Kveldssanger

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.

Rumour has it that construction workers sacrifice young animals in the hope Ailanthus roots stay clear of structural foundations.

Some authorities don't have all of their TPO'd trees' documentation (listing location, species, etc), let alone a mapping system available for all. It's tricky once in such a situation to get out of it, particularly as tree officers' roles are diluted with further responsibility and financial cut-backs are made.

Ah! The graph at the back showing tensile and compressive strength is good, as is Mattheck's stance on what constitutes a dangerous tree. Too many times do I have members of the public claim a tree is dangerous, when in fact it's just a little bit on the lofty side for its setting (if that, even). I've adopted Mattheck's stance on "if it 'aint ready to fall now, it 'aint dangerous per se" - obviously some trees are on the cusp of becoming a potential threat for one reason or another, though this response does quell the uninformed.

Got my copy of Stupsi out to read tonight. Incredible detail in so few words by Mattheck here, and in the form of a children's book too. A complicated subject made hilariously simple.

I found it on Amazon and bought it from a seller there. Wasn't particularly expensive. Also snagged a second hand copy of Tree Roots and Buildings (2nd edition - got it for £30, now one is going for £20 - typical!). Essential reading material, and great to have in the arsenal of tree books.

Saw this the other weekend on an old lapsed ash stool with multiple stems. Who said elephants were only found in zoos?

^ Indeed. Mattheck and Weber suggest white rot causes such incidents of 'sagging' or 'shelving' in the trunk in Manual of Wood Decays in Trees, as the tree looks to build sounder wood around the softening area. Bulging can also be exacerbated by internal cavities caused by rot, which leads to similar repair features. (reply to bottom post on the prior page)

On a wild cherry that has received some less than friendly pruning in the past. Fruiting bodies on two sides (opposite). Very tough bracket. Hammer made no worrying sounds in terms of hollowness, though the presence on both sides means decay is manifesting to the edge on multiple sides. imgur.com/a/4oaKe

No worries. I have the full size A4 and A3 scans I can upload to a link if needed.

Trichoderma Newsletter #1 (1984) - Album on Imgur Blast from the past! SOme pages seem to have loaded more than once. Odd.

https://www.youtube.com/user/PruneLikeAPro/videos Really great channel for tree health / pruning / profiles. I am wondering if any similar channels exist with such quality information?

More orange than red. I'd say slightly beige.

I couldn't reach the fruit, and my camera wouldn't zoom or focus unfortunately. The entire album is this one tree, correct. I couldn't spot a graft line when looking at the specimen.

I must get some samples this coming summer - that would certainly aid with identification. I also sent an email to The National Fruit Collection at Reading, as someone mentioned Brogdales from Kent as a good avenue to pursue also. If I find out, I'll post the findings here.

Thank you. I have sent them an email, so hopefully will receive a reply (though it does say they are closed at the moment). Fingers crossed!

Or alternatively know anyone / any website that could help? This area used to be an old community orchard (few very old pears in the vicinity), though came across this Malus today. Small, pinky fruit, perhaps 2cm in diameter at most (some smaller) - there were a few left on the tree higher up, out of reach of my camera and my arm. Any help is hugely appreciated. Malus spp. Small (1.5cm-2cm diameter) pinky fruits. - Imgur

Isn't a worker allowed to refuse to climb a tree if they consider it hazardous, under the Healthy and Safety at Work Act? The Act covers both employer and employee responsibility, and the employee has the right to refuse a task under grounds of health and safety concerns. A hierarchy is applied with regards to tree works - this is outlined by the Working at Height Regulations 2005. If working at height can be avoided, it should be. In this case, it could and should have been avoided it seems. Therefore, a MEWP should have been used.

Nothing came down on our land, though it's mainly mature oak and hornbeam so they're pretty darn hardy. Had a few dead elm and hawthorn that were smothered in ivy come down nearby, however; also had a very old elm come down a few months back in the strong wind, too. Shame. Saying that, two years back one of our oaks (150+) fell. Still there, making great habitat as fallen mature deadwood.

As do we. What we do is an end to reproducing. We just do a lot of romanticising in between.

Can just imagine a cheetah looking out at a vast landscape, seeing a tree and thinking "hmm, I really think this needs to be made safe before I climb this - not liking the look of that limb with the dieback up there"

According to many, just dropping leaves and making a mess. "There's no place for trees in a city!" Tell that to the Victorians...

Now if only there was one that was scaled up. Entire woodlands mulched in minutes.

I'll check the fruits for the seed - they seemed far too large for normal monogyna, and the bark colouration is far lighter in colour (almost a beige in places). laevigata is a possibility, though there are some in a park nearby and the bark again is not the same. It could however be a cultivar. I shall check on Monday.