A fallen tree by a road

Trees provide many benefits which are valued by society. They can screen eyesores, soften built form, cool and filter the air and reduce wind speeds. They provide shade, and habitats for wildlife. Their growth, form and habit provide a connection to nature and the changing seasons. They provide pleasant settings in which to exercise, aid recovery from illness and promote feelings of well being.

Trees are however large biological organisms. Their health can decline and structural integrity fail as a result of mechanical defects, disease or decay. Trees or tree parts (Hazards) can weigh as little as a few kilos to several tonnes. Tree parts (twigs, branches and large limbs) can fall from considerable heights increasing their impact force and severity of damge whilst failure of roots or the trunk can result catastrophic failure of the whole tree.

If the trees are small or located away from roads, buildings and frequently occupied areas (Targets), the likelihood of damage or injury occurring (risk), is very low. Conversely trees close to highways buildings and frequently occupied areas pose a significantly greater risk as failure is more likely to result damge, injury or death. The overall risk of serious injury or death in the UK is considered to be very low, however this is of little consequence to the injured party or their family when an accident does occur.

Tree owners and managers in the UK are required by both Common and Statute law to ensure their trees are reasonably safe and do not pose an unacceptable level of risk to visitors to the site or neighbours of the land on which trees are located. This does not however require that trees are maintained completely risk free as this would be an impossible task to achieve.

Owners and managers of large organisations or commercial premises have a further duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure a safe place of work and to protect non employees from risks associated with their enterprise (which includes their premises). Suitable risk assessment of large sites may identify various levels of risk and use which require different levels and frequency of inspections (zoning).

Trees close to buildings and frequently occupied areas pose a significant risk if they fall

In order to discharge the duty an owner or manager must be able to show that their trees have been managed in a reasonable and proportionate way. Trees should therefore be inspected at regular intervals based on the level of risk posed. A competent person, owner or employee who has a basic knowledge of trees and their defects could carryout the initial inspection. They should however, be aware of the limits of their knowledge and know when to seek further advice. If the inspection identifies anything which could be considered different from a normal healthy tree, advice should be sought from a qualified, competent and experienced arboriculturalist.

Unless the trees are owned by a commercial enterprise or large organisation it is not a legal requirement to keep records of the inspections or risk assessments. It is however advisable to keep records as this proves a proactive system of tree inspections was carried out should an accident happen and a criminal prosecution or civil claim arise. A tree survey and tree report will identify the risks posed, works required to reduce them to an acceptable level and provide a specification and time frame in which works should be completed. Any specified works should be completed within prescribed time frames to ensure the duty of care has been met.

Where tree owners do not feel that they are competent to inspect trees themselves, they should employ professional tree surgeon who has sufficient skills, knowledge, ability, training and experience to inspect their trees in a competent manner. An instruction to carryout the tree inspection should be clear, unambiguous and preferably in writing. A suitably qualified person is likely to hold a recognised qualification in Arboriculture or Forestry and be able to show they maintain their knowledge through regular training events and reading. A person holding the Lantra Professional Tree Inspection certificate would be considered as being appropriately qualified.

Tree Maintenance Limited consultants provide a nationwide service to our residential and commercial customers helping them meet their duty of care in a structured and defensible way. We have many years experience in assessing the health, safety and condition of trees on all sites from large commercial premises to highways, to single private residential gardens. We can help our clients formulate and implement tree management systems and risk limitation strategies. As Arboricultural Association Approved Contractors we can also carry out specified works in accordance with industry best practice and British Standard Recommendations for tree works 2010.

All of our consultants are highly qualified Arboriculturalist who hold the Lantra Professional Tree Inspection qualification. In order to maintain and improve quality, all members of the consultancy team follow a programme of continuous professional development and attend regular training events. Staff are professional members or fellows of the Arboricultural Association and members of the International Society of Arboriculture, Consulting Arborist Society and the Royal Forestry Society.

If you would like to know more about your responsibility as a tree owner or manager please contact our office on 01285 760466 or email your enquiry to via this form and one of our consultants will contact you.

As the chainsaw is the main tool of our trade, training in this area is a legal obligation

Have you ever wondered what training is required for someone to become a tree surgeon, or what skills are needed in order to get started in this interesting career? In this blog we aim to give you an insight into what training is required to become a skilled and proficient tree surgeon and also to highlight some of the other related skills that tree surgeons are required to have that you may not be aware of.

First of all, it’s important to stress that in addition to all the training received through official training bodies such as NPTC, LANTRA and City and Guilds, a huge amount of valuable in-house training also takes place. Although this provides no certification or qualifications, it is essential to fully develop the skill sets needed for both working in the tree canopies and for being part of the team on the ground. For some things we do there is little substitute for hours on the job, or ‘Air Time’ as some of our climbers like to call it.

Knowledge of proper risk assessment for this type of operation is essential

The first important part of training as actually very simple, but easily overlooked and that’s an induction into the company to learn about how the company operates and how systems of work are followed. It begins with understanding how everything ties into the company Health and Safety Policy and how all work is lead by a rigorous system of risk assessment. Examples of other things covered would include emergency procedures, safe storage of machinery and substance, location of first aid kits and correct use and care of PPE (personal protective equipment). In fact these are just a few are many things that need to be included in the initial induction training.

