The message
from martin contains these words:

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

That depends where you are in the UK.

You can reckon an average of two hurricane force winds a year in the
Utter Hebrides. Here in East Angular I've only seen one.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

In article ,
(John Towill) wrote:

Be aware that many insurance companies will not insure you if trees
are within, in some cases, up to 14 meters from your property

If that's true, about half the houses in this town are uninsured.
There's loads of street trees, neighbours trees and I've nearly won the
battle against Sycamore saplings.

Also, 100m form me some houses are being built much less than 14m from a
magnificent Lime. Other recent developments have included Silver Birches
*planted* closer to buildings than 14m.

When I was a lad, we had two 70' Poplars about 70' from the house. They
were perfectly safe from the chainsaw merchants who regularly knocked on
the door offering to fell "Those dangerous trees". Then we moved :-(

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
(John Towill) wrote:

Be aware that many insurance companies will not insure you if trees
are within, in some cases, up to 14 meters from your property

If that's true, about half the houses in this town are uninsured.
There's loads of street trees, neighbours trees and I've nearly won the
battle against Sycamore saplings.

Also, 100m form me some houses are being built much less than 14m from a
magnificent Lime. Other recent developments have included Silver Birches
*planted* closer to buildings than 14m.

When I was a lad, we had two 70' Poplars about 70' from the house. They
were perfectly safe from the chainsaw merchants who regularly knocked on
the door offering to fell "Those dangerous trees". Then we moved :-(

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
(John Towill) wrote:

Be aware that many insurance companies will not insure you if trees
are within, in some cases, up to 14 meters from your property

If that's true, about half the houses in this town are uninsured.
There's loads of street trees, neighbours trees and I've nearly won the
battle against Sycamore saplings.

Also, 100m form me some houses are being built much less than 14m from a
magnificent Lime. Other recent developments have included Silver Birches
*planted* closer to buildings than 14m.

When I was a lad, we had two 70' Poplars about 70' from the house. They
were perfectly safe from the chainsaw merchants who regularly knocked on
the door offering to fell "Those dangerous trees". Then we moved :-(

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

The message
from martin contains these words:

On 8 Oct 2003 20:31:24 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

Its a wind of 47-54 mph.

Eh?

West Scotland had gusts of 60 to 70 mph this week,more forecast for
tomorrow, which is nothing unusual at this time of year, and nowhere
near as strong as winter winds.

Janet

The message
from martin contains these words:

On 8 Oct 2003 20:31:24 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

Its a wind of 47-54 mph.

Eh?

West Scotland had gusts of 60 to 70 mph this week,more forecast for
tomorrow, which is nothing unusual at this time of year, and nowhere
near as strong as winter winds.

Janet

The message
from martin contains these words:

On 8 Oct 2003 20:31:24 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

Its a wind of 47-54 mph.

Eh?

West Scotland had gusts of 60 to 70 mph this week,more forecast for
tomorrow, which is nothing unusual at this time of year, and nowhere
near as strong as winter winds.

Janet

On 8 Oct 2003 21:55:52 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
martin wrote:

I would bet good odds on an inspection showing parasitic fungal
infection.

You would lose your bet.

Hmm. How thoroughly did you inspect them?

more thoroughly than you.


From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

Er, no it isn't. That is true in the relatively calm east,
but it
regularly gets to force 10 and above in the north west, and on high
ground in the far north.

how far north west?

And silver birch grows in places where that
is common.

I quoted a weather site.


Yesterday there was a storm of force 8-9, trees were uprooted and
there was structural damage locally.

Because it is unusual for YOU. In the Western Isles, a wind of that
speed is just what they expect. Seriously.

and are the Western Isles covered in silver birch?
--
Martin

On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 23:09:23 +0100, Jaques d'Altrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

We have some opposite our houses which were planted in the late 1930s.

but then again you don't live 5 miles from the North Sea coast in a
flat landscape, the ground is sand not soil, with frequent force 8 and
9 gales in autumn and winter.

Nor does Bilbo, I'd warrant.

:-)
--
Martin

On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 23:13:04 +0100, Jaques d'Altrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

That depends where you are in the UK.

