Practically speaking
The project for the Registered Social Landlord is nearing completion!
· I have recovered all of the OS MasterMap data that I can, but there are some addresses that we can not locate, and some we could not find on the ground
· I have had a lot of support from field assessors, for which I thank you all
· the plan of attack seems to have worked well in practice
· we have a huge library of annotated sketches and lists of the scheme attributes
· we now need to press on with the post-processing into ARBORtrack
http://www.arbortrack.com/main.asp
So far all the planning seems to have been worthwhile and we have been generating invoices for our client.
An on-going tree inventory survey has taken a back seat whilst we await the repair of our tablet pc. In the meantime we have carried out a walkover survey of the client estate and satisfied ourselves from that exercise that there is noting crashingly urgent to be done. When the tablet is returned we’ll do the survey proper.
I have undertaken five small instructions for BS5837 surveys so far this year, an increase of four on last year (or 400%, whichever sounds better!) – but what exactly is that an indication of? The much heralded (and oh so important) economic recovery, a concern about a likely increase in VAT, better visibility of the service that I can offer, an improved product from me as I gain more experience?
I’ve been working on a presentation to the RFS/RASE Tree Diseases Conference – nerve-wracking stuff talking to 250 people who know their subject. Thank goodness I only have 15 minutes to pontificate upon “Tree diseases and the arboriculture industry – an overview” – so I’ve got the opportunity to be the advocate for the arboricultural community and to share experiences of diagnosing tree diseases, and the consequences of those diagnoses. Sadly, the response from the community has been typically poor, but those who have helped have done so unreservedly and with great generosity.
http://www.rfs.org.uk/ and http://www.rase.org.uk/
A project that I need to work up is a management plan for the tree population in a private road near Solihull, a mix of limes and horse chestnut, some in good condition, some in terminal decline.
Operation Moshtarak has become less of an issue for our Oxford project recently – Prince Charles followed the Princess Royal’s trip to Afghanistan, but my surveyors’ ability to work was not that badly compromised during his 36-hour trip.
Expressly interesting
I was not successful at LB Waltham Forest, congratulations to Jon Mills, the Senior Arboriculturalist in Countryside & Heritage Management Services for Capita Symonds
www.capitasymonds.co.uk/arboriculture
I’ve expressed interest in a project advertised in Horticulture Week
http://www.hortweek.com/
for the Environment Agency - they require tree work throughout England, but predominantly in Yorkshire, Northumbria and North Derbyshire
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
Showing posts with label arboricultural service delivery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arboricultural service delivery. Show all posts
Friday, 9 April 2010
Monday, 8 March 2010
Steady progress toward 31 March!
Expressly interesting
Well, you would believe it – the project for the Registered Social Landlord continues to take shape:
· I have recovered a lot of the OS MasterMap data, but there’s more to go,
· I have a number of would-be assessors, but I still need more if you’d like to contact me,
· the plan of attack is now established, assessors go into the field with as much research information as possible, annotate a sketch and compile their list of the scheme’s attributes.
So far all the planning seems to have been worthwhile - I hope that my client will end up smiling!
I’ve fitted in a quick tree survey for a primary school in Nottingham – I was surprised at the highly visible security measures that were in place, including the very secure fence, the locked gates, the video controlled entrances. Having said that, the playing field, especially at a distance from the school, was to my eye a disgrace – there was debris all around the margins which must have come flying over the rear garden boundaries – not the sort of environment that I would want my children to be playing in. I couldn’t quite connect the two ideas – the security and yet the casual acceptance of a litter strewn (and so dangerous) playing field.
As I expected the thunderous silence following my offer to a London borough to oversee the preparation of two sets of contract documents has meant that negotiations have been concluded with another party. Oh well, I’ve still got an opportunity to tender for the “custodial” contract, and Glendale Countryside will be able to bid for the service delivery contract.
I’m aware that the deadline for the preparation of my piece about infections for the Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE in April is looming. Please do keep sending your observations in to me so that my presentation can be as helpful as possible to those in the audience who are listening.
Practically speaking
The motherboard for one of (well, so far our only!) our hand-held tablet pc has failed; its replacement will add time to the project in the Midlands, where I’ve been asked to capture 7000 records.
The small service delivery contract that I was overseeing has now been completed and the Certificate of Practical Completion has been issued.
I have not heard anything for a while about the revised scheme for planning consent in Nuneaton; I remain hopeful that the development will get the green light.
