symbiotic

The cause is unknown, and I was mistaken when I said it had happened early summer, it was apparently November time. I have been told by a consultant it could of historically been two trees on the hedge row that grew into one stem perhaps? The rest of the crown seems unaffected so one would assume that lightning was not a cause?

This is all so useful thank you I am still undecided on MEWP yet but after reaching out to more experienced arborists, I am leaning towards climbing it on a STILL day as it has been like it for a while and survived some high winds. With the addition of one more pin with a larger washer, it will put my mind at ease. Still unsure on the bracing side of things. Anything Cobra will need to be inspected annually and replaced every 7? I have never torqued cobra really tight between two stems. Would it be suggested then that I would have to pull them together up high using ratchet straps and then torque the cobra up tight down below? Would you do 8t cobra between the two stems near the split and then some 4t higher up? Thanks again guys, this is brilliant

well everyday's a school day. Thanks for all the messages, I will definitely take all this this into consideration. The client had mentioned bracing, but i've only ever fitted cobra and Boa. I guess cables are more static and robust. all information very much appreciated. Thank you

I have been asked to quote to reduce this Veteran oak by a third. The tree is taller than it is wider. It has a very large vertical split from ground level all the way up to crown break at aprox. 4m where it bifurcates. The split is large enough to see daylight through it. It has been there since early summer last year at the very least. It has been pinned in two spots with large metal rods, there is another to come. This has not been done by me, I actually had never heard or seen of that before. This spec has been advised to the client by the woodland Trust and at first I doubted if it was a reasonable action. The client would like to keep it for as long as possible. I would of said there is good reason to fell it, but given its location in a field boundary line to another field, I think it's fair to try to retain it for as long as possible. There is a Right of way footpath through the property which runs past the tree outside the tree line. Given the low usage and distance from the tree, I would say this is a low target zone and wouldn't affect the outcome of what to do with the tree. I am interested in all your opinions on it and what you would do? Do you think pinning and a 30% reduction is a good spec? on a side note: The first thing I thought when I saw the Oak with the works in mind was MEWP!!! the clients wife rolled her eyes at me but surely something like that is good enough reason as HSE would say that should be the first choice anyway. The clients wife is a gardener, they can be tough clients can't they. IMG_5193.HEIC IMG_5194.HEIC IMG_5195.HEIC IMG_5196.HEIC