How'd it go today?

Stikine, run up to Ferndale if she wants painted ladied.
That lttle town is full of them.
 
Our apprentice had an exam today.

They have some months in school, before starting their apprenticeship, learning the basics.
That has always seemed a waste of their time to me, since we have to re-teach everything anyway.
An example, the school teaches saw handling for arborists, as in treat it like a wild animal, that wants to BITE you.
I teach saw handling for loggers, as in make it an extension of your body...........when was the last time you saw somebody get bit by their own right hand?
Now, new rule is in, they can skip most of that, if their coming employer can teach them.
Then they have to pass a test.
The censor said to me, it was a formality with us, since they know damned well our apprentices come out top of their class, every time.

He had to fall 2 trees and limb and buck them.

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We started this years logging today.
Medium sized Maple in an interesting forest.
It is situated on top of a chalk outcropping ( Like the white cliffs of Dover, just without ocean) so there is only 8-10 cm soil.
The trees are prone to fall over in storms, because the soil simply lifts off the chalk.
In summer there are lots of orchids, it is the only place in Denmark where Ophys apifera grows.
A flower so weird, it can almost make me religious.

It is first time our remaining apprentice is part of a logging scenario, the size of the trees and the openness of the forest makes it perfect for a beginner.
Lots of room to get the trees down.
Stig, are these mapples healthy in this harsh environment ?
I got an other job on the castle groung located on a chalk bank. The top soil is a little deeper than your, so the stability is better, but the trees are stressed from the lack of water. The mapples are heavily hit by the soot-like bark disease and many are dying/dead, from the baby to the big old one.
Luckily, it isn't the season for the sporulation and handling the diseased wood is much more pleasant. We burn them all on site, trunks and limbs.
What scared me is that I found a very similar disease on several hornbeams in the area. First year I see that. They are allready strugling, loosing their tops and dying from the drought. If the soot bark disease strikes them now, it will be catastrophic for the forest.
 
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The chalk makes for an environment that makes it harder for them to make clorophyl, it is known as Chlorosis.
The beech are hit harder by it, their leaves never get really green, but has an autumnal look all summer.

And, yes he passed.
 
I think it was a honey, it's been a few years. I'll get a pic of the stump next time i go out, it was a medium to large one for here.
 
Got my ass kicked by an old man today :^P

Climbed a bit with Pat and Treeaddict. Pat's fast, and has more energy than me. I need to get into trees more to get my stamina and skills up. Got a target to aspire to anyway. Pat let me try out an akimbo and roperunner. Felt weird, as did his xtc line I climbed on. I've been on static ropes since I started, and the stretch was discombobulating. He also lent me a knee ascender I'm gonna work on using. Makes things easier, but my balance is off. I need to get in the groove with it.

Good day. It was great meeting Pat, and thank you to Treeaddict for hosting!
 
@Marc-Antoine

Sooty bark disease in maples can have damaging spores requiring respirators.
Yes, I do wear one, and possibly a full protective suit, during the dry and hot days when the fungus is spreading its spores. But I can say that's a real pain to work with that. The previous years, I found a few actives spots even in winter and I used it. This time, I didn't found a single area black and dusty, either on the trunks or on the limbs. Only solid surfaces more or less dark grey. Plus the forest has now a high level of humidity, or is even dripping wet. So the respirator stayed in the van.
 
John, I knew you’d beat me to it!! 😂
‘Twas a great time. Even if it was below 20*
Really loved having Pat show us all the techniques and gear. He shared a lot of knowledge with us. My first time around someone with significant experience. Ate it up
Thank you for coming over and a great day guys!
 

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