Getting down to the interesting bit we move onto the first round of chainsaw training. As the chainsaw is the main tool of our trade and can pose a serious threat to the safety of the operator and others working alongside if used incorrectly, not to mention damage to the tree itself, training in this area is actually a legal obligation. There should be no one on site using a chainsaw without adequate training and a successful assessment leading to a certificate of competence. The first level of chainsaw training deals with chainsaw maintenance and basic cross-cutting and felling. Further training and certification is also available for more advanced chainsaw use, including for example felling of larger trees and dealing with windblown trees but this would not be undertaken until the first level has been covered and more experience gained.

Adam using a rope and harness whilst felling

In order to be allowed to work up the tree, training is required in the use of a rope and harness. The rope and harness is used not as a fall arrest system but rather as a work positioning system that provides safe access to the tree canopy. Alongside this, training for use of a chainsaw in the tree and aerial rescue would take place. Aerial rescue is a skill that we all hope we will never need to call on (just like first aid) but is viewed as an essential skill and therefore given top priority in the list of training given. No one should ever be carrying out tree climbing work without another member of staff on site who is properly trained and equipped to carry out an aerial rescue.

For access to the tree tops we also use a range of different access platforms, or mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPS). These vary in type and size and include trailer mounted, self-propelled platform mounted and tracked MEWPS. Again, like other equipment these can only be used by a competent, trained, certificated operator. MEWP’S are now becoming more widespread in the industry, particularly where trees are unsafe to climb or where multiple trees need to be accessed, such as street trees for example.

A Mobile Elivated Work Platform aka MEWP often used to access the tree canopy and to work from

To get more advanced, many climbers undertake training in pruning techniques and rigging techniques. Rigging is the use of ropes and various lowering devices in the section felling of trees. It allows for large pieces of timber and whole branches to be removed safely and lowered to the ground under control. This can be quite a complicated exercise, involving heavy loads and therefore due to its nature requires proper training to ensure staff and property remain safe.

Another essential piece of training required is in the safe operation of wood chippers. These machines are incredibly powerful and capable of pulverising almost anything that fits between the feed rollers. Although these machines are tough pieces of kit, they still require regular inspection and care and maintenance and specific knowledge is required to do so. Training for wood chipper use also includes maintenance and care of the machine.

First Aid training is mandatory and rather than having a single appointed person, we at Tree Maintenance Ltd put all our tree surgeons through industry specific first aid training every two years. This way we know there will always be a first aid trained person on site regardless of who is in need of first aid treatment. Thankfully, it’s seldom needed to be called upon in our company’s history.

Manual handling training is also required. This covers good lifting practices and techniques as well as work positioning and posture. It’s all about being aware of how the body works and knowing how to prevent situations arising that lead to injuries such as bad backs and other muscular skeletal disorders etc. Just like first aid, this training is provided to all of our tree surgeons.

Fire training is also required due to the fact that we are transporting, handling and using flammable liquids such as petrol and diesel. This training is only a brief session but it takes place in our company every year at the same time that all of our extinguishers are checked. All staff get the chance to try out extinguishers and become familiar with their operation in case of them ever being needed for real.

Whenever a team of tree surgeons carries out work that affects the highway, signing and guarding should be in place. However, this can not be set up by anyone. Staff that set up signing on the highway must be trained to do so and in addition someone in a management position must be trained at supervisory level. All our teams have at least one person trained in signing and guarding and we have two managers trained as supervisors.

Sometimes chemical application takes place, either to treat tree stumps to prevent them re-growing or to apply spray, for example to treat hedges against Cypress Aphid infestation. In all cases of chemical use tree surgeon operatives must be trained in both the safe storage and handling of chemicals as well as in their application.

As said before all work is lead by rigorous risk assessment and there is a requirement for staff to receive training in risk assessment. For most staff that can be in-house training such as given in tool box talks etc.. But above this level training needs to more in-depth and some of our staff receives training in Risk Assessment for Commercial Arboriculture.

As you can now see, there is a huge range of training required just to cover most things we as tree surgeons do and the subjects mentioned here don’t cover the whole list. This of course still doesn’t account for the qualification based training that takes place but just goes to show the levels needed to be achieved to operate with the law as far as employment and health and safety goes. We’ll go into the qualifications in a later blog when you will be able to find out just how much a professional tree surgeon has to know in this fascinating world of trees.

The Weeping Silver Lime

As tree surgeons (or Arborists to give the correct term) we are often privileged to be asked to undertake some really interesting work. A particular example being at Hatherop Castle School when we were called in for tree surgery. We were tasked to replace a really old brace that had broken on a massive Silver Pendant Lime tree. The brace had been fitted years ago to help support the two main stems that were left vulnerable due to a large wound in the main fork.

This Silver Pendant Lime stands in the grounds of the school, forming part of a valued collection of trees. That’s where specialist tree surgery comes in and tree surgeon intervention was needed not only for safety reasons, but also to ensure that they maximise the likelihood of retaining this specimen tree for many years to come.

The old chain brace -snapped and half engulfed

When we first saw the tree we were fascinated by the old brace. It had been constructed of heavy-duty chain wrapped around both the stems to create a supplementary support to the weakened main fork. We have no idea how the wound in the main fork had originally occurred, as it dates back too many years to tell and could have resulted from quite a number of scenarios. What was clear however, was that at some point in the past, someone had been concerned enough to fit these chains to offer the tree some support and reduce the chance of a catastrophic failure.

