Glossary
Arb terms, plainly.
The jargon that shows up in NPTC papers, FISA guidance and yard chat — explained in English you can use.
- Bore cut
- A cut that enters the tree through the side of the trunk to set a hinge before the back cut — used to control fibre pull and prevent splitting on heavy-lean stems.
- Hinge wood
- The strip of uncut wood left between the sink and back cut. It steers the fall and is the single most important feature in directional felling.
- MRT
- Moving Rope Technique. A two-line, friction-hitch climbing system using a doubled rope around an anchor — the traditional UK climbing method.
- SRT
- Stationary Rope Technique. A single-line system where the climber ascends a fixed rope using a mechanical ascender — common on modern jobs for efficiency.
- Type A trousers
- Chainsaw protective trousers with cut-resistant material on the front only. Suitable for occasional ground operators where chain-side contact is not credible.
- Type C trousers
- Chainsaw protective trousers with cut-resistant material on all sides of the leg. Required for any climbing or aerial saw work.
- Exclusion zone
- The marked area around an operation in which only the authorised operator may stand. Distances vary by task — see CS30, CS31 and FISA 302.
- Root plate
- The base of a windblown tree, including the disc of soil and roots lifted as the tree fell. Under tension; reads as alive even when the tree is down.