Australian Standards of Pruning AS4373 2006 draft

Ekka

Now, not a lot has changed so this document as is pretty much stands as we type.

Some changes are spiking palms, lopping/topping to rejuvenate damaged and senile trees.

From my experience this will be open to corruption, yeah I'll cut that 80' gum down to a 30' totem pole coz it says right here (bla bla bla) and we'll just say it was dying love.

The spiking palms will be a beauty, I'd like to see who they're gonna bust first for that one. lol Just stinking weeds IMHO but I'd like to see the pricing if contractors are gonna adhere to AS4373 and OHS on not spiking (should atleast double if not more!)

Attached Files

DR06280Pruningofamenitytrees1[1].pdf (1.09 MB, 926 views)

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justoon

Ekka do you know when the draft will become the standard? because the shut off date for comments closed july in 06.What is the time frame for this type of thing.

Sean Freeman

There was a committe meeting to resolve public comments re the draft on 3/11/06 so I would not expect any sudden developments for at least 3-6 months.

SF

justoon

thanks boa, It will be very interesting to see what councils do especially up your way boa when it comes to maintaining their coconut palms and enforcing the no spikes rule.

Sean Freeman

I honestly don't believe it will be policed. There is no structure to manage it and no funding to set one up. You may get the occaisional incident when a particularly loved palm is spiked and the owner goes after the person(s) responsible and tries to use the standard in small claims but unless they have the $ to support the action the result will be negligable.

It will not change a great deal where I am to tell the truth.

SF

justoon

Yeah i agree to that with the private jobs.However contract jobs from the councils themselves state that all aborist work must be done to oz standard as per the standard document and they are bound to that by WHS.So what is going to happen when the Denutting contracts come up and they cant use spikes, everything is going to have to be done by EWP or a different climbing device that does not damage the Palm.One thing is for sure pricing will go up when it comes to these sort of contracts especially when comes to getting up and denutting 20+meter trees.

Sean Freeman

Yes, you're right if council do take the standard and incorporate it without any caveats then it will mean changing work methods.

But the LGA policies and procedures I've seen, and thats a few, generally have a dot point or two that will permit work methods to vary outside the standard following specific directions from council officers.

But it will be different for each LGA and how they have written their own policies in this case.

SF

a_lopa

Theres been a big amount of roadside clearing lately around here most done by road maintanance crews with really poor trimming.

It sucks trying to compete(i dont bother anymore)with these guys.

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Sean Freeman

I think one of our biggest problems is that there is a lack of understanding in councils themselves as to what proper pruning/tree care is and why these standards should be the bare minimum.

Moving them forward is one of our greatest challenges, and there is just no quick way of achieving it....in the mean time all that terrible damaging activity continues with Joe public having their opinion of a goos hair cut reinforced as they drive past massacred trees.

Yes i understand that they utility crews are working to their cutting criteria, and their job is to protect the service asset, absolutely no problem, but council and state govt really have to take on board the kind of changes and developments that have been going on in parts of US and UK in the last 20yrs and incorporate them into our practices.

Better for the trees, better for the LGA budgets better for the power supply company, better for the community.

SF

justoon

I agree with you Boa between councils there really is no conformity on the queensland coast.Alot has to do with the opinions of the arborist manager in each council.Only time will tell how serious they are in following the standard.But on every contract that i,ve seen states that the job must be done as per AS 4373-1996 to cover their own butt.

Ekka

Don't you guys up north have those coconut catcher things installed everywhere now?

Heck, where's the link for those things I had it .... Tim straatman invented them. Here's a pic I found on the net.




I suppose you still have to empty it somehow.

Attached Images

coconut catcher.jpg (206.3 KB, 801 views)

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Sean Freeman

It's funny believe it or not I meant to take some photos of the coconets today but it was raining too much, and I wasn't getting anything done at all!

We only have one area in town where they've been used (caravan pk I think from memory) and whilst I love the idea as you lnow Ekka in practice these palms produce prodigious amounts of fruit.....you'd need a massive cage with huge "I" beams for support to hold the nuts. The darn things flower all year round, trying to keep up with emptying the cages...good luck

I will post some photos on that thread as soon as the rain lets up.

SF

Ekka

I know when i stayed at Airlie Beach there was friggin coconuts all over the joint ... and signs saying look out.

Do you know what happens when you eat too many?

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Sean Freeman

So go on tell us...what happens?


(Here's the link to the nut catchers by the way http://www.coconet.net.au/)

SF

justoon

yeah ekka thats all of tims nets around airlie beach and boa hes got a few around saunders and balgal beach.He has a few in Townsville but mainly in thurwingawa.As for them getting full Boa it shouldnt happen as they are part of a maintainence program and the tree is serviced every 6 months.

Ekka

Ya end up having to buy more books for the dunny! lol

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justoon

Ekka

mrrecurve

Have you guys seen those nets that run all the way down the trunk? Funnel at the top, just the same as in the picture of the coconut, but with an extension that runs down the trunk to the ground so the fruit are funneled all the way to the base of the tree instead of sitting up there.

They are used here on the sunny coast on bunya pines, will try to get some pics.

Ekka

How the heck I wonder do they instal a net on a bunya pine???

Pics for sure, the nuts would bounce of a hundred branches by the time they hit the ground.

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Sean Freeman

Yes post some pics please

SF

justoon

Yes please would love to see some photos.They would have to be fitted on a private property.there is no way that you could leave something like you describe in a public place, they would get trashed real quick.have to keep things like that out of reach.

Apocalypsse

Do you have a copy/link to the current standards?! I downloaded that one and had a quick glance through it, found a whole world of incredibly useful info like the glossary of the terms.

Also yes I know, I'm pro thread necromancer.