The tree gradually encompasses the old chains

As the years passed, the old chains had been gradually absorbed by the ever-expanding stems and in places the tree had grown right over the chains and hidden them from sight. As the stems continued to expand and the tree exerted more pressure from both incremental growth and movement, the chains finally snapped, no doubt also aided by the corrosion that had also taken place. Therefore, with an old wound in the main fork, a broken brace and evidence of the stems being particularly vulnerable, action was required sooner rather than later.

The replacement braces we were to install would be two steel cables, fastened to bolts that would pass right through the tree (above the main stems). The idea is not to take the load off the stems (the tree needs to do this), but to act as a supplementary support as part of the tree’s dynamic structure. Although the steel cables will last for many years, the tree will still require periodic inspections from a tree surgeon to check on its health and structural condition and to spot any early signs of potential problems. Checking the cables should be part of the inspection.

Steve in the tree with the cables

Luckily the day I was on site to install the new braces the weather was kind to us. Cable bracing is not a job for a cold or wet day, as it involves a lot of sitting around in a harness and not very much climbing around to keep warm! Ben Jones, one of our up and coming young tree surgeons was on site with me and he was looking forward to this job and to the opportunity of expanding his experience of cable bracing. Surprisingly, we don’t actually get to fit all that many cable braces so it takes a while for our tree surgeons to learn this part of the job.

The first job for Ben was to drill the holes through the stems where we had agreed to fit the through-bolts that would anchor the cable to the stems. This is the most awkward part of the job as it involves using a very long drill, powered by a chainsaw engine whilst sitting in a harness suspended on the end of a rope!

Ben drills a hole for the through-bolts

Whilst Ben drilled and prepared the holes for the through-bolts I made up the cable ends using cast steel threaded eyes and thimbles. These parts are used to form loops in the cable ends that allow the cable to be fastened to the bolts. Once these were made up I joined Ben in the tree to help him with assembling the cables. It’s much easier with two tree surgeons to install cable braces than it is with one, particularly long cables. Having two of us in the tree meant that we didn’t have to keep climbing from one side of the tree to the other during the installation.

Ben tensions a cable

Once the cables were in place, they had to be adjusted (with a special tool called a ‘Draw Vice’) to the correct tension. It’s important to get this bit right as too little tension means the cables won’t be effective and too much tension means the tree will be prevented from moving in a natural way, leading to lack of response growth (the tree’s only method of helping and supporting itself) and potentially total reliance on the cable. We have to remember, as mentioned before, that the cable need to be a supplementary support only.

Two cables both tensioned

Once the cables were installed and tensioned, the tail ends were cut to length and taped up to leave it looking tidy. A finished cable looks very neat and is surprisingly difficult to spot from ground level. So as you can imagine, it’s very satisfying for us as tree surgeons to be able to make a big difference to the long-term prospects of a magnificent tree such as this Silver Pendant Lime without having done anything as obvious as a crown reductionor branch removal. It makes quite a change from the things we do on a normal day and makes the job of a tree surgeon just that bit more satisfying!

However if action is required, your Arborist may use unfamiliar terms to describe the work recommended for your trees. He may also use common terms that don’t necessarily mean exactly what you may think they do. For example: if you ask him to ‘trim’ a shrub, he will need to decide if what is actually needed is to trim with a hedge trimmer or a prune to achieve the best results. As you can appreciate the two different methods of work could have very different results. So when an Arborist specifies a trim, you can assume this will be done using a mechanical trimmer, and a prune will be selective cutting of individual branches, usually using a saw and secateurs or loppers.

Below I will try to unravel the industry jargon for you and try to explain what each action should achieve and where it may be best used or avoided. But before I start there is one term that I will use repeatedly and that is ‘Crown’, to keep it simple this is the part of the tree that carries the leaves or needles (foliage).

Formative prune

This is the pruning, usually of young to Semi mature tree and shrubs so as to help them develop a good strong healthy structure or form. It usually entails removal of crossing and competing branches or a secondary leader. This process may need to be repeated several times while a tree is getting established. Good proactive formative pruning can save the need for move expensive, invasive ‘tree surgery’ later in the trees life.

Crown thinning

Crown thinning

This is the selective removal of branches to reduce the density of the tree. It should be achieved by removal of branches from throughout the crown (not only from the inner crown) to leave a crown with a balanced density, but no more than 30% of the foliage should be removed in a single year, as this may cause the tree stress. The minimum amount of branches should be removed to achieve the desired effect. Crown thinning on a smaller tree may be undertaken as part of the formative pruning, but on a larger tree may be specified for other reasons:

When to crown thin a large tree:

• To allow more light through the crown, reducing the density of the shade beneath the tree.
• To allow the wind to percolate through the crown, therefore reducing the likelihood of wind throw.

When not to crown thin a large tree:

• Crown thinning certain species has the effect of making the produce more growth along the branches, at best undoing the recent thinning and at worst making the crown denser than before you started. This can certainly be a risk with Limes, Maples and to a degree Oaks.
• Where a tree is already unstable due to a defect at the base or due to soil/root movement. In this instance a crown reduction may be more appropriate.

Crown reduction / reshaping

Crown reduction / reshaping

This is where the crown of the tree is made smaller, either all over or in a certain area to redress an imbalance of the shape. As with crown thinning no more the 30% of the foliage should be removed in one year and the out-come should be to leave the tree looking as natural as possible and not leaving large thick branch ends on the extremities of the crown. A good reduction/reshaping will leave the tree with a strong framework of large branches, which support enough smaller branches and twigs (leaf bearing material) capable of producing dense leaf coverage next season.

