Welshfred

How tall is it likely to get? Will you still be happy with it there in 10 years time? Or 20? Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr., white fir, is a large forest tree from 60 to 200 feet in height that can live up to 300 years or more. WHITE FIR - USDA Plants Database

I might be thinking more of the 260, the 261 is a bit different in design, esp anti vib wise. But I imagine that manifold is still a potential weak spot that could affect starting...

Check manifold for air leakage, they do split after time. A good (gentle) poke around with a torch and a screwdriver should reveal any splits. Or, esp if your anti vibs are worn, the manifold can disconnect at either end.

You do realise the whole debacle over hotel expenses only arose because the Tories refused to process claims on the grounds it would be a pull factor for future migration? A political choice at odds with the country's best interests. Now the new lot are trying to get to grips with things you seem intent on blaming them for the inherited mess. Using boats as a metaphor, the bigger they are the longer it takes to turn them around... What is it they say about patience?

To kill a squirrel from a cage trap without a gun place a Hessian sack over the door end, open the door within the sack (sounds tricky but it's ok) and the animal will usually head for the dark "safe" space in the sack. Then carefully remove the sack, sealing the opening, the squirrel will go for the corners where you can pinion it with your foot and give it the required whack. All very controlled, minimal stress all round. Works for rats too. Young mink really didn't want to go in the sack but did eventually. Adult mink need bigger traps and shooting not whacking.

I saw an interview, I think with one of those who went, can't remember his name. Anyway, the effort that went into that project (a vanity project really) can't be repeated by government today. Mainly because of the Enormous mass of fossil fuel you need to carry to burn your way out of earth's gravity. He said " it's amazing what you can do with 400,000 staff and an unlimited (!!!) budget" Imagine if that focus had gone into clean power like fusion we could've colonised the solar system and be halfway to alpha centuri by now. Oh, and we wouldn't have f**ked up Earth with the last 50 years of fossil burning.

Yawn

Theres are a list of all the likely planted tree species in the UK and their pathogen threats. Only 2 (!) have no perceived threats - Field Maple and one of the Abies sp. I've been planting Field Maple but Noble Fir is an annoying weed for me so won't be adding to that problem. My point though is virtually nothing is a safe bet, my opinion is site appropriate complex mixtures are the way to go and something will probably do ok. There's some FC publications about planning planting for future resilience.

You need an arrangement with the country you're sending people to. Can't legally just dump them in Calais. Labour are trying to make such an arrangement with the French. That would deter boat crossings imo. Coupled with a safe route option for people with a genuine reason to come to the UK. Such an option doesn't exist currently, hence the lure of the boats.

Hard to disagree. Do you agree the transition has to happen at some point? Even if you ignore net zero issues we will run out eventually, they don't make that stuff anymore. Sunlight, wind, tides, green hydrogen should all be available for a long long time, providing energy and jobs for as long as there are people probably.

Did you only read the first 4 paragraphs then? When I said "in depth" I was warning of a quite lengthy read if you can get past phrases that irritate. I thought it genuinely interesting to the very end and as I said, pretty well balanced. The issues discussed will affect you more directly than many of us I would think, although the wider impact affects us all one way or another.

Quite an in depth, I reckon balanced article on a fairly popular topic North Sea oil decline: ‘We can’t have a repeat of what happened to 80s miners’ | Oil | The Guardian WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM Unlikely alliance of unions and climate groups call for ‘clear and funded’ transition plan for communities reliant on dwindling industry Always good to see previously opposing groups reach common cause

Last year was the only year since ADB arrived here that I've seen any flowers or keys on any Ash trees. It was a bumper year for hazel and oak too. This year I have noticed a small number of very young trees, again for the first time in some years and I can only think of one individual sapling as big as 6 feet tall. This is near a healthy tree. If I recall last year correctly it was only the healthy ones that flowered and seeded...

Interesting. I've not seen any improve but would like to believe it's possible. This year I've actually noticed something of a second wave, mostly in 20-30 yr old trees that looked fine until this year. Mature trees that have looked ok still look ok. Those that have been declining over the last few years look really bad this year and I've seen a few go over with a rotten base (below ground). There's one mature tree here that looks like it might be fighting it off, a slight halo and quite a bit of epicormics but stable as such over a number of years now.

No, not that one... Of course it could have been Bob's quote, I'm really not sure