You can reckon an average of two hurricane force winds a year in the
Utter Hebrides. Here in East Angular I've only seen one.

is that where Bilbo lives?
--
Martin

On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 00:12:26 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

On 8 Oct 2003 20:31:24 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

Its a wind of 47-54 mph.

Eh?

West Scotland had gusts

"gusts" Wind forces in weather forecast are average.



of 60 to 70 mph this week,more forecast for
tomorrow,

The forecast is for force 8-9 i.e max 54 MPH

THE SHIPPING FORECAST ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE
AT 1130 ON THURSDAY 09 OCTOBER 2003

THERE ARE WARNINGS OF GALES IN VIKING FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH
ROCKALL MALIN HEBRIDES BAILEY FAIR ISLE FAEROES AND SOUTHEAST
ICELAND

THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS AT 0700
LOW 150 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ICELAND 970 EXPECTED FAIR ISLE 982 BY
0700 TOMORROW. HIGH 250 MILES WEST OF FITZROY 1029 MOVING SLOWLY
EAST AND DECLINING 1022 BY SAME TIME

THE AREA FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS

VIKING
MAINLY SOUTHWESTERLY 5 OR 6, INCREASING 7 OR GALE 8 IN SOUTH. RAIN
OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

NORTH UTSIRE SOUTH UTSIRE
SOUTHWESTERLY 5 OR 6, OCCASIONALLY 7 LATER. RAIN OR SHOWERS.
MODERATE OR GOOD

FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH
WESTERLY 6 INCREASING 7 OR GALE 8, PERHAPS SEVERE GALE 9 LATER.
RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD


which is nothing unusual at this time of year, and nowhere
near as strong as winter winds.

Statistically for most locations in the UK the probability of a force
10 occurring on a particular day is low. Happy?

Because of the UK's shape and position it gets weather extremes.

Getting back to silver birches, if they are planted in sandy soil in
an exposed location, where there are extreme winds, then the wind will
eventually uproot them, especially if the leaves are still on the
trees.
--
Martin

A good silver birch site is

http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.birch.html
--
Martin

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(John Towill) wrote:

Be aware that many insurance companies will not insure you if trees
are within, in some cases, up to 14 meters from your property

If that's true, about half the houses in this town are uninsured.
There's loads of street trees, neighbours trees and I've nearly won the
battle against Sycamore saplings.
Snip
Also, 100m form me some houses are being built much less than 14m from a
magnificent Lime. Other recent developments have included Silver Birches
*planted* closer to buildings than 14m.
Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
It is true, I live in the country and generally mature trees are further
from property than urban areas. Near us is a large 1930s estate with trees
very close to property. I pointed this out to the first insurance company
to refuse cover, they were unimpressed. The brokers I went through were a
little puzzled, but on investigation they found that a number of insurance
companies would not cover damage caused by the trees, though the distance
from the property did vary quite a bit, however they did find me one that
would. They also pointed out that if the insurance company failed to point
out the exclusion they would have to pay.
Cheers
John T

The message
from (Steve Harris) contains these words:

In article ,
(John Towill) wrote:

Be aware that many insurance companies will not insure you if trees
are within, in some cases, up to 14 meters from your property

If that's true, about half the houses in this town are uninsured.

Probably some who are insured have older policies that predate the
questions about distance from trees and waterways which many insurers
now ask new policy applicants. But if you move house, or insurance
company, you're very likely to be asked those questions and as John
said, insurers are becoming a lot pickier about which risks they will
take on.

Janet.

The message
from martin contains these words:

On 8 Oct 2003 20:31:24 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


From your other posting, it isn't the wind that will
worry them (a MERE force 9 is a trifle!

Force 9 is about as strong as it gets in UK most of the time, Force 10
is rare.

You've led a sheltered life :-)

Its a wind of 47-54 mph.

West Scotland had 60-70 mph winds last week. This weekend, the central
belt (inland)is forecast to get 60 mph and the north, 70 mph. These are
unexceptional readings at this time of year and much less severe than
winter gales.

Janet