When to crown reduce/reshape:

• When a tree has become too large for its position, but removal of the tree is undesirable.
• When the stability of the tree is in question due to defects or movement in the ground.
• To address an imbalance or to prune to clear an object (e.g. building or street light).
• To maintain a specific crown shape (e.g. Pleached trees).

When not to crown reduce/reshape:

• Certain species react poorly to reductions, conifers in general (apart from hedges) do not reshape well and often look poor afterwards, and Maples especially will put on vigorous regrowth and become overly dense due to this growth.
• When a tree is obviously the wrong tree for its position, it may be best to remove it and start again with a more suitable tree.

Crown lifting

Crown lifting

This is the removal of the lowest branches to a specified height and where possible should be achieved by removal of smaller branches so to minimise stress to the tree. The crown of the tree should not be lifted to a point which is more than 1/3 of the overall tree height (i.e. leaving 2/3 of the trees height as crown).

When to crown lift:

• To open up a view or allow more light under the crown, this can often be more effective in increasing light level when the tree is close to where you need the light (reduction works are more suitable when the tree is further away).
• To separate a tree’s canopy from the ground, this can be to create space, make mowing easier or to improve the look of the tree (it can make a tree look more grand).

When not to crown lift:

• When the tree already has a high crown.
• When to achieve this large branches will need to be removed, this can store up problems for the future.

Crown Clean

This is the removal of unwanted material form the crown of the tree and may include some crown thinning, it would also include the removal of climbing plants (ivy etc) foreign objects (old tree houses, shopping trolleys etc) and parasitic plants like Mistletoe.

Pollarding

A true pollard is a tree that has peen cut back as a young tree and then repeatedly pruned to the same point creating a pollard knuckle. The term is often used (technically incorrectly) to describe a heavy reduction of a larger tree, which is then to be managed in the future as a pollard. This approach can work for certain species of trees and your Arborist should be able to advise you on this and also explain the management regime that will be required afterwards.

Trimming

This is generally the removal of the soft outer growth using a mechanical hedge trimmer. This method can be used on hedges, shrubs or trees and is generally repeated at least once a year.

Pruning

This is the selective cutting of branches and can be for many reasons; it may be isolated to a single branch or the entire tree/shrub.

For any more information on tree surgery give us a call on 01285 760 466.

An easily overlooked pathogen: Kretzschymaria deustra

Fungi are one of the most amazing diverse organisms on the planet. They take many forms from slimes and toadstools to rusts and mildews. They can colonise some of the most inhospitable environments and cause diseases in plants, animals, insects and micro-organisms resulting in ill health, decline and eventual demise of the host.

Fungi provide a wide range of benefits that include:

• Decomposing organic matter that releases nutrients back into their environment which otherwise would remain unavailable for plant growth
• Being a food source for plants and animals
• Being the basis of many antibiotics used for human and animal health
• Producing useful by-products used in the manufacture of food and beverages
• Forming symbiotic relationships with plants increasing their ability to absorb water and minerals
• Provide a degree of protection against the colonisation by aggressive pathogenic species.
• Decomposing the non structural internal vessels of trees, making the structure lighter and less likely to fail

They are unable to produce their own food as plants do through photosynthesis, but absorb essential nutrients and moisture from their surroundings. They are possibly one of the largest organisms on the planet as strands of fungal cells (hyphae) can occupy huge volumes of soil over large areas.

Fungi can be either:parasitic – colonising and living off a living host with no benefit to the host, saprophytic – colonising and degrading dead organic matter, or symbiotic where both the host and fungi exist with mutual benefit, such as mycorrhizea (root fungi) which obtain carbohydrates from the tree whilst improving roots ability to absorb water and mineral nutrients.

Unfortunately fungi can also be responsible for the degradation of load bearing structures resulting in their weakening, partial failure or complete collapse. In respect of trees, this degradation in strength can result in damage to property or injury or death of people.

Large cavity in decay resistant species – not significant to safety

Significant decay can occur in all parts of a tree’s structure including the roots, rootplate, trunk, main and smaller branches. Soft wood, holes (cavities), dead bark, growth deformations and declining health could indicate fungal colonisation which requires further investigation. Fungal fruiting bodies (brackets, toadstools or fronds) together with other indicators such as mycelium, rhyzomorhs, weeping spots and fungal crusts may or may not be readily visible to aid identification.

There are several ways in which fungi can colonise trees:

• There are fresh wound parasites whose spores colonise wounds caused by incorrect pruning works, storm, malicious or accidental damage.
• Heartwood colonisers primarily decay the dysfunctional and heavily lignified vessels deep within a tree gaining access through large wounds which expose heartwood or by the death of large roots below ground level. 
• A few species such as Honey Fungus (Armillaria sp.) and Conifer Butt Rot (Heterobasidion sp.) have the capacity to attack healthy uninjured plants by excreting chemicals which kill living bark forming their own entry point. They often colonise adjacent plants though root grafts resulting in groups of plants becoming decayed or dying.
• Finally there are latent fungi which are present in the tree as dormant cells from germination. These cells remain dormant as long as the tree remains healthy and fully hydrated as this excludes oxygen from the internal vessels. If tree heath declines or it is significantly damaged, oxygen enters the vessels allowing the fungal cells become active, resulting in wide spread decay. The Birch Polypore (Piptoporous betulinus) is an example of such a colonisation strategy.

