Hello
How would one collect leaf material (for herbarium specimens) from very tall trees?
I'm starting a project where I need to survey old experimental forestry arboreta where a range of trees were imported and tested to see which ones would acclimatise and grow in the South African climate. Some of the sites are a century old and the trees are massive with foliage starting 10 or 15m above the ground (with Eucs, Pines and Kauri pines it is even higher). So far I have come across three options: Climbing the tree, shooting twigs off with a rifle, shooting a cutting chain across a branch with a crossbow.
Of these three, the last one seems the most feasible, considering that I am not a trained climber and that getting the permission and licence to for the fire arm might take long and may not be approved. To complicate matters some of the sites have, in time, become surrounded by residential areas.
I would be grateful for any advice!
How would one collect leaf material (for herbarium specimens) from very tall trees?
I'm starting a project where I need to survey old experimental forestry arboreta where a range of trees were imported and tested to see which ones would acclimatise and grow in the South African climate. Some of the sites are a century old and the trees are massive with foliage starting 10 or 15m above the ground (with Eucs, Pines and Kauri pines it is even higher). So far I have come across three options: Climbing the tree, shooting twigs off with a rifle, shooting a cutting chain across a branch with a crossbow.
Of these three, the last one seems the most feasible, considering that I am not a trained climber and that getting the permission and licence to for the fire arm might take long and may not be approved. To complicate matters some of the sites have, in time, become surrounded by residential areas.
I would be grateful for any advice!
