Tree Works Autumn 2018. MC Land-slipped Ground

Just to record planned tree works for Autumn 2018. 

Eskbank and Ironmills Conservation Area
Woodland at RP9 Cottage, Dalkeith Water Tower, Cemetery Road, Dalkeith. EH22 3DL
Description
Permission is sought to prune one tree and fell one tree as detailed in the accompanying arboricultural consultant’s report from Donald Rodger dated 20 August 2018, and shown in the uploaded photographs, growing within the woodlands of the above property. The approximate location of the two trees is marked on the uploaded Annotated site plan.
T1: Lime: Pruning requested.
T2: Sycamore: Felling requested.
Details
T1: Lime: removal of epicormic growth at the base and reduction of side branches to the southern side crown to create a more balanced crown shape is requested.
T2: Sycamore: This semi-mature sycamore is growing in close proximity to an adjacent hornbeam tree and yew tree and understorey young beech tree. The removal of this tree is requested in order to allow the better development of the hornbeam and yew. Whilst semi mature and generally of good form and health, this tree is suppressed by neighbouring trees and its removal will assist the adjacent two semi mature trees to mature. The additional light that reaches the woodland floor due to the removal of this tree should provide an opportunity for the young beech in the understorey to mature and take up the space available.
The applicant intends to provide replacement planting of three smaller native understorey Hazel trees close to the location of the tree removal, which can be managed in the form of rotation coppice. The stump of the felled tree should be left in situ to assist the stability of the slope, and some of the felled wood could be stacked in safe locations within the woodland as a biodiversity resource and to protect the slope from water erosion.

It is recommended that permission is granted.
Lead Officer: Conservation and Environment 10 October 201818/00710/WTT; Eskbank and Ironmills CA
Conditions: WTT01; WTT02

Have purchased 6 Hazel from Alba trees pending these works. Have had the gift of many Hazel plants in the past from my neighbour and fellow Paths Team colleague, Ian Brown.
Hazel is a great, easy to look after, understorey plant.  

Hoping to get the tree cutter in December, maybe January. Depends on the weather.

Will stack the felled wood as described by the tree officer, adding to the existing pile on the slope that stops me falling into the river from a great height! Good that it protects the bank too.

The Lime tree at the back in this photo

_The Sycamore at the front in this photo. Hornbeam behind. Young Beech tree which will be left to mature. __

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The adjacent land slipped council ground remains untouched after the works to soil nail. I did write to the council to suggest some planting and creation of wood piles (bioengineering techniques) but they are not keen given that they have hydro-seeded the banking and do not want to have it disturbed.

Here's the official correspondence for reference.

Hello Karin

I have a suggestion for the land slip area in-keeping with works identified by Ironside Fararr in their report. 

Bioengineering techniques for bank stabilisation.

IF suggested creation of facines on the slope made from timber piles. 

Similar to what I created at one time on the fence line.

Looking at the dying mature Ash tree at the top of the slope, I would suggest this is felled or coppiced 

and the branches are used to create barriers and facines. In the open land more planting wouldn't go amiss, 

it's bereft of tree roots and the dying Ash tree may mean even less tree root on the slope in the future, 

adding to the potential instability.

I'm sure Tote could fell the tree at no actual cost given he is a council employee, 

and the paths team could work on the slope following a suitable risk assessment and with supervision.

I am no expert but in my 20 years experience with an area of slip on the ground we purchased from the council,

 it continues to move slowly, suffers mud slides in very wet weather and the pockets of clay soil are hard as rock 

in places with an no expectation of long term stability. It's nigh on impossible to establish plant growth in these. 

I wouldn't build access steps or put any weight on our land slip ground, but I would do everything in my 

power to prevent further slip. All the advice I have ever received is to build fascines and plant small trees and

 shrubs for root growth. Rowan, Aspen, Willow have all taken and Cornus shrubs have done really well. 

Willow whips never worked (I think it is too dry), it needs to be a more established specimen and indeed 

I did plant one on the council ground and it has survived, unlike the whips that were planted. 

Kind regards

Karin Loch	Mon, Oct 8, 12:36 PM (13 days ago)
to me, Justin

Dear Mrs Goldwyre,

Thank you for your email of the 4^th October and my apologises I was on leave, or I would have 

responded earlier.

To implement facines as a bioengineering remediation measure for the land slip (Council side) 

at Ironmills Steps, we would require to identify and cap the source of the water, prior to installation. 

I agree that currently the bank may benefit by increasing the soil’s root mat, but every time the 

ground is broken to plant vegetation- it provides the potential for more erosion to occur. 

Less disruptive is scatter seeding, which I believe John and Justin actioned as a remediation 

measure in previous years.

Hopefully, we may gain more information on the water sources in the area from BGS in the future.

Kind Regards

Karin