| Each tree is a thing
of beauty and as we know a thing of beauty is
a joy forever. Tree surgery has at last come into
his own. Nazareth is the destination for a meeting
with Paul C. Luttik, the spokesman for specialist
tree cane, a group of professional tree specialists
who have, as it were, joined hands. The end of
the journey is through a invoded area and first
impression is that it could do with some tree
cane! A bumby country lane then, after a couple
of 1OO metres, I arrive at Paul's home an old
but charmining house with an individul style.
Wood everywhere! Only someone with trees in their
blood could live here and that someone is Paul.
Paul's love of trees goes back to his early years
with the background of parents and grandparents
as keen gardners and garden planners al with naturel
canport Paul, pre- destined to gravitate towards
his cane of trees.
My impression of tree surgery was of huge machines,
extensive works , in fact real tree operations.
Paul very quickly dispeused with my ideas, explaining
that those ideas steunned from the 60s and the
70s but they have now been superceded. In their
day they were new techniques. e.g. suporting trees
with concrete and iron an suchlike. In other words
thinking mechanically quite ignoring that wonderful
living thing the tree!
All ideas of curing a tree wound by layers of
ointement must be forgotten. Using petrochemical
substances on a damaged tree is totally unrealistic
and such substance would remain on the tree for
a long time cousing great damage. There is a parallel
with around treatment for people if you leave
plasters on past the doctors recommended time,
problems will arise. An evolution call it a revolition
has taken place inasmuch as if a tree is conspectly
positioned it can virtually heal itself. In terms
of a stressed street tree, it needs very little
to go wrong to create problems.
If tree surgery is no longer a spectacular operation,
what is it?
For the rest out interest is in the ground, the
tree position and suitability for its sunroundings
and, often, the psychological approch us to our
client e.g. if a client requires us to dractically
prune a tree wich he/she finds to be too big-
we refuse that job in deference to out finn conviction
that as a tree is a thing of beauty there is no
way it can be sacrificed. It is then a question
of atterteurpting to persuade the client to agree
to another approch to what he/she sees as a problem,
at the Same time reminding them as a problem,
of the value of such a tree, etc.
By trimming we mean removing dead wood and too
low-hanging branches also treatment of greenfly.
In fact all tree infections are secondary inasmuch
as we first investigate what has actually gone
wrong with the tree. The first thing we do when
we are presented with a tree problem is pay it
a visit! Then we chat to neighbours, etc who have
lived in the area for a while, therefose, have
intimate knowledge of ground en soil conditions.
Wich is a twine of information for us most people
are more than ready ready to help for instance
we often learn of underground streams, etc. whitch
result in certain trees being "banned"
from ground whiels is too wet. In addition to
out helpful local people we have out high-tech
approach wich can mean software to enable inspecting
roots or to map the roots or echography wich enables
us to actually view the soil examined in a laboratory.
This high-tech approch will always result in a
written report for the client. We know that a
ratinal person requires such a report and are
happy to be of service should he/she wish to continue
contact with us. However, if the client engages
us this does not necersarily mean that climbing
starts immediately! It can happen that the tree
itself does wat need to be treated and treating
the soil its in is sufficient to stimmulate the
tree to heal itself.
Building and Aesthetics
As tree specialists we are bougert in on a variety
of situations but, at the moment, we find our
help is needed primanily in the protection of
trees on building sites.
Ideally, if we are consulted in the very laply
planning stage and can convince the project staff
to sing the same tune then a pleasant and productive
plan can become a reality. One case was where
we were instrumental in swimming pools (worth
a few million) being re-sited a few metres to
ensure that a tree could survive.
Another feature of our work is listing the trees
in old estates thus revealing the actual condition
of each tree involving urgent and less urgent
intervention.
Needless to say there is no magic pecipe for
saving trees these are living things thus there
is often only a 50% chance of succes. We never
make quick statements to a client about being
able to save a tree but, generally, with our experience
we can say what the chance of succes, or not,
is. Another aspect in our work is the aesthetic.
We, as tree specialists, are often called in to
deal with crown-thinning and aeraeting plus the
removal of dead wood. Fruit-tree pruning is quite
special it is a question of is the client looking
for a pretty or prudictive tree requines its own
puning method and period when this is be done.
After one day of fruit tree pruning we are usually
tired inasmuch as constantly five years ahead
is not quite a daily occurience! e.g if I take
that branche away how is the tree going to react
and what will the end result be?
