As Russ says, 15% is hardly more than a crown clean. I believe this is the
sort of pro-active approach to tree management we should be encouraging
where there is an elevated risk of damage through exposure or proximity. Of
course, in an ideal world with bags of space and other ways to minimise
risk, doing nothing to the tree is often a sensible option. But that is not
where we are, is it?
In arriving at this view, I draw on some sobering lessons learnt in 1987 and
1990 where some massive Monterey pines and Holm oaks blew down in the South.
What was interesting was that we had done a lot of thinning in the few years
leading up to that and the thinned trees fared very well, Ilex Way at
Worthing being a memorable example. I find it is very easy to get carried
away with attractive sounding ideas and concepts but it is often useful to
sit back and review them in the light of what happens beyond the text books.
My experience is there is little doubt that thinning has significant
benefits and should not be dismissed lightly. It seems a shame that we may
need another hurricane to learn again what history has already taught us!!
Jeremy
****************************************************************************
************************
E-mail: <mailto:jeremy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk> jeremy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk
Telephone: 01425 650008
Fax: 01425 652162
Website: <http://www.barrelltreecare.co.uk> www.barrelltreecare.co.uk
Barrell Treecare
Appletree Cottage
Godshill
Fordingbridge
Hants SP6 2LW
--
The UK Tree Care mailing list
To unsubscribe send mailto:uktc-unsubscribe@xxxxxx.tree-care.info
The UKTC is supported by The Arbor Centre
http://www.arborcentre.co.uk/
