for their information, and they don't report on the wide spectrum of thought and information that is indeed out there. It's concerning.

It's simply a little questionable that after an LA rejected a fracking bid that this happens. How an LA can assess something of such magnitude in 16 weeks, considering the magnitude of feedback associated with fracking, and those that suggest the process doesn't do any wonders to water supplies, is anybody's guess.

Haven't seen this here since hearing about it last week, so here's a link or two: Fracking bids to be fast-tracked - BBC News UK government outlines plans to bypass fracking opposition Rather concerning, no? Basically, if you don't make a decision in 16 weeks, you won't be 'allowed' to make the decision. Considering the fracking companies have at times requested delays and have not submitted proper applications and documents when initially requested to do so, how can LAs really make a decision in 16 weeks? For those that are interested in how fracking is perceived on a local level in Australia, and how locals feel fracking will develop over here, Voices from the Gasfields is a good documentary. It's an hour long. [ame] [/ame] Gasland is another one, at 1hr 45 approx. [ame] [/ame]

I can share this experience. I was inspecting an Acer platanoides earlier this week and a young family walking past immediately asked "oh, are you chopping down the tree?" I said no, and explained I was just looking at the tree with the intent of getting some crown lifting done over the pathway. I asked them if they looked fondly upon trees and they said yes, as would be expected if you asked most people, though the stance people have on trees tends to stop there in most cases (as in, it's either "yes, I like them" or "no, I don't like them"). Always good to give people a little school lesson on the benefits of trees, as schools definitely don't do it these days! As long as you show passion and love for what you do, most people will be drawn in and at least have a degree of genuine interest. You never know when they remember what you told them about the benefits of trees, thereby triggering their intent to protect them or plant more - it could even be when the last tree in the entire country is about to be felled, or they see a small self-set growing in their garden (which would probably be an ash...!) and look to retain it and allow it to develop.

Busy today - no fact. Some tomorrow and Sunday to make up for it.

How common would you say it is on oak? Read an arb report today that diagnosed the tree with it, though the report was done some time ago and no fruiting body is present. The base has some extensive grazing damage. Thanks for this thread.

A while ago I had a Prunus avium felled that was host to Ganoderma applanatum. Am trawling through all my photos of fungi and came across a folder that showed an internal cross-section from the butt area, level with where the fruiting body had appeared (one bracket on one side and one directly opposite on the other side). Part I: Part II: Part III:

Suspected G. applanatum on Aesculus x carnea (thank you to a fellow TO from a nearby borough for letting me know about this one): Meripilus giganteus (I do believe) on stump 'shadows' of (most probably) Fagus sylvatica (it's either that or Platanus x hispanica as both species line this particular street, and I have never heard of this fungus using plane as a host):

20/08/15. Fact 11.5. Reading Shigo's Modern Arboriculture and came across an interesting comment on p34, that I have paraphrased as follows: Where a tree is stressed the use of chemicals to inhibit flowering and initiate fruit abortion and early abscission may be desirable. In species such as Ulmus americana, where seeds mature before leaves form, the inhibition of the reproductive process may reduce further stress in specimens that are already succumbing to the impacts of stress (for whatever reason). I suppose the same could be suggested for Acer saccharinum, where the samaras ripen and fall in spring, and for particular Prunus species such as P. dulcis, P. avium, and other species that flower before bud break. This tactic could be used in particularly important specimens, perhaps? Source: Shigo, A. (1991) Modern Arboriculture. USA: Shigo & Trees, Associates.

Caucasian wingnuts are beautiful. Got a few large ones in my patch and they're on another level as a specimen tree.