We prume trees only in the grouth period thus
giving a tree the oppertunity to heal its wounds.The
tradition of winter-pruning came about becouse
the famous had less work then thus, time to prune.
Tree specialists also offer their expentise to
schools, groups and compaires guiding them through
the tree world. Quite often a whole tree experience
is worked out involving theatre and actons. The
roefeldag and the Woods week are 2 other projects
in wich we are happy to be involved. I wonder
if perhaps the time of the heavy material used
in tree pruning is slowly coming to an end. Our
most used instrument is a razor-sharp japaneze
hand-saw. With this it is possible to remove a
branch, the thickniss of ann in 3 strokes. In
tree work it is a question of millimetre work
wich is impossible when using a chainsaw. The
largest material we work with is an aenating machine,
used for introducing air and other missing elements
into the earth. Chainsaus are only used when cutting
down a tree wich is usually as a resuet of neighbours
trouble(obstructive tree, a tree wich has become
too bigetc.etc.) or by other of the local authoroty.
We are able to without any problem remove a huge
tree from a small garden or over a conservatory
or greenhouse. Every branch falls exactly where
we plan for it to be and, when the job is finished,
we want the client to feel that we have not been
there!
Spectacular
Tree specialists, now and again, also do spectacular
things then it's a question of hiring a big crane
and heavy material from a co-operative firm. An
example of a 'spectacular' is than in Kortrijk
there was this 80 year old chestuut tree of 80
cm diameter which had to be hoisted over a house
to be re-planted in the garden. Then,of, course,
we needed giant cranes plus special transport
plus a police export! The same evening our people
were able to climb in the re-planted tree. Quite
a feat overall! There is a relatuvely simple involved
in the re-planting of a tree i.e. the older the
tree, the wore preparation necessary. From a certain
diameter it can take six months to year of preparatory
planning. Tus if we recive a request 'can you
re-plant a tree for me next week?' there is only
one answer regretfully no because our main concern
is the tree and we make no compromises in technique
and finishing. Rather working, remengly, slower
but thoroughly. Pico bello is the anser of the
day! Our way of looking at a tree problem is first
study the tree, then its inmediate surroundings
and after that the wider aspect. Arborists work
on circles. Concentric circles.
Most people see trees as strong things where
as in fact they are very sensitve. Incorect pruning,
the wrong soil mixture, too much or too little
ground water and the tree will react accordingly
but , often, the result of our intervention will
not be apparent for a long while. This is why,
together with the client, we draw up a contract
with a guarantee period and in this way we can
follow the tree's progress.
There are many garden contractors who dig a hole,
in goes the tree and they are away
-they have perhaps given a one years guarantee
which is a bit pointless as a tree can hold its
own, in any case, for that lenght of time! To
be serious, standards must be introduced for tree
specialist involved with a tree, they should be
committed to a 10 years guarantee of responsability
for that tree. Exactly the same rule applying
as in the building sector. The website of specialst
Tree people is already in various magasines on
their list of 100 best websites from the benelux.
Absolutely worth a visit! http://www.boomverzorging.be
A tree with a problem must be drastically cut
back. Prunning encourages growth. This is valid
for most grasses, plants and bushes but trees
are and always will be something special in their
own right. A healthy tree is "wise"
and strong, for instance 8mm under the bark of
a beech tree is where its vital organs are!
A tree is dying if it produces much fruit. That
would be a disaster but it is a much used statement
by tree choppers with large care loans! A tree
is due for chopping when it's time! Another statement
by tree choppers with heavy financial burdens
for machinery , vans and jeeps adversting landscaping
tree treatment and usually green in colour. Their
claim is also the shaping of old trees i.e. what
you ask to be done we do. Through this attitude
there has been a great number of tree monuments
destroyed forever just because that sort of destruction
is a big moneymaker.
In the first place a tree does not need pruning
to give it a shape Nature has already taken care
of that,therefore, who are we to intefere! The
trees biomechanisme does not lend itself to interference
as this can only lead to irreparable damage to
valuable trees such as beech, oak etc. Should
the ground already be in a precarious state and
the seasons too long or too dry then there is
only one word: fatal. Either trim the tree as
of five to seven years old or be sure to plant
the correct type of tree in the correct place.
The photos illustrate the above showing how year
after year the degeneration beginning with crown
infection wich means automatic root rot culminating
in spreading rot. If a so-called tree surgeon
agrees to lopping a tree and/or cutting the crown
of a tree this is no specialist. It can only be
some untrained clip-happy, make money person best
avoided if you love trees!
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