Operation Moshtarak has become a delay event – let me explain!
As far as I can tell the satellites and bandwidth used to provide the international global information and positioning systems are all military, the availability of bandwidth to civilian users is discretionary (albeit prioritised).
My two surveyors in Oxford are used to seeing 12 satellites on their handheld data loggers, but when Moshtarak kicked off, and then when the Princess Royal went to Afghanistan a fortnight later, they could only locate three satellites, and their ability to work was severely compromised as a result. No, I don’t want to go back to pen and paper but . . .
Well, you would believe it – the project for the Registered Social Landlord continues to take shape:
· I have recovered a lot of the OS MasterMap data, but there’s more to go,
· I have a number of would-be assessors, but I still need more if you’d like to contact me,
· the plan of attack is now established, assessors go into the field with as much research information as possible, annotate a sketch and compile their list of the scheme’s attributes.
So far all the planning seems to have been worthwhile - I hope that my client will end up smiling!
I’ve fitted in a quick tree survey for a primary school in Nottingham – I was surprised at the highly visible security measures that were in place, including the very secure fence, the locked gates, the video controlled entrances. Having said that, the playing field, especially at a distance from the school, was to my eye a disgrace – there was debris all around the margins which must have come flying over the rear garden boundaries – not the sort of environment that I would want my children to be playing in. I couldn’t quite connect the two ideas – the security and yet the casual acceptance of a litter strewn (and so dangerous) playing field.
As I expected the thunderous silence following my offer to a London borough to oversee the preparation of two sets of contract documents has meant that negotiations have been concluded with another party. Oh well, I’ve still got an opportunity to tender for the “custodial” contract, and Glendale Countryside will be able to bid for the service delivery contract.
I’m aware that the deadline for the preparation of my piece about infections for the Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE in April is looming. Please do keep sending your observations in to me so that my presentation can be as helpful as possible to those in the audience who are listening.
Practically speaking
The motherboard for one of (well, so far our only!) our hand-held tablet pc has failed; its replacement will add time to the project in the Midlands, where I’ve been asked to capture 7000 records.
The small service delivery contract that I was overseeing has now been completed and the Certificate of Practical Completion has been issued.
I have not heard anything for a while about the revised scheme for planning consent in Nuneaton; I remain hopeful that the development will get the green light.
Operation Moshtarak has become a delay event – let me explain!
As far as I can tell the satellites and bandwidth used to provide the international global information and positioning systems are all military, the availability of bandwidth to civilian users is discretionary (albeit prioritised).
My two surveyors in Oxford are used to seeing 12 satellites on their handheld data loggers, but when Moshtarak kicked off, and then when the Princess Royal went to Afghanistan a fortnight later, they could only locate three satellites, and their ability to work was severely compromised as a result. No, I don’t want to go back to pen and paper but . . .
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
February already
Expressly interesting
Well, you would believe it – the project for the Registered Social Landlord is still taking shape:
· I have not yet got the resources that I will need, and
· I still need more would-be assessors or surveyors to contact me, and
· the plan of attack remains sketchy – two projects need to be delivered at the same time using one piece of computer hardware and software!
The resource planning is taking time but I hope that if I follow the maxim of the 6Ps (let alone the 7th!) I’ll end up smiling! “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”
I’ve organised two part-time assessors for the second job in the Midlands; one is tasked with capturing new records, the other with verifying the existing data. So far, a halting start but there’s plenty of time to go yet!
My offer to the London borough has been met by a thunderous silence – clearly I was too cautious and I suspect negotiations have been entered into with another party.
Thank you if you are one of those arboricultural professionals who has responded to my call for information about infections for the Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE in April. Please do keep sending your observations in to me so that my presentation can be as helpful as possible to those in the audience who are listening.
The project for the BBC in Birmingham (about salt damage to highway trees) is still exciting interest, my contacts continue to suggest locations and contributions, so my thanks to all of you.
Practically speaking
Because of the weather, and other service commitments, there is still one tree to be felled on my small service delivery contract – it’ll happen soon I’ve no doubt!
The architect has now submitted a revised scheme for planning consent in Nuneaton; I hope that the proposed development will get the green light.
Well, you would believe it – the project for the Registered Social Landlord is still taking shape:
· I have not yet got the resources that I will need, and
· I still need more would-be assessors or surveyors to contact me, and
· the plan of attack remains sketchy – two projects need to be delivered at the same time using one piece of computer hardware and software!
