old dogs do learn new tricks

[ROLLACOSTA]

just back from an intensive 3 day report writing course day 1 fungi ,structual probs etc..day 2 trees and the law, day 3 now here comes the interesting bit trees and subsidance damage ,tree related subsidance ..now after many years i have always beleived that if you reduce a trees crown you are reducing a trees need for water less leaves /greenery not acording too my lecturer,he said there is a slight reduction in water intake in the first year but after that the trees water intake goes back to how it was prior crown reduction...one other thing ive always been carefull to fell large trees that are on clay ground and very close to buildings in phases ie 1 /3 now 2nd 1/3 in 2 years 3rd 1/3 in 3 years or 4 ..i always beleived this to be the correct way ,as to lessen the chance of damage too the building from ground heave [sudden swelling of soil caused by rehydration]this lecturer says phased removals a waste of time
as if you cut a tree down in phases or not the soil will still rehydrate...any one got any opinions on this..personaly i think hes correct on the heave issue but not the crown reduction /water up take

 

[ccooperabbs]

RC,

Your lecturer (who?) I presume has backed up his statement with the Delaware mansions case? Or if not would use that situation, simply proceedings against the LPA where trees within the footpath began to cause subsidence issues to neighbouring property, the long and short of it concluded with a report commissioned by the what was then DETR now ODPM; the purpose of the report was to show the effects of differing pruning regimes and the consequence effects on water uptake and subsequent subsidence risk. As the common misconception says, and the evidence shows an initial crown reduction or topping/lopping will directly effect the water uptake of the tree species. But only within the first 12-18 months, after that time period water uptake resumes to normal levels. (That's the simple explanation).

Staged removal in modern arboricultural terms now runs on a par with wound painting. Outdated and un-beneficial