Fungal fruit bodies (spore bearing structures) can take many forms. Some are large and clearly identifiable such as Giant Polypore meriplilus giganteus or Hen of the Woods Grifola frondo. Others produce inconspicuous fruit bodies that blend in with their environment or develop in small cracks and crevices or under small areas of loose bark. These can be difficult to identify to the untrained eye or can be easily hidden by vegetation.

Young small fruiting bodies: Meripilus gigantea

Fruiting bodies can be produced annually (forming and degrading in less than one season) such as Honey fungus Armillaria mellea. Others fungi produce hard or semi hard perennial (lasting from 1 year to the next) fruit bodies. Examples of these include Ganaderma sp. and Rigidoporus ulmarius. The colour shape and size of fruiting bodies can vary considerably depending on their age, form and environment. Making a positive identification can be difficult if not impossible where poorly preserved specimens are presented out of context or with little additional information. 

An easily overlooked pathogen: Kretzschymaria deustra

There is a complex interaction between the pathogen and host that determines the speed of colonisation, decay development and degradation of wood constituents. The wood of host trees varies enormously even between different species of the same genera. Wood can range from dense, heavily lignified and decay resistant wood fibres (e.g. Oak, London Plane) to that of fast growing species that develop large amounts of poor quality, easily decayed wood (e.g. Poplar, Horse Chestnut). If trees are otherwise healthy, the decay may be contained (compartmentalised) within a small proportion of the tree part
which continues to grow and encapsulates it. The tree may be able to add sufficient growth so as to compensate for the loss of internal wood and be at no greater risk of failing than any other similar tree without decay.  Trees with small crowns (a reduced sail area) or that sheltered by others may be at less risk of collapse than those with large spreading crowns or positioned in exposed or recently exposed locations.

Where decay is suspected, a competent, qualified and experienced Arboriculturalist should assess it. The extent of any examination will depend on the careful assessment of the environment, the value of the tree, the land use around the tree, the type and location of the decay; the age, size, exposure and health of the host.  It may require the use of specialist decay detection equipment such as micro drills or sound wave measurements to accurately determine how much un-decayed wood remains in relation to the diameter of the tree part.   This is essential, as the correct identification of the pathogen together with knowledge of the host and its environment is required to determine if the tree is acceptably safe. If the tree is found to have a high risk of failure a good Arboriculturalist will, where possible, recommend pruning to achieve an acceptable margin of safety rather than felling the tree in its entirety.

Do you have concerns about any of your trees? Why not contact Tree Maintenance Ltd. and arrange for one of our experienced tree consultants to help you choose the best course of action.

Beech hedge in need of a trim

There are many species of tree that can be grown to make suitable hedges, but probably the most common ones we come across (in no particular order) are:

• Yew,
• Beech,
• Hornbeam,
• Hawthorn,
• Laurel,
• Holly,
• Pyracantha,
• Berberis,
• Thuja (Western Red Cedar),
• Leyland Cypress,
• Lawson Cypress,
• Castlewellan (Golden Laylandii)
• and mixed species hedges.

Late summer through to autumn is when we carry out most of our hedge trimming and restoration but it can be done at other times. This is because the hedges have generally put on most of the growth they are going to for the year and that means they will be left tidy for the winter and not noticeably re-grow again until spring. Also, by working at this time of year the risks of active bird nests in spring and early summer and the frosts of winter are generally avoided.

However, hedges that require very severe restoration, involving either cutting back one of the sides to the main stems or cutting down to near ground level tend to be best cut in very early spring. This is when the trees are about to put their energy into producing new growth and will have a full growing season to toughen up the young shoots before the frosts of the winter. The window of opportunity for this type of work is short, as it has to happen before bird nesting begins.

Obtaining a level top requires some skill

The majority of hedges we work on only require trimming. This is usually an annual job and involves removal of one season’s growth. Hedges that are trimmed annually produce the best result in appearance with a neat tidy finish. They also don’t tend to get too large and are much easier to maintain than if left for years untouched. It’s quite surprising though just how much debris we remove from even a small hedge when carrying out an annual trim. The issue of debris and what to do with it is sometimes the deciding factor for a client to call us in the first place! Taking it away in our trucks saves endless journeys to the local tip with it stuffed into the car boot.

We get called out every year to deal with hedges that have been left alone for several years and their owners have lost light and space from their gardens as a result. In some cases the only answer is to fell it and start again by planting a new hedge, but in many cases we can actually restore the hedge to a more suitable size by cutting back hard. This does need to be carefully planed and sometimes done in stages over a few growing seasons. But hedges such as Yew, Thuja, Beech, Hornbeam and Laurel recover well and often much faster than a newly planted hedge would be able to become established.

It is worth noting that not all species will sprout from bare wood, meaning they only produce new growth from existing live foliage, so therefore it is important to know what you are doing. For example, trimming back or cutting the side of a Lawson Cypress hedge beyond the extent of the live growth, could spell disaster!

Hedges that are regularly trimmed have quite a definite point to trim to, particularly on the top, because the trimming actually encourages the hedge to thicken. But when we have to reduce the height of a hedge beyond this point we need to create a new level to work to.

Newly trimmed Beech hedge

We are often asked how we obtain a straight level top without a string line or a means of measuring. In fact, measuring or following a line can be harder than working by eye. However flat a garden, the ground nearly always undulates and this makes measuring from the floor very difficult.

