Arboriculture Tree Service: Employing an Arborist

This is a Tree Service information page to help understand what you should be looking for when deciding to employ an Arborist or Tree Care specialist. Many landscape gardeners also supply arboricultural services and vice versa. Others offer an Emergency Response Tree Service or advice on How to Prune trees yourself.

When thinking of calling in a professional, it is wise to consider the following;

     
• Are they registered tree surgeons, trained and certificated to the NPTC standards?
     
• Are they part of other organisations such as the Scottish Skill Testing Services Standards?
     
• Are they predominately residential, commercial or public sector?
     
• Is the work is carried out in accordance with the guidelines of British Standards BS3998, PUWER 98, LOLER 98, MHSWR 99 and the relevant FTC and HSE requirements.
     
• Do they also offer a wood recycling and tree plantation Tree Service?
     
• Are they able to offer specific proposals for your needs – from small domestic work to large commercial projects?
     
• Are the Tree Care team and all their work fully insured?

Key Tree Care Services

Crown Raising – removal of lower branches to increase ground clearance – provides better access.

Crown Reduction – trimming the tree in such a way that its overall size and shape reduces – provides increased sunlight to the surrounding area.

Crown Thinning – removal of certain branches within the overall structure of the tree – provides increased sunlight as well as keeping the tree balanced.

Dangerous Tree Work – removal of some or the entire tree - prevents personal injury or damage to property.

Felling – complete removal of a tree down to ground level – provides access and sunlight.

Pollarding – removing a substantial amount of the tree crown and then regularly pruning at set intervals – provides long lasting access or sunlight without removing the tree completely. This is not a recommended approach to Tree Care.

Pruning – removing small amount of the tree crown – provides a more balanced tree appearance and prevents branches from obstructing property.

Site Clearance – remove trees and shrub from brown field land or allocated construction sites – provides access for future construction and compliant with legal Wildlife protection schemes.

Storm Damage - urgent rectification to trees - prevents further personnel and property damage.

Stump Grinding - removal of tree stump at or near ground level – provides access for future construction.

Tree Inspection - utilising state of the art decay inspection equipment, combined with fully qualified and experienced arboricultural surveyors, to provide quality tree condition reports as part of your 'duty of care' obligations when managing potentially hazardous trees.

Other Specialised Tree Service

Particularly commercial enterprises may seek more than a general Arborist. Some experience or qualification in the following may also be required;

     
• Emergency road work to local authorities, Highway Agency etc to provide access
     
• Planning application reports (BS5837: 2005 "trees in relation to construction") to the construction industry and small freeholds
     
• Power line surveying to the energy utility sector as part of their preventative maintenance strategy
     
• Rail line surveying for the likes of Network Rail etc as part of their preventative maintenance strategy
     
• Risk inspections on property trees to support bank/building society mortgage application process
     
• Road traffic management work to keep traffic moving while trees and shrub are removed
     
• Safety inspection reports to meet health &safety standards or as part of preventative maintenance
     
• Telecom line surveying to the likes of BT etc as part of their preventative maintenance strategy
     
• Wildlife protection reports to support the project and programme team

Article by: Tom Casey of Casey Tree Care