Vedhoggar

If for tree safety just walk through initially and record trees of concern within striking distance of footpaths and other areas used by public as well as nearby roads and important structures with plastic/metal tag and/or identify on a plan of area, if further investigation of some sort is thought to be required for a particular tree just note it on survey form. Where there is a clearly identifiable group of trees of concern, such as say several ash dieback trees, you might just tag one of the trees, state number and record on plan.

For firewood I'm running a 45cm (18") and 63cm (25") on a 77cc saw but a 50cm (20") bar would probably be more useful most of the time, for 562 size saw running a 40cm (16") bar which works well and for small roundwood (7-14cm TD) running a 32cm bar (13") on a 42cc saw as easy on the back if need to cut with chainsaw but normally cut into 2-3m lengths and process with circular saw. It all depends what firewood dia cutting mostly, we get a fair bit of 40-50cm dia firewood as well as some small roundwood at times, it's always going to be a compromise but I like to run the smallest bar which will do the job as less to sharpen and lighter.

What amazes me is out of population of about about 366 million people that’s the two candidates in the running for President, Biden is obviously suffering from a decline in cognitive abilities affecting memory/thinking, can’t see him continuing as the President.

You should be able to extract 2-3m lengths of firewood with a portable winch + skid cone/choker chain in bundles along skid trails.

Visit local Stihl dealer and have a look at the MS 241 with 14” bar. Can’t advise on Husqvana saws as don’t use them these days.

Silvicultural Systems by John D Matthews (1991) covers 20 forestry systems of management and probably the best book written on forestry management systems. Cost £73 paperback new but secondhand copy about half the price likely.

I’ve got 5 people at the moment interested in casual work on an ad hoc basis, 4 of which are retired/semi-retired and one in full-time employment but works in hrs over 4 days, offer is £12/hr basic, which is the Real Living Wage outside London area (£13.15 London) however most prefer firewood or some work done in return for their time.

Lost the plot mate … I need to go on stress leave

Consider removing the tree and planting another weeping willow elsewhere.

My two picked up head-lice at school, one particularly bad, what we found was that hair conditioner (buy the cheapest) and nit comb worked but you need to treat everyone in the household. Short hair is easy to work with/doesn’t take so long. Comb through on days 1, 5, 9, 13 and on day 17 (everybody in house) in case eggs ate missed and have hatched. It’s head contact mostly that spreads nits and children often have heads touching if you watch them at play when young.

They don’t all appear appear to be homeless out there, some are professional beggars, a group living in flats were being dropped off in the morning by taxi, some have props such as sleeping bags and I know of one that keeps a suitcase and sleeping bag out of site behind a wall when not in use and tents not in use for long periods of time, there is a housing shortage for sure with house building not being kept up with growth in population. Some are unfortunately trapped in poverty for various reasons and I can’t see that changing any time soon.

Voles. There are live traps and enclosed traps available but the repellent seems to be working.

You could mark your racks with biodegradable marking tape which comes in various colours (70m roll £3.95 plus vat) or PVC tape which also comes also in different colours (£3.45 plus vat for 46m roll) if tape likely to be on trees quite a while, there is no standard colouring used for racks or marking trees. Trees to be felled can be marked on two sides with tree marking paint being consistent with sides marked, any colour will do be some colours stand out better than others. Trees to come out can of course be blazed with a hatchet but physically easier with spray paint (a dot each side of tree will do), if you change your mind you cannot remove a blaze mark and have damaged the tree where as paint can be normally be scraped off.

Douglas about same heat output per kWh as birch and easy to split, worth >£20 as load Arb waste delivered.

Forest Research publish information on average prices per m3 standing and at roadside twice a year for various categories like standing softwood, roundwood (roadside) as well as small roundwood (7cm - 14cm TD) with data to March 2024 on 16/05/24 this year and data to Sept 2024 on 14/11/24. Information can be found on their website in Tools and Resources under Timber Statistics.