SC So if the stakeholders are not owners but rather planners (in UK likely
to be staff, in US usually staff plus elected planning bodies), they can't
very prudently assume the typical owner will understand the need for or pay
for an intensive management program. So there remains a useful baseline of
life expectancy assuming minimal management.
Scott, that may be true. My concern is that by assuming minimal/no
management, without describing proven management options that could have a
high probability of changing tree condition, that baseline of life
expectancy becomes quite abuseful.
LS
In the UK we don’t have the history of soil interventions that you have in
the States. I’m fairly sure that many of the trees I see in the Decline
health classes are suffering unseen underground issues. This is an area
where I feel we may be able to improve the health of trees in the Decline
health classes but it should not be instigated without a thorough
investigation – something that few of us have the laboratory, knowledge or
skill to carry out. In addition to that it’s a service that unfortunately
many of my clients wouldn’t fund.
Luke, this sounds highly exaggerated to me. In the states I hear this a
lot, but in most cases it seems like an avoidance of getting one's hands
dirty--soily? An investigation with a shovel and a soil probe and yes,
one's hands, delivers needed information about root and soil conditions.
Jim Urban wrote the book on this.
LS I’m wary of claims for improved health after fertilisation as the new
growth often doesn’t fully harden off and is prone to being colonised by
diseases and insect herbivores. In addition to that, increased nitrogen in
the bark and cambium, without increases in defensive secondary metabolites,
could create conditions that increase bark pathogens such as those that
cause fungal target cankers. In conclusion, and in my experience which is
restricted to NW UK, trees in the Moderate health class often regain Normal
health but the health of trees in the Decline health classes rarely
improves unless competing trees are removed or sub-optimal soil conditions
are improved.
Entirely agree on this. Air and organic matter make the difference, more
than N. There's been much research on root invigoration, easily accessed
in the ISA journal. I do hope that the Bartlett folks will cover this at
ArborCamp in Kent July 13-14. If I could have fit my Air/Water Knife into
my suitcase I'd be doing it there myself. Hope to see some of you there!
--
Cheers,
Guy Philip Meilleur
Practicing Arborist, Aerial Consultant
"Facilitating the coexistence of trees and people"
PO Box 1287, Apex NC 27502
919-906-0465, www.historictreecare.com <guym@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com>
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