When reducing the height of a hedge we take a point about either half way along its length, or the most prominent point to where the eye is drawn and here we mark the new height. From this new height mark we work along the hedge, cutting so that the hedge looks level from wherever in the garden or house it will be most viewed. This means that if measured, the hedge may indeed vary in height from one end to the other but it will appear level to the eye. A hedge cut strictly to a fixed level will more often than not appear like it slopes or is uneven. Allowances have to be made for hedges that are not planted parallel to a point from which they are most viewed from. Even if the top is level, the section of hedge closer to the viewing point will appear to be higher than the section that is further back. Therefore to obtain an even level to the eye a variation in the actual level of the top is needed. It’s a lot to think about isn’t it!

The tools we use for working on hedges are

• Hedge Trimmers (for removing or shortening either one or two season’s growth),
• Chainsaws (for cutting down the main stems or removing side branches),
• Loppers and hand saws (for removing growths too large for a Trimmer and too small to bother with a Chainsaw) and
• Secateurs (for fine pruning).
• For reaching high up the sides of a hedge we use step ladders and extendable ladders or a Long Pole Hedge Trimmer.
• When climbing the main stems to trim wide tops or to reduce the height a safety harness is often worn to prevent a fall.
• On some hedges a Mobile Elevated Access Platform (MEWP), otherwise know as a Cherry Picker is used.

If your hedge requires expert attention, please do give us a call. We’ll be happy to advise you on the best course of action and to provide a free quotation. After all – it’s what we do! For absolutely anything related to tree report, tree surgery just visit www.treemaintenance.co.uk

Healthy looking beech tree

I know we’ve not had much of a summer so far and to start talking about winter already seems to be just not far! But now is a good time to take a look at your trees to see if there are any early signs of a problem.

But first, my name is Martin and I have been working with trees for about 24 years, I have letters after my name to prove it. I have been with Tree Maintenance for over 12 years and split my time between climbing trees, quoting and consulting. One of these days someone will realise how much fun I have climbing trees and stop paying me, so better back to the blog… (my first one!)

So, you don’t have to be an expert to spot the early signs of problems, all you have to do is use a bit of common sense. Below are the four areas to look at:

• Ground
• Trunk
• Canopy
• Leaves / Needles

Now to take each one individually

Ground

Sometimes we spend all our time looking up without seeing a problem below. Have a quick look around the base of the tree for anything which looks out of place, e.g. exposed roots, large cracks or even a fungus. But remember, just because you find something doesn’t mean there’s a problem, it could just be time to get an expert in to have a look; better to be safe than sorry.

Trunk

The three main things to be looking for here are as follows:

• Cavities – a tree can lose over half its internal mass and still be able to survive (if the circumference is mainly intact). So finding a small hole does not condemn the tree, it only means you should get it looked at.
• Abnormal bumps – when a tree has an internal weakness which you can’t always see, it will put on what we call reaction growth, this is were it will basically try to make itself stronger at an area of weakness. This results in lumps and bumps appearing. Again this may not mean the tree needs work, only that it should have an expert look at it.
• Staining – this is often a sign of some internal defect, which again should have some further investigation.

Canopy

This involves mainly looking at the branch structure and the amount of dead wood. When looking at the branches you are looking for tight forks, which could be an indicator of a weakness, or rubbing branches may also cause long-term problems. The amount of dead wood in the crown will vary on different types of tree; overall some dead wood is to be expected, but if there is a lot then the tree may be in decline.

Leaves / Needles

Poor looking beech tree

A good indication of the tree health is the leaves. For example, if your beech tree has small yellowing leaves and the one next door has large dark green ones your tree could be showing the first signs of problem to with the soil or roots. However it could also mean that you have a golden beech which is quite rare! So it’s always good to know what is normal for that type of tree. Also the amount of foliage is a good indicator of a tree’s health.

So with all these tips you should be able to be able to spot a warning sign that your tree needs help. However, this is only a guide; if you are in doubt ask an expert (that’s what we’re here for!) Hope this has been useful in helping you look after your trees.

This post was brought to you by Tree Maintenance. If  you would like any assistance with your tree report, by all means give us a call.

Waste from tree work generally falls into 3 categories:

• woodchip
• timber and
• non -chippable waste (hedge trimmings, minor pruning, and contaminated sweeping from the floor).

One of our towable wood chippers

The vast majority of our waste is processed with wood-chippers (known in the trade as chippers) to produce woodchip. Although there are different types of chippers, all of our chippers are trailer-mounted machines that we tow behind our trucks and they are capable of discharging the woodchip directly onto the back of the vehicle. The waste that we can not process with a chipper is generally loaded onto vehicles by hand.

Some of our customers keep the waste produced from their job. The most common request is to keep the timber so it can be used for firewood, or occasionally for woodturning or carving and on rare occasions timber is kept for planking.  Woodchip is often kept by our customers for use on paths or on borders as a suppressant for weeds and to retain moisture.

So back to the waste we remove from site – what do we do with it all?

Firstly the woodchip:

This amounts to hundreds of tonnes a year and we stockpile this at our yard. Most of this woodchip we sell on for use as mulch for gardens or paths. The woodchip is first stored for several months to allow it to compost before it’s fit to be used as mulch. If fresh mulch is spread on a garden it can have an adverse effect on the plants because the nitrogen required for the bacteria that breaks down the wood gets removed from the soil. Therefore it’s far better to allow the woodchip time to compost before it’s used.

