Landscape Juice

Kent tree surgeon fined over worker's injuries

A Kent-based tree surgeon has been fined after an employee suffered severe injuries when his trouser leg was caught in a tree stump grinder.

Davyd Dyer, 30, suffered terrible injuries to his right leg when his employer, Richard Curteis, left the machine running without being at the controls. Mr Curteis, trading as Aspen Tree Services, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the incident on 29 September 2010.

Maidstone Magistrates Court heard the men were at an address in Bearsted, Maidstone, removing around six tree stumps of old conifers using a stump grinder.

Mr Dyer, from Gravesend, walked in front of the unmanned stump grinder carrying a sheet of corrugated metal. His trousers got caught on the rotating cutting head of the stump grinder and pulled his leg into the moving parts of the machine.

He suffered a broken leg, severe muscle injuries and was hospitalised for several weeks, needing a number of operations to reconstruct his leg. His injuries mean it is uncertain whether he will be able to continue working as a tree surgeon.

600 year old yew tree discovered at Wakehurst Place

Garden historians will have to have a re-think after an ancient yew tree was found at the Wakehurst Place in West Sussex.

Last year, archaeologists discovered that a house dating back to the 14th century once stood on the Wakehurst estate: the current house is a more recent Elizabethan addition.

The BBC reports that a line of yew trees are believed to have planted as early as 1391.

Andy Jackson of Wakehurst Place said: "I've walked past this remarkably humble tree almost every day without realising just how old it is."

Image: BBC

Tree safety and your responsibilities

Did you know that on average there are six deaths each year in the UK caused by falling trees or branches?

It's a very small number if you consider that there are 60 million people across the nation:

To put this in perspective, you have a greater chance of being struck by lightening or winning the lottery than you have of being killed by a tree.

The Health and Safety Executive consider the risks from trees as broadly acceptable, however, if you have trees in your garden you are responsible for making sure that they are safe.

The National Tree Safety Group has prepared a downloadable leaflet giving guidance on how to manage trees.

Trusting the judgement of qualified practitioners

Land management practitioners are vital in protecting our biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage and in particular ensuring the survival of trees for future generations, but at present are largely ignored, disconnected from decision making and even disenfranchised from their own remits, writes Philip Howard of European Trees.

The UK has a shortage of land management practitioners, from Arboriculturalists, Horticulturalists, Agriculturalists and Silviculturalists. The very titles of their profession have been abandoned in favour more easily understood, yet less defined titles – Tree Surgeons, Landscapers and Farmers and these roles are largely misunderstood or worse subject to over arching statements which dismiss their professionalism: In ecological circles a ‘Farmer’ is considered bad unless proven otherwise. Foresters and Arboriculturalists cut down trees; their work in planting and extending woodland cover or working on a tree to extend its longevity is often ignored.

Larch felling halted by Forestry Commission

The Forestry Commission has introduced a temporary moratorium on issuing new permissions to fell larch trees during the winter in the areas of Britain at greatest risk of having ramorum disease.

Discoloured larch needles are the most visible symptom of infection by the destructive, fungus-like Phytophthora ramorum pathogen, so it is very difficult to identify infected larch trees once they have shed their needles in the autumn.

The move comes just a few days after the Highways Agency announced around 2,000 trees are to be felled in Devon, as they attempt to slow the spread of the pathogen to trees, shrubs and other plants.

Government guide on how to start up a community orchard

If you are looking to help start up, or revive, a community orchard then a free guide from the Communities and Local Government department may help.

Community orchards: How to guide is a .pdf document you can download directly to your computer, which offers advice to communities wanting to start up, share or save local orchards.

The guide outlines what new and existing support and powers are available for communities wanting to conserve or create community orchards.

The Conservation Foundation's elm experiment

Ulmus londinium is the name of the elm project run by the Conservation Foundation to record London's elm trees, replant more, and raise awareness of the contribution of elm wood and trees over the ages.

Lawson Cypress trees threatened by infectious disease

A deadly plant disease previously unknown in England has been found in Devon which kills Lawson Cypress trees that are commonly found in parks and gardens.

Forestry Commission scientists have confirmed that Phytophthora lateralis, a fungus-like pathogen that kills trees’ roots, has infected several trees in a shelter hedge on an industrial estate.

The disease is very infectious to Lawson Cypress and some other trees, but harmless to people, animals and most other plants.

Research into protecting trees from disease gets £7m boost

The government is putting £7 million into research on combating new or exotic tree and plant pathogens.

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has outlined plans to combat exotic pests and diseases threatening the health of trees in the UK.

Launching the government's Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Action Plan, Mrs Spelman said: "There are new diseases and new threats now, and we need to do everything we can to protect our precious plants, trees and habitats.

Ensure your voice is heard on the future of Scottish woodland

Views and opinions are being sought on the way forward for woodland in Scotland as the changing use of land has an impact on everyday lives.