saving shigo the trouble

[murphy4trees]

This thread might also be called "how to torture your arborist neighbor"

I have to drive by one of the two scenes pictured here everytime I leave or go home... ouch

The homeowner of the maple was in his yard when I took the picture... Told him what I was doing.... He asked if it was to show "what NOT to do"

The reason I call this thread saving Shigo the trouble is cause Shigo developed his understanding of CODIT by disecting trees... the pic clearly show compartmentalization...

Anyhow I decided to turn this seemingly bad situation into something positive and started writing an article yesterday on proper vs improper pruning....

 

[Redbull]

Both of those scenarios seem to be pretty common in my area too. I just don't get it. Even before I got into tree care, I knew that couldn't be good for the trees. Some things never change I guess.

 

[NeTree]

Must drive you nuts seeing work like THAT.

That first one will be a hazard removal 'fore too long. (Heck... it's a hazard NOW!) First good loading and it's gone right where those "cuts" are.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Those flush cuts almost girdled the tree. Since there was already decay that is a tree that will fail sooner than later. Let's hope no one gets hurt.

Seeing trees ruined like those in the second pic is painful. There was a large cottonwood along a highway that I traveled at least once per day. It was interesting to see how the tree responded to the topping over the years. It sprouted weakly then died. I really regret not having taken a series of pictures. The tree took about three years to die. then a few more to shuck off the bark.

 

[P_woozel]

That improper cut did you a favor, one can readily see the tell tale pencil lines of death, its a removal pure and simple. :umpkin:

 

[DDM]

Hey Murph Hows it going in Fla?

 

[Tree Machine]

You go, Murph !

The 'pencil lines of death' are the 'tracks' of fungus having run through the wood. In woodworking, when a board or plank has this patterning, it is called 'spalting'.

I see so much of the type of 'pruning' that Murphy shows, so much that I've simply quit taking pictures. It's sad. Kinda gives you a sense of hopelessness that so many more are doing it wrong than are doing it right.

This torture accounts for a lot of my takedown business, and I'd really rather not profit from someone else's mishandling of our living trees.

 

[bushman]

You see flush cuts and mounted mulch to the branches of trees around here at shopping malls.They even skinned back a pin-oak to the top.I guess com.property owners hire the lowest bid hacks.

 

[geofore]

It would be time to get this guy to check out www.collectionsect.com and look at the Haunted Lighted Face to dress up his tree to cover that shining flush cut.

 

[Ekka]

The abundance of ignorance, stupidity and malpractice in this industry is asthounding. Even the very people in the job debate on the level of bad practice they can get away with. You know, wound dress don't wound dress. Fill a cavity, don't fill a cavity. Height reduce, don't height reduce. Thin out, don't thin out. Spike pruning jobs, don't spike.

You can do this to a tree and create a hazard ... that's ok, not breaking any laws.

I hope the day comes when you must be a qualified arborist to work on a tree no different to an electrician etc.

That picture is a beauty. Looks like a few trees have been mutilated.

If I lived near there I would write a report on that and condemn the tree and put the owner on notice ... once on notice he has a duty of care. I'm sure his household insurance company would want to know of a risk like that.

In Hawaii there's a 12 yo girl in a coma from a falling tree, print it out along with the news articles and give it to him. See this thread and read my notes http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=20831

If you want some more info on "lopping" check out a few pages on my website pics & all under Stop before you lop www.palmtreeservices.com.au

And I posted a must read doc which helps cover CODIT with colour pics and all http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=20897

This year alone my turnover has dropped 1/3 due to the volume of door knocking hacks going thru our suburbs and that picture has become a common sight. I've written letters to govt depts but no-one gives a hoot, the public have to be educated and the industry needs to be policed. And since we can't police the industry focus on the customers.

 

[P_woozel]

That particular "spalting" should be giving some of you concern for the strentgh of the buttress roots on said tree, but then again maybe not, regardless of ones ethics that tree is a removal. It looks a little late for experimentation. :umpkin:

 

[Beast12]

Wow! I have NEVER seen anything like the first picture. But, I have seen MANY of the second picture. Some people!

-Matt

 

[lxt]

EKKA, good post i agree wholeheartedly, its a shame we can all agree on some things and not on others! I stated in one of my posts, it would be nice to have a state cert. program(like a C.D.L) that way were all on the same page!!! or maybe not, i dont know! seems to me there are associations offering certificates without proper handson training!! this is a shame for our trade!! WHILE THE REVENUE generated might be good for the organization!! and the selling of books good for the authors(needed to obtain ceu`s) while ad`s in their magazines state your losing money without our certificate & our credentials, as long as this type of self regulated!!! money is top priority continues certified or not you will always have trees done in a way thats deemed unacceptable. instead of complaining to these assoc. contact your trades councils and involve them, in PA, the J.A.T.C(joint apprenticeship trade council) has through the fed. govt. a recognized certification program for tree trimmers & line clearance tree trimmers, I consider this higher than others cert. programs due to the criteria that must be met!! we can make this trade better!!!! DOUG, LXT..................

 

[Big A]

AH-HA!! Looks like our pikey friends have emigrated, those pics could have been taken this side of the pond too! Its really sad to see this kind of work being carried out any where, dont the owners give a ???? about trees?

 

[NickfromWI]

AH-HA!! Looks like our pikey friends have emigrated, those pics could have been taken this side of the pond too! Its really sad to see this kind of work being carried out any where, dont the owners give a ???? about trees?

no. that's the prob. They're concerned with a different kind of green (or whatever color money is where you're from)

love
nick