Tree Surgeons Cookstown

People in Cookstown who try to do tree work on their own, or by using an unqualified operative could cause a risk of damage to the trees, to property and to life. However, tree work is not a safe vocation, even for trained tree surgeons, who are familiar with all the hazards. On average there are one hundred and forty serious injuries and three deaths a year within the industry, making it among the most hazardous jobs in the United Kingdom and certainly not for novices to attempt.

A poorly maintained or damaged tree can also pose a danger to life, with around five people annually being killed by falling branches or trees in the United Kingdom. You could be liable for any compensation to a third-party as a consequence of your actions, if you bring in somebody to do tree work and subsequently an injury occurs, or property is damaged. This is why retaining the services of an established Cookstown tree surgeon to work on your trees is imperative. (Figures sourced from HSE).

A seasoned tree surgeon in Cookstown ought to be an approved member of one or both of the two professional industry bodies found in the United Kingdom. You can view the membership and professional standing of any Cookstown tree surgeon on the websites of either the Arboricultural Association or the International Society of Arboriculture. On this webpage you can check for membership of either of these 2 organisations, which gives the tree surgeon in question, recognised ARB Approved Contractor status.

If there is a problem during the course of the work, or after it's been concluded you are able to contact these professional associations for assistance in arbitration and for help and advice.

You shouldn't be afraid to politely decline the offer of an estimate from someone who you cannot find on this directory list, as at the end of the day, it's an approved contractor who you should be looking for. Once you're reassured of their professional accreditations and associations you should try and get a minimum of 3 quotations from different companies in the Cookstown area. There are a number of vital questions that you need to ask whilst you are in the process of getting the quotations, and due to the risks of the work involved, you should make it crystal clear that you need them to provide the answers. You should for example ask:

• How much insurance cover do you provide? You should not even consider a tree surgeon in Cookstown with less than £5 Million public liability insurance as stipulated by the AA and ISA.
• Do you offer written quotations? You should NEVER accept a verbal quote only. Only ever accept a written quote.
• Can I assess the quality of your work by contacting a person you've recently worked for? It is recommended that you carry out an independent examination of any recent work.
• Do you have documents to demonstrate that you have the proper qualifications, membership of the ISA or AA, and also a certificate for basic chainsaw use from the NPTC/LANTRA? The NPTC/LANTRA is a required certificate in law for any operative/tree surgeon who uses a chainsaw. Qualifications might include Certificates and National Diplomas in Arboriculture.

The written quote that you're given must include easy to understand specifics of the planned tree work. Who's responsible for the removal of waste, tree branches and stumps should be stated, as should information on any trees which might be protected, and the required steps to obtain permission to work on them. You should also make certain VAT has been included on the quotation. You have a responsibility for employing only capable people to work on your trees and property, and it is extremely important to understand that.

PRIOR TO WORK BEGINNING - The tree surgeon you have selected in Cookstown, will be able to investigate whether any of the trees on your property are covered by a TPO, and will check with the local authority if the green light for any tree work is forthcoming. To ensure the safety of the public, even protected trees need to be maintained so as to cut back old or dead wood, so discovering that a tree is protected doesn't mean that you are unable to carry out important work.

If your property in Cookstown is situated in a conservation area then a minimum of 6 weeks written notice must be given to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) before any tree work can be conducted. This notice is not required if the tree stem is under 7.5 centimetres in diameter when measured at 1.5m above the ground. Notice is also not a requirement if pruning or thinning of a protected tree's branches is vital in order to sustain and promote growth.

Your Cookstown tree surgeon will decide on the remedial treatment required and how the required outcome can be achieved with safety in mind after carrying out a full assessment of your trees health. This will include a full risk assessment of areas that could be impacted by falling debris, such as on your property, in public areas, and on the properties of next door neighbours. At this point, the level of protection required and the number of operatives needed will also be established. To keep the public and other property safe from damage or harm, this will include both personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety precautions.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - To keep unauthorised persons and passers-by away from the area of work, safety measures and barriers should be put in place before any tree felling, cutting of branches or climbing commences. Traffic might need to be temporarily stopped if there's any risk of debris falling onto a public highway.

Different kinds of tree work will demand that the tree surgeon has varying degrees of protection. At the bare minimum when working with a chainsaw they'll be wearing specialist protective clothing to prevent cutting injuries to the torso, hands and legs. All operatives involved in the work should be wearing head and eye protection, and high visibility clothing, at all times.

Extra workers will generally be necessary to help with the safe removal of high branches and heavy sections of tree trunk, particularly if working at height is involved, and where safety climbing equipment and ladders are being deployed. For the removal of waste, access to the work site will be necessary. So, it is advisable to inform your neighbours, since a skip or other transportation vehicle will need to be stationed as close as possible to the work area whilst work progresses.

AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - The area can be cleared of all debris, and all the waste can be transported away, once all of the work has been accomplished. Your tree surgeon will then prepare and sign off a certificate of work, a copy of which will be presented to you. This is especially important where trees covered by a protection order are involved. Footpaths and roads can then be re-opened to the public, and any safety measures places in public areas taken away.

If you have any problems or issues with the completed work, you should first address them with your tree surgeon in order that they can be put right immediately. If your tree surgeon is a signed up member of a trade association, and there's any further dispute, you can obtain advice and guidance from the International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association so as to come to a satisfactory solution.

Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus Fraxineus)

A damaging fungal disease which is expected to decimate close to 80 percent of the current British ash trees, over the coming years, ash dieback was first documented in Britain in 2012, when a nursery brought in 2000 trees from Holland. Having a similarly damaging effect on the beautiful British countryside as Dutch Elm Disease (DED), ash dieback is just another setback for the UK's tree stocks.

A highly destructive disease of trees of the Fraxinus genus, ash dieback has a particularly devastating effect on the British common ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Believed to have originally come from Asia where the native species of ash (Fraxinus chinensis and Fraxinus mandshurica) were more resistant, the fungus which causes ash dieback is called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (H. fraxineus), and it blocks its water transport (vascular) systems, causing it to die.

Readily spread by minute spores produced by the fruiting bodies of the fungus, and are able to be blown for miles on the wind, ash dieback can now be found in most parts of Britain with mortality rates of up to 85%.

Ash dieback is recognisable by symptoms like:

• New growth appears from previously dormant buds (epicormic growth).
• Foliage that wilts, turns black and falls early.
• New shoots and leaves which are visibly dying during the growing season.
• Dark patches on leaves during the summertime.
• Dark brown necrotic lesions (often diamond shaped) form where branches meet the trunk.

Sometimes ash trees are seen to ward off initial infections, but as the disease returns year after year, they ultimately perish. Because it's an airborne disease there's no obvious option for stopping its spread, and no cure for ash dieback.

Whilst the Forestry Commission's "Tree Alert Service" is presently only interested in reports of cases in new areas where the disease has not previously been reported, if you are concerned about an ash tree in your garden in Cookstown, you should bring in a local arborist or tree surgeon to verify that you're correct in your diagnosis and suggest a plan of action.

Protecting Trees in Winter

Even though the winter weather conditions are rarely severe enough to justify protecting your trees and shrubs, it's definitely worth considering as a precautionary measure. In fact, even plants, shrubs and trees that we generally consider to be hardy, can benefit from some added protection in the colder winter months.

When you have trees in your garden in Cookstown, it is high winds that cause the biggest concerns, and they might still be at risk even though a lot of them will have already shed their leaves come winter, offering less wind resistance. If the weather in Cookstown is windy, and a tree in your garden looks to be weakened or in danger of falling, it is recommended that you bring in a tree surgeon to check whether any remedial action is required. Trees and tree branches can also suffer damage due to heavy snow, so keep an eye out for trouble in this kind of weather. Some trees and shrubs, in particular freshly planted ones, may need a bit of protection from ice and frost, and a thick layer of mulch can help keep the soil around their bases frost-free.

Tree Transplanting Cookstown

Removing a mature tree and transplanting it in a new location may sound tricky, but with powerful, modern lifting equipment and truck mounted spades, it's become a fairly simple undertaking. A specialist tree removal service in Cookstown will be able to move any trees you have on your property, or transplant adult trees for an instant aesthetic appeal.

Moving trees in Cookstown can be accomplished throughout the year, but in warmer months, soaking the ground becomes especially important in order to cause as little stress on the root-ball as possible. To raise a tree from the earth a tractor based mechanical spade is forced down into the ground to encircle the main root ball, before hauling the whole thing free. The uplifted tree can then be stored temporarily before its transplanting in a new location.

Even protected trees can be lifted and transplanted by a competent tree moving contractor in Cookstown, providing all appropriate legislation and preservation orders are granted by the authorities and woodland organisations. You'll be able to obtain tree transplanting specialists in Kildress, Derrychrin, Drum Manor, Tullyhogue, Galbally, Ballyroan, Stewartstown, Toomebridge, Castledawson, Desertmartin, Pomeroy, Coalisland, Coagh, and Cookstown, Northern Ireland..

Skills and Knowledge Required by a Tree Surgeon in Cookstown

• To be able to undertake common tasks on a computer or hand-held device.
• Have the ability to maintain, use and repair equipment and tools.
• Be professional and capable of completing tasks within a set period.
• Have an organised way of working.
• The capacity to work happily with others.
• Be able to work well with your hands.
• Have a good understanding of public safety and security.
• Decent customer skills.
• Have patience and the ability to stay calm in stressful circumstances.
• Be conscious of the complexities and dangers involved in all areas of work.
• Physical skills such as movement and coordination.

Dead-Wooding Cookstown

The practice of dead-wooding (or deadwooding) is an important element of tree care