Loading for Biomass

We are often asked how much woodchip is required for a garden of a particular size. As a general rule of thumb a good depth to lay down the woodchip as a mulch is no less than 5cm.  We sell woodchip by the cubic metre and one cubic metre of woodchip will give a mulch depth of 5cm over an area of 20 square metres. Therefore by roughly measuring the area of garden to be mulched, it’s very easy to calculate the volume of woodchip required. We deliver the woodchip in bulk loads on a tipper truck and offer huge savings over the cost of buying it bagged from a garden centre.

The woodchip that we don’t manage to sell as mulch is sold for Biomass fuel for use at power stations.

Timber:

These days we tend not to remove much in the way of good quality timber because most customers either burn it themselves or have a family member or friend that utilises it. Our employees log the small amount of good timber we remove for use on their own fires at home (a small perk of the job).  The rest of it, generally conifer, Willow, Chestnut and other low-grade wood gets used by various other local company contacts for logs.

Non chippable waste:

Shredded waste is used as Biomass fuel

Hedge trimming creates a large volume of material that is not suitable to process with our chippers. In addition to this, we have quantities of material that is raked or swept up and is contaminated with soil and grit (which can damage chipper blades).  About once a year we hire in Green Waste Management Services Ltd, a specialist company with a commercial shredder, that is designed to process this sort of waste. Last time we did this, 850 tonnes was processed in 2 days! This shredded waste (sometimes mixed with woodchip) is then taken away for use as Biomass fuel at various power stations.

Unfortunately what ever we do with the waste from our tree work, a certain amount of energy will be used to process and transport it. We do our best to keep this to a minimum, through efficient work and journey planning and by processing waste in bulk quantities whenever possible. We also make sure that we sell as much of our woodchip locally as possible before we allow any to be transported further afield.

If you are looking for a tree surgeon, make sure you give us a call .

Most tree surgeons will offer a wide range of services to help you with any tree, shrub or hedge work that is needed. They should be able to offer good advice so your trees get the correct treatment, at the right time of year and in the most cost effective manner.

They should also be able to offer advice on managing your trees, shrubs and hedges. This advice should take into account how you like your garden to look and what is best for the plants. Don’t be surprised if the advice is to remove a tree or shrub and replace it with one that is more suitable for the position! You can spend a lot of time continually pruning a plant and still not have the result you would like. Remember each year you delay in making difficult decisions about replacing a tree or shrub, is a year of lost growth on the new plant!

When you have a tree that requires some attention, your first thought might be, can I do this myself or can my gardener do this? If it is a simple pruning job, the answer might be a clear yes. If the job is more than a simple prune or you are not sure how to achieve the result you would like without spoiling the tree, then I would suggest you need the services of a good tree surgeon.

Careful trimming of an overgrown conifer

After a lot of cutting, pruning and trimming in the garden, a substantial amount of waste is generated very quickly leaving you with a large pile to deal with. If your garden hasn’t got room for a bonfire, or burning would cause a nuisance to your neighbours, this waste must go off-site. This could mean several trips to the local tip, stuffing various bags full of the prunings and loading them into the car, then maybe even needing to clean the car afterwards. A well-equipped tree surgeon could either remove this as part of the job or even convert it into woodchip that could be left for you to use as mulch in the garden.

People often ask us to come and look at their trees with the thought that the tree needs reducing to let more light in. We often point out that even after the tree has been reduced it will cast a large shadow, but simply removing some low branches will allow more light under the canopy of the tree and solve the problem. This approach has great benefit as it is better for the tree, has less impact on the look of the garden and lastly will almost always be less costly than reducing the entire crown of the tree.

Reducing

Large Lime tree halfway through a crown reduction

This is where the entire crown (the bit with leaves) is cut back to leave the tree smaller.

Crown reduction can be effective:

• when a tree is further away, plus making its shadow smaller will allow more light to a given area
• or when a tree blocks the view, particularly from an upstairs window.

Other things to consider when deciding whether to call in a tree surgeon or do it yourself are:

• Trees take a long time to grow, so if pruned incorrectly they will take a long time to recover, if they ever do!
• DIY garden tools may not be up to the job, so you may not be able to achieve the quality of finish that a skilled tree surgeon would by using professional tools, and years of experience.
• Pruning and cutting tools, by their very nature, are dangerous, so if you’re not used to using them and you’re up a ladder, accidents can easily happen.
• AtTree surgeon through their skill, experience and equipment should bring added value to the job.

This post was provided by Tree Maintenance . If you need a tree surgeon In Cirencester and/or are looking for a quotation on tree report in Cirencester, then why give us a call on 01285 760466.

The Painswick Yews, maintained by Tree Maintenance Ltd for over 20 years

Once a year, usually in September, Tree Maintenance undertakes the trimming of the famous Painswick Yew Trees. Built in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Painswick boasts, in its centre, the magnificent St. Mary’s Church, that is host to this beautiful collection of Yew trees that were planted in the late 1700s. Rumour has it that there are 99 trees and every time the 100^th is planted it dies. Almost every year Tree Maintenance is asked about this rumour by passing tourists, but when invited, the tourists rarely accept the invitation to count the trees for themselves!

Tree Maintenance arrives on site

Tree Maintenance has been trimming the Painswick Yew trees for over 20 years. In the company’s early days of this mammoth exercise, 3 men would spend several days trimming the trees and by the end of it be thoroughly exhausted and glad that it was at last completed. Although the job would be arduous it always had its rewards. There is a real sense of pride in completing such a task and then looking at the finished job and seeing tourists from all over the world taking photos of the trimmed trees. In the last few years trimming the famous 99 trees has taken place in just one day with a very big team! This is quite some achievement and is attained by good team-work and a high degree of skill.

