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Post by ChrisB on Dec 12, 2014 7:56:30 GMT
4.2 litre engine!!!
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 12, 2014 13:10:51 GMT
Sally's Xmas present sorted !
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Post by MartinT on Dec 12, 2014 17:32:03 GMT
Scary cutting power! Not very portable, though.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 12, 2014 17:44:45 GMT
True - you could probably be in Oklahoma by the time the chainsaw massacre gets going properly in Texas!
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 12, 2014 18:11:14 GMT
A long time ago I was a judge in the National Tree Felling Championships, which was fun. It was a bit basic back then, but nowadays they take this stuff really seriously.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 29, 2014 22:31:01 GMT
Exhibition of precision flying in foggy conditions.....or maybe it's just the Christmas tree harvest in Oregon
...and in better conditions from a different angle...
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Post by MartinT on Dec 30, 2014 9:01:28 GMT
Precision flying - you're not kidding!!
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Post by ChrisB on May 28, 2015 7:44:24 GMT
This is rather frightening. NASA have a website called Earth Observatory, which is rather fantastic. Here's what they do: There's all sort of interesting stuff on there for anyone who possesses an enquiring mind and I recommend it to you. But the reason for this post is that they have a series of photos of a section of rainforest in western Brazil, where they show, over a period of 12 years, the devastation that has been caused by both legal and illegal logging and the subsequent consequences of that activity. The area in question, the state of Rondônia used to contain 208,000 square kilometres of forest (over 50 million acres), has become one of the most deforested parts of the Amazon. Between 1988 and 2003, an estimated 67,764 square kilometres of rainforest—an area very roughly speaking half the size of England— was cleared. This is just one state. Here are the pictures - please think about them the next time you choose the finish of a new pair of loudspeakers |
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Post by ChrisB on Jul 17, 2015 6:53:20 GMT
Furniture Farming! Plant some trees.  Train them.  Thicken and prune.  Harvest and finish  Take them to market   |
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 21, 2015 7:45:09 GMT
Every summer in the UK, we hear about forest fires in the United States, but few people here know just how scary it is be be near one, let alone to be defending your home from one or trying to put one out as part of your job.
The US Forest Service have said that they expect 50% of their 2015 budget will be spent on fighting wildfires.
Right now, five states are fighting 10 or more large wildfires — 16 in California, Idaho 21, Montana 14, Oregon 11 and Washington 17.
A total of 30,000 people are involved in fighting these fires and now they're training the army so they can help. There is even discussion going on at the moment as to the possibility of bringing in help from Australia and New Zealand.
The national total number of acres burned so far in 2015 is now at 7.1 million and counting. Biggest and most frightening of all is the Soda Fire, which has burned 283,686 acres in Idaho. The conditions combined recently to create a fire whirl, which is essentially a huge tornado of flames.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 22, 2015 8:58:46 GMT
Really sobering, Chris. I don't think we give a minute's thought to the idea of losing our house to something so unstoppable.
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Post by ChrisB on Jan 12, 2016 23:55:08 GMT
I'll be overseeing the planting of about 19,000 trees in the next three months.
Due to reasons beyond my control, this is probably the lowest number yet in my career. Some time ago, it was about a quarter of a million per year.
The reason I get out of bed every morning is to ensure that trees will be planted. How about every member of TAS making an effort to get just one tree planted this year?
Take a look at the websites of the National Forest or the Woodland Trust to see how you can make a difference.
If you don't like the idea of more trees, get back to me when you've worked out how to breath CO2!!
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 13, 2016 9:01:37 GMT
We have an area of field we have left to itself, except to mow paths through.
The natural laws of nature working have seen a few of the trees fall over and a couple split on the trunk
I tidy up a bit but leave them to see what will happen.
Often come across deer, less often a fox. Buzzards and I think a red kite are locals.
Saw 1-200 small birds fly off I could not identify as too high last week. Assume they were roosting and we disturbed them.
Next to us the neighbours just mow and loads of grass. Shame
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Post by ChrisB on Jan 13, 2016 9:08:17 GMT
It will turn into a wood if you leave it long enough - almost all land wants to be a forest.
Quite right too!
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Post by MartinT on Jan 13, 2016 9:50:55 GMT
There's something very right about nature taking its course and reverting all land to forest - eventually.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 13, 2016 14:34:44 GMT
We like it I wouldn't even have paths mowed but the boss insists With chest high nettles I might have to get a strimmer though  |
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Post by Barrington on Jan 14, 2016 10:22:33 GMT
I planted five Populus Canadensis Robusta at the back of my garden to hide a new housing develpoment six years ago , I don't want them too high and each November I cut the top growth 8-10 feet off . I haven't got round to it this time as I need to motivate myself , I use a telescopic lopper whilst standing atop a ladder , my neck gives me a lot of grief after half an hour or so.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 14, 2016 13:01:29 GMT
They grow 8-10 feet a year ?!
What total height are they ?
How long does it take to lop back 5 trees ?
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Post by Barrington on Jan 14, 2016 17:26:49 GMT
They grow 8-10 feet a year ?! What total height are they ? How long does it take to lop back 5 trees ? Yes About 20 feet , which I try to keep them at. I don't do it all at once because its difficult but its about 3-4 hours work. I'll post a pic tomorrow. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 14, 2016 17:35:47 GMT
That's fast growing
What's their life span ?
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