Kveldssanger

Aye. Some birch aren't even out yet some oaks are breaking (though variation is significant) and ash are also breaking; particularly angustifolia. Ash have been in flower for a good while too, with a pennsylvanica having bud break for flowers way over a month ago. My chestnuts have been growing for weeks and some ones where I work are in young yet sizable leaf. Field maples again - some not out, some are. Norway maple in the garden is just breaking into flower. As for lime, I suppose it has to be darn soon. One goat willow was out in Feb, too. Not sure on exactly phenology of goat willow, however. White poplars seem late.

Damn, that cotoneaster... Nicest Joseph Rock I have seen as well.

I don't price, but have had contractors price for me at times and I've looked at the price and thought to myself "did you really look at this job properly?".

Sweet! I found it for a few quid in a charity shop. Any good books (not Mattheck - got them all pretty much) on tree mechanics?

You beat me to it. Did you know that this is a Highly Valuable Black Walnut Tree?

Thanks, guys. Really got a lot to wrap my head around, as this is a realm of the industry I have never really delved into. As with most things it will take time to learn, though it doesn't help that it's not a particular interest of mine. If only all I had to learn were the mechanical attributes of trees...!

Is it easy to read (Defense Mechanisms of Woody Plants Against Fungi)?

Reader's Digest (Nature Lover's Library) Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain is a stellar book. For close-ups of buds, it's probably one of the best I have come across. As a supplement to Roger Phillips' book and the Collins guide, this is wonderful. Only £10 on webshops, too.

Priceless.

You miss the point entirely and set a dangerous precedent that unfortunately many people hold as if it is even remotely acceptable. We forget we exist as part of nature, and operate within its bounds; not outside. We must learn to accommodate other species that rely on the chaotic environment we create so readily. As far as I'm concerned, tree works can wait for nesting birds to vacate. If it's dangerous, the law provides an exemption. Else, tolerate it.

Natural England? RSPB?

How does one fell a tree accidentally? By felling another tree on purpose, that so happens to fall and take out another on its way down, or by reversing a heavy vehicle into a standing tree and causing it to fall? NR's actions could indeed be regarded as reckless. Perhaps one day the railway embankments will begin to significantly erode, given the vegetation clearance going on in places.

This book came through yesterday. It's pretty massive, as stated, and contains a load of information. It is in the Stupsi style, with the comic styled font and plenty of pictures. The content is incredibly detailed.

I am aware cultivars have a different code (it's in the appendix of the main code, is my understanding), though it seems hard to find info on some. I have ordered the book today anyway, and am consulting Roger Phillips' one otherwise.

I'm trying to teach myself about botanical nomenclature and author citations. There are various search engines out there, as well as the actual ICN site with the current principles and main code. However, I am struggling to wrap my head around exactly where to find names of specific species. For instance: Robinia pseudoacacia L. ...but what would Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' be, just Robinia pseudoacacia L. 'Frisia'? I am concerned with my understanding as Fraxinus angustifolia's oxycarpa variety is 'Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa (M.Bieb. ex Willd.) Franco & Rocha Afonso, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 64: 377 (1971)', whereas I cannot seem to find any information on other varieties or cultivars. Hope this makes sense.

A bit narrow minded, no? I'd rather see this tree retained and given the chance, in place of felling such a mature specimen that has accrued 150 years of value. Would planting a new one offset the loss? Not for another 150 years...

Saw a failure last week that was likely triggered by this moth - the bore holes in the sapwood area near the base allowed for the entry of a selective white rotter, which weakened a good 30% of the tree at the butt (was a P. x canadensis at around 15m tall), and it failed in the high winds.

It depends how you look at it. Allowing for the decline naturally, in place of going "oh yeah it's on its way out, let's fell it" is an ecological stance. I don't think the original point made any point of the tree being a danger to anybody?

You can try, though councils have procurement processes with vetting questionnaires (pre-qualification questionnaires) that usually have to be adhered to. A council in the UK cannot simply add a new contractor to their books. Plus, most work is tendered out for the best price.

Damn, that's impressive. Will likely rank second only to my copy of The Law of Trees, Forests and Hedgerows 2011. That thing really is a beast.

Ordered. Funny, as I checked out the earlier version from a library a few weeks ago for reference material. Now I'll have a more up to date copy.

That bark looks like a Prunus species (specifically Prunus avium). Phellinus pomaceus is pretty common on Prunus, particularly blackthorn and I suspect also wild cherry. I'd go with the consensus and say it is indeed Phellinus pomaceus.

We should also bring up this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browne,_Baron_Browne_of_Madingley Was the ex-chief of BP, is a House of Lords member, still has affiliations with Cuadrilla, and has appointed numerous people into positions of power within DEFRA, EA etc. Did somebody say corruption? The fracking Czar – Lord John Browne | Frack Off

Not at all. Learning what we have means we can look past the typical, ignorant view of many when it comes to trees. The oak in the OP is demonstrative of nature; specifically the symbiosis of a tree and its constituent decay organisms. To skew how a tree should be valued in favour of anthropocentric qualification is absurd, so by suggesting it is, and I paraphrase, dull and ugly because people see it as so, is wrong from the offset. We always make the mistake of interpreting tree value as something that must be equated to human values. We see it with TEMPO forms, we see it with complaints from people about how a tree is blocking light / getting too big for one's liking / looking ugly, and we see it on this forum also when discussing how we should put value to a tree. This oak has intrinsic value. It is evident that it has started to occlude the wound by putting on wood around the edges, and as it has been pollarded the potential load on the crown of the tree from the wind in particular is minimal. As has been stated already, there is no reason why this oak cannot remain in some way, shape or form. Removal of a tree is absolute. We cannot turn back from such an action.

Suspect it is just Fistulina hepatica, though no evidence of any bracket. I picked the best photos.