The resource planning is taking time but I hope that if I follow the maxim of the 6Ps (let alone the 7th!) I’ll end up smiling! “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”
I’ve organised two part-time assessors for the second job in the Midlands; one is tasked with capturing new records, the other with verifying the existing data. So far, a halting start but there’s plenty of time to go yet!
My offer to the London borough has been met by a thunderous silence – clearly I was too cautious and I suspect negotiations have been entered into with another party.
Thank you if you are one of those arboricultural professionals who has responded to my call for information about infections for the Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE in April. Please do keep sending your observations in to me so that my presentation can be as helpful as possible to those in the audience who are listening.
The project for the BBC in Birmingham (about salt damage to highway trees) is still exciting interest, my contacts continue to suggest locations and contributions, so my thanks to all of you.
Practically speaking
Because of the weather, and other service commitments, there is still one tree to be felled on my small service delivery contract – it’ll happen soon I’ve no doubt!
The architect has now submitted a revised scheme for planning consent in Nuneaton; I hope that the proposed development will get the green light.
Monday, 25 January 2010
After the thaw
Well, all the snow has now gone, along with the ice, and so our surveyors can get back on to the ground and make their assessments with confidence.
Henry and Nick managed to break out of a snowbound Oxford to help me with a couple of jobs, one in Walsall was a BS5837:2005 survey of an industrial site, and the second in Essex was to prepare a woodland management plan for a development proposal that my colleagues are considering.
Expressly interesting
The project for the Registered Social Landlord is still taking shape:
· would-be assessors and surveyors have been approached and one or two tentative responses have been received, I still need more!
· I am waiting for eMapSite to get back to me with a quotation for the supply of the OS MasterMap extracts that the project requires, and finally
· the plan of attack is still being finalised – the job will require us to be very efficient in our data capture, there will be no opportunity to go back to re-visit sites and so we must get it right first time.
As before, if you are a competent tree assessor and you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I am meeting a potential assessor for the second job in the Midlands tomorrow, 7000 records to be captured using ARBORtrack, the client team has given me his contact details and so he comes very well recommended.
My offer to the London borough has been despatched, and as always once an offer has gone into the post I begin to worry – was I too cautious, will the price be acceptable, what about the quality assurance suggestions that I have made and so on – hopefully I’ll be put out of my misery soon!
I have contacted a wide range of arboricultural professionals in connection with a presentation I am due to make in April at a Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE. I’ve had a number of very interesting responses so far, but would encourage you all to keep them coming please.
I have also been contacted by the BBC in Birmingham in connection with a piece that they wish to do, to camera, about salt damage to highway trees. Once again, my contacts in industry are coming up trumps and suggesting locations and making contributions to the debate, so my thanks to all of you who have responded on this one.
In practice
The small service delivery contract has been completed, according to the contractor – by my reckoning there is still one tree to be felled!
I spent some time with the architect for the scheme in Nuneaton last week going through the response from the Tree Officer; I hope that between us we have done enough to secure the consent for the proposed development.
Henry and Nick managed to break out of a snowbound Oxford to help me with a couple of jobs, one in Walsall was a BS5837:2005 survey of an industrial site, and the second in Essex was to prepare a woodland management plan for a development proposal that my colleagues are considering.
Expressly interesting
The project for the Registered Social Landlord is still taking shape:
· would-be assessors and surveyors have been approached and one or two tentative responses have been received, I still need more!
· I am waiting for eMapSite to get back to me with a quotation for the supply of the OS MasterMap extracts that the project requires, and finally
· the plan of attack is still being finalised – the job will require us to be very efficient in our data capture, there will be no opportunity to go back to re-visit sites and so we must get it right first time.
As before, if you are a competent tree assessor and you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I am meeting a potential assessor for the second job in the Midlands tomorrow, 7000 records to be captured using ARBORtrack, the client team has given me his contact details and so he comes very well recommended.
My offer to the London borough has been despatched, and as always once an offer has gone into the post I begin to worry – was I too cautious, will the price be acceptable, what about the quality assurance suggestions that I have made and so on – hopefully I’ll be put out of my misery soon!
I have contacted a wide range of arboricultural professionals in connection with a presentation I am due to make in April at a Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE. I’ve had a number of very interesting responses so far, but would encourage you all to keep them coming please.
