Help stop school tree topping

treevet · 28th February 2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playfordtree

Thanks Brent.

The reason i wont name the school is because it's a private school, and i don't want the school to react against my kids.
e.g. find some excuse to expel them because they think i'm a trouble maker.
The school is a good school and while i dont think they would react in this way, i just need to be careful at this stage.
So i have decided to give the school the courtesy of right of reply.

If however the school ignores all of this, and refuses to take action regarding their trees, i will not hesitate to name them.
As for the Tree co. i believe it's the schools job to take action against them not mine.

I will be forwarding my letter and all the evidence i have to the school on monday 03-03-08.
I will be making them aware of this website and in particular this thread so again i call on all qualified Arborists to give their 2 cents worth.

Frankly i'm a little dissapointed in the level of replies, i thought you guys hated this sort of tree work?

A big thank you to all who have taken the time to become involved

Don t be disappointed Playford. Many have pursued these blunders and received no satisfaction. You can renew interest by going after it yourself and keep us posted as to your success (or lack of).

playfordtree · 2nd March 2008, 10:56 PM

Here is the letter i have written to the school, unfortunately the 3 pages are spread across 3 files.
Not sure how to get them into same file? so just read them 1,2,3.
I have removed all of my personal contact details to protect myself online, i'm sure you all understand.
(obviously the letter to the school has my details

)

I went to the school this afternoon at 4pm, I had everything in an unmarked manilla envelope (whistleblower style)

I wanted to put it straight into the hands of the principal, that way i knew it wouldn't get lost in the system.
Of course the principal had just left for a staff meeting at the other campus.

Doh!

I will stop in on my way to work tomorrow morning and drop it off.
Keep ya posted.

playfordtree · 2nd March 2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

Eucs dont mind being broken or topped, they epicormic fast and within 3 to 5 years a reasonable crown is there. So in nature they can handle it, risk vs return for the tree ...

Ekka i was just re-reading the posts on this thread and i thought you might want to clarify this line a little.
We here know what you mean, but the average layman might get confused with this statement.

playfordtree · 2nd March 2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treevet

Don t be disappointed Playford. Many have pursued these blunders and received no satisfaction. You can renew interest by going after it yourself and keep us posted as to your success (or lack of).

Thanks vet,
i worry that maybe i'm being naive, and maybe you more experienced tree workers are shaking your heads and laughing.
i have only been in the tree industry for just over 2 years, so guess i'm still in the "honeymoon" period.

You might say "still wet behind the ears"

I hope i can rekindle the interest of you experienced campaigners, i can fully understand how after bashing your head against a brick wall for so many years apathy would start to creep in.

Ekka · 3rd March 2008, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Eucs dont mind being broken or topped, they epicormic fast and within 3 to 5 years a reasonable crown is there. So in nature they can handle it, risk vs return for the tree ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by playfordtree

Ekka i was just re-reading the posts on this thread and i thought you might want to clarify this line a little.
We here know what you mean, but the average layman might get confused with this statement.

A trees natural response to broken parts is growing new shoots near the wound. It's natures way of trying to create balance between root mass and canopy mass, the foliage feeds the roots who in turn provide the raw resources for the leaves etc, a cycle.

This occurs in eucs easily, other species not so good like say pine trees (radiata, elliottii etc).

This is fine and dandy in the forest, if those new shoots become 50' branches and fail again .... so what, it's mulch on the forest floor and the cycle happens again. The risk to the tree of growing these shoots is that they "might" blow off later and the return is all the foliage/food it will bring. In a forest there's also natural shielding from other trees, the wind plays less havoc.

In an urban environment this regrowth is totally unacceptable. The risk is too high to have failing tree parts around people, cars etc. This is what target cutting does, reduces the probability of shoots growing. In urban environments trees are far more exposed in far more hostile soil conditions, we mow the lawn clearing all the mulch/leaves, have competing plants, hard surfaces that restrict water etc etc. Trees do it a lot tougher and adding wounds and extra failing parts isn't wise, sometimes trees just dont have the energy reserves to cope with the treatment and roots die, tree's get termites/decay and hollow etc.

How you manage a genuine bush forest and urban trees can differ. Also remember that seldom will you see forest trees with ALL the limbs busted off, usually it's one here and there, like in your pics topping cuts of the entire canopy, and most are that dumb that they make flat cuts too.

playfordtree · 3rd March 2008, 12:27 AM

Perfect.

playfordtree · 3rd March 2008, 09:57 PM

Put that letter straight into the hands of the principal this morning.
As luck would have it he was having a meeting with the facility co-ordinator later in the day.
(I think facility co-ordinator is the bloke that makes the maintenance decisions)
We might get a response sooner rather than later.
Watch this space.

playfordtree · 11th March 2008, 11:11 PM

Recieved a reply from the school a couple of days ago.
Nice to see something happen so quickly.

