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Edinburgh Tree Warden Group
28th November 2009

Edinburgh Tree Wardens met as a group for the first time for approximately two years on Saturday 28th November 2009 during National Tree Week. The venue was the Visitor Centre at the Hermitage of Braid.

The new Group Co-ordinator (Steve Webley, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Forestry Manager) introduced himself and his team of Trees & Woodland Officers (John Lees, Derek Triplett and Paul Vine).

The Group learnt about the City’s initiative in Tree Management, its ongoing tree survey and the expanding database. The database aims to cover the species, health, condition and the location of the City’s trees. Several thousands of trees have been lost to Dutch Elm disease in Edinburgh since the 1980s and the fight against the disease continues with annual surveys.

Another interesting topic was the use of sophisticated equipment and computer software for checking the stability of problem trees. The Picus Sonic Tomograph allows a check to be made of the interior of a tree-trunk without invasive boring. Special sensors are located around the tree and connected to nails driven lightly into the sap wood. When the nails are tapped, the sensors determine how fast the sounds travel through the tree. On the principle that the sound will travel faster through solid wood, the computer is able to build up an internal image of the cross-section and to distinguish between decayed wood and healthy timber.

Finally the group took to the open air in Brunsfield Links where two trees were planted - a Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum) and a Sweet Gum (Liquidamber styraciflua). A system of ground anchorage was used to secure the trees and maintain their stability and thus avoid potential damage from stakes. The two newly planted trees are pictured below.

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