I have also been contacted by the BBC in Birmingham in connection with a piece that they wish to do, to camera, about salt damage to highway trees. Once again, my contacts in industry are coming up trumps and suggesting locations and making contributions to the debate, so my thanks to all of you who have responded on this one.
In practice
The small service delivery contract has been completed, according to the contractor – by my reckoning there is still one tree to be felled!
I spent some time with the architect for the scheme in Nuneaton last week going through the response from the Tree Officer; I hope that between us we have done enough to secure the consent for the proposed development.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Welcome to January!
Whatever happened to the first weeks of January?
As in previous years snow has struck (but it was in February last year as I recall) meaning that our tree assessors have been held up: it has not been possible for Henry and Nick to make as comprehensive assessment of site conditions as they would like, and so our production levels on the Oxford contract are down. We now have two hand-held data loggers on the go; both are Magellan’s MobileMapper loaded with DigiTerra software, with which Henry and Nick are becoming most proficient!
Expressly interesting
Unfortunately I decided that I could not proceed to tender for the research project for which I had been shortlisted – I felt that the brief was too open and that there was simply too much risk involved for me. I do hope that someone with an arboricultural interest, and a stronger nerve, was able to make an offer so that the industry might stand a chance of seeing an end-user’s voice as the foundation for an important guidance document.
The Registered Social Landlord’s project is taking shape, but again has been delayed by snow on the ground – there’s no chance to identify the grounds maintenance features that the client wants if all we can see is snow! I have emailed a load of would-be assessors and surveyors with information about this job, and another in the Midlands – if you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I have been working on an offer to a London borough that wants to outsource almost all of their arboricultural expertise and service delivery, this is the sort of instruction that really floats my boat and so I’m looking forward to being able to hone and burnish my offer so that it dazzles!
In practice
I’m overseeing a small service delivery contract; again the weather has played its part here. Because the site is relatively well protected, the trees are small and some of the work can be done from the ground the contractor has brought me forward in his programme. Completion is scheduled for Monday, weather permitting.
I have tried to keep our field team busy away from a snow-bound Oxford, with a couple of other projects for colleagues in the office, one in Walsall and another in Harlow. It has been very interesting for me to discuss with Nick how he can bring his experience, as a former Tree Officer, to the reports that he has drafted for those instructions.
I hope that a small project in Nuneaton can soon be put to bed; it has been most helpful to me to have the opportunity to bring a range of valuable comments from the arboricultural professionals that I deal with into my report on behalf of my client. Hopefully, the outcome will be consent for the proposed development.
As in previous years snow has struck (but it was in February last year as I recall) meaning that our tree assessors have been held up: it has not been possible for Henry and Nick to make as comprehensive assessment of site conditions as they would like, and so our production levels on the Oxford contract are down. We now have two hand-held data loggers on the go; both are Magellan’s MobileMapper loaded with DigiTerra software, with which Henry and Nick are becoming most proficient!
Expressly interesting
Unfortunately I decided that I could not proceed to tender for the research project for which I had been shortlisted – I felt that the brief was too open and that there was simply too much risk involved for me. I do hope that someone with an arboricultural interest, and a stronger nerve, was able to make an offer so that the industry might stand a chance of seeing an end-user’s voice as the foundation for an important guidance document.
The Registered Social Landlord’s project is taking shape, but again has been delayed by snow on the ground – there’s no chance to identify the grounds maintenance features that the client wants if all we can see is snow! I have emailed a load of would-be assessors and surveyors with information about this job, and another in the Midlands – if you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I have been working on an offer to a London borough that wants to outsource almost all of their arboricultural expertise and service delivery, this is the sort of instruction that really floats my boat and so I’m looking forward to being able to hone and burnish my offer so that it dazzles!
In practice
I’m overseeing a small service delivery contract; again the weather has played its part here. Because the site is relatively well protected, the trees are small and some of the work can be done from the ground the contractor has brought me forward in his programme. Completion is scheduled for Monday, weather permitting.
I have tried to keep our field team busy away from a snow-bound Oxford, with a couple of other projects for colleagues in the office, one in Walsall and another in Harlow. It has been very interesting for me to discuss with Nick how he can bring his experience, as a former Tree Officer, to the reports that he has drafted for those instructions.
I hope that a small project in Nuneaton can soon be put to bed; it has been most helpful to me to have the opportunity to bring a range of valuable comments from the arboricultural professionals that I deal with into my report on behalf of my client. Hopefully, the outcome will be consent for the proposed development.
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