Work in progress

When referring to ‘trimming’ of Yew trees, this means the removal of the end growth from all the branches. This is the young shoots of the last growing season if done annually, or the last two year’s growth, if done bi-annually. This young growth can be removed with a hedge trimmer and if done over a period of years a compact smooth shape can be achieved leaving a sculptured tree. This achieves an ‘ornamental effect’ and also restricts and slows the growth of the tree. Removing more growth from a Yew tree than would be done by trimming is referred to as ‘reducing’, ‘cutting back’ or ‘pruning’ and entails cutting of the woody stems. For this a hedge trimmer is not suitable and a hand saw or a chainsaw is required instead. Normally the Painswick Yew trees are only ‘trimmed’, but from time to time further ‘cutting back’ has taken place on selected trees to regain space around the paths that has been lost over a number of years as the trees gradually expand in size, regardless of the regular trimming regime.

John and Bob trimming

September is a good time to trim Yew trees because it’s late enough in the year to ensure that no noticeable re-growth happens in the same year and therefore the trees remain looking tidy until early summer the following year. Also, it’s late enough in the year to avoid the worst of the summer heat that if hot enough can sometimes cause scorching of the cut ends and makes the trees look bleached. Trimming in periods of heavy winter frost needs to be avoided as this burns the cut ends and looks unsightly and can stress the trees. However, hard cutting back of Yews should take place in very early spring (but before bird nesting starts) as this give the maximum opportunity for the tree to put on young response growth and gives it a head start to recover.

So back to the Painswick Yew Trees, how does Tree Maintenance go about undertaking this task and what preparation takes place to make it happen?

A couple of days before the planned trimming takes place, all equipment required is thoroughly checked and prepared. Trimmers have to be cleaned, checked for wear and tear, worn parts replaced, gearboxes greased and cutter bars sharpened. Ladders and steps are inspected for defects, and blowers, rakes and tarpaulins are also checked to ensure they are fit for use. Due to the nature of the job and the fact that a large team of people require all the kit to be in top condition, everything has to be ready. A failure of machinery could mean the job not being completed in the tight schedule set and precious labour being wasted. Unlike someone working in their own garden on a weekend, a commercial team has to do things right first time and make them happen on time.

Rob (AKA Birt) trimms the top of a Yew

On the day of the trimming, one experienced foreman is in overall charge of the whole job. He is responsible for the organisation on site and for the ‘risk assessment’ that is completed before any work can take place. The risk assessment highlights the safety precautions that need to be put in place before work can commence. The main issue of safety when trimming the Painswick Yew Trees is controlling the public access to the churchyard. Great care is taken to ensure that no one can accidentally wander into a live work zone and be at risk of injury. The areas are controlled by marking-out with signs and barrier tape and by the use of vigilant ground staff. Another issue that is strictly managed is ‘Working at Height’. With many staff working from ladders and steps the ‘Working at Height Regulations’ have to be adhered to. These regulations stipulate a hierarchy of control measures that have to be in place before any employee can work at height. Adhering to the regulations and following the risk assessment is part of Health and Safety Law under the Health and Safety at Work Act and it’s the responsibility of all staff to comply with this and the responsibility of the site foreman to make sure it happens.

Looking back at the trees we have trimmed

In order to be efficient with a large team of men, the team is divided into 3 smaller teams, each led by a team leader and in each of these smaller teams each team member has a specific role. The main roles are laying out tarpaulins ahead of the trimmers to catch the falling debris and then shifting it to a central stock pile, trimming the lower canopies from the ground or step ladders and trimming the high tops from extendable ladders. Each team also has to ensure the public does not enter the marked-out work zones. The teams will start in different places at the far ends of the churchyard and progressively work towards each other, ending as one team nears the centre. This way all the staff and equipment end up in more or less the same place and the last of the clearing up and the packing away of tools is one final team effort with the Painswick Yew Trees looking splendid for another year.

Yew clippings are used in the production of anti-cancer drugs

Many people ask what happens to the clippings from the trees. A company called Friendship Estates collects these and the clippings are used as the raw material for the production of anti-cancer drugs, primarily to treat breast and ovarian cancers. Quoting from their web site, ‘The yew clippings should be one year’s growth from regularly clipped hedges or trees. This is because the required chemical is concentrated in the green, actively-growing parts of the plant. It is also important that the yew clippings are kept fresh – the active ingredient starts to break down as the clippings deteriorate. We are able to collect all types of Taxus baccata, including Irish and golden forms.’

With the exception of the office staff, all the Tree Maintenance Ltd workforce turn up on site, from the trainees to the surveyors, from the skilled climbers to the company Director, all are there for the grand occasion. It’s a tough job but one well worth doing, and above all, one that makes the team proud. So there you have it, an insight into the trimming of the famous Painswick Yew Trees!

Tree Maintenance carries out Yew trimming for many other customers in many other locations. They can often be found in Stroud and other surrounding places such as, Dursley, Tetbury, Malmesbury and Cirencester to name just a few.

The Tree Maintenance Team

This post was provided by tree maintenance specialists. If you need advice on your Tree Maintenance in Tetbury and/or a quotation, then why give us a call on 01285 760466.