Looks positive so far, no mention of an education campaign though?

I will reply thanking them and ask to be "kept in the loop".

Later.

Ekka · 11th March 2008, 11:35 PM

Good, some-one is going to be in some deep doodoo when the arborist report is digested.

Thing about a private school is you dont have 2000 levels of govt people in the way.

But still, the company remains AT LARGE

playfordtree · 11th March 2008, 11:49 PM

Not wrong about the private school thing.
If it was a goverment school, they would have to organise a comittee, followed by a think tank, then refer it to an adjudicator, then have the reply read by a review officer and so on and so on........

Mate i would like to name the Tree co. but i only have their name by heresy.
(the school groundsman told me)

If i got the name wrong, or if he told me the wrong name you could just imagine the legal ramifications.
If i slandered an innocent Tree co. on the internet i may as well put my head between my legs and kiss my ass goodbye.

Ekka · 11th March 2008, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playfordtree

If i slandered an innocent Tree co. on the internet i may as well put my head between my legs and kiss my ass goodbye.

It would be the first case of it then, not one on a forum yet although some idiot outfit tried to do just that to the owner of internet forums whirlpoolnet here when people slammed some software for accounting.

The company that made the software posted but were struggling with sales and going down the tube anyway. They tried to have the posts deleted, no way, then they tried to censor the site etc and in the end they sued the owner of the site.

They dropped the case and it would have been an Australian first, many were watching, it would have been an infringement of free speech.

But the irony is if you do have a name you can easily check by ringing them and playing the game, saying you saw what great pruning they did at xxx school and wanted a quote for the same. They would have fessed up themselves, easy stuff. Then you got them by the balls.

playfordtree · 12th March 2008, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

But the irony is if you do have a name you can easily check by ringing them and playing the game, saying you saw what great pruning they did at xxx school and wanted a quote for the same. They would have fessed up themselves, easy stuff. Then you got them by the balls.

After seeing "Puppetry of the Penis" last saturday night.
Adelaide Fringe - TixHome

I have seen enough "balls" to last me a lifetime thanks.

Ekka · 12th March 2008, 10:45 PM

playfordtree · 3rd April 2008, 12:14 AM

I was picking the kids up the other day, and noticed that the significant tree that was subject to poor pruning, has had a limb failure.

The limb would have fallen right across the walkway beneath it.

Normal limb drop?
or,
Something more sinister?

I have written another letter to the school (see attachment below) thanking them for replying so promptly, and hopefully to keep the issue at the forefront.

This is the photo i have previously posted before the limb failure.

This is the tree today after failure.

This is a close up of the failed stub.

Just out of interest, the tree has suffered major root damage on the left hand side (of photo) as i outlined in my previous posts.
Wouldn't you do some corrective pruning to the right hand side to reduce weight and to reduce the chance of the tree toppling over?
As i showed before the tree co. has pruned a large limb from the left hand side.
Here's the photo again showing root damage and limb removal by tree co.

Could the tree have dropped the limb in an effort to balance itself?

Regards Simon

3rd March 2008, 12:27 AM	#31 (permalink)
playfordtree Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Adelaide Australia Posts: 340	Re: Help stop school tree topping Perfect. __________________ I Drink Therefore I am.

3rd March 2008, 09:57 PM	#32 (permalink)
playfordtree Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Adelaide Australia Posts: 340	Re: Help stop school tree topping Put that letter straight into the hands of the principal this morning. As luck would have it he was having a meeting with the facility co-ordinator later in the day. (I think facility co-ordinator is the bloke that makes the maintenance decisions) We might get a response sooner rather than later. Watch this space. __________________ I Drink Therefore I am.

11th March 2008, 11:35 PM	#34 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,669	Re: Help stop school tree topping Good, some-one is going to be in some deep doodoo when the arborist report is digested. Thing about a private school is you dont have 2000 levels of govt people in the way. But still, the company remains AT LARGE __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

11th March 2008, 11:49 PM	#35 (permalink)
playfordtree Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Adelaide Australia Posts: 340	Re: Help stop school tree topping Not wrong about the private school thing. If it was a goverment school, they would have to organise a comittee, followed by a think tank, then refer it to an adjudicator, then have the reply read by a review officer and so on and so on........ Mate i would like to name the Tree co. but i only have their name by heresy. (the school groundsman told me) If i got the name wrong, or if he told me the wrong name you could just imagine the legal ramifications. If i slandered an innocent Tree co. on the internet i may as well put my head between my legs and kiss my ass goodbye. __________________ I Drink Therefore I am.

12th March 2008, 10:45 PM	#38 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,669	Re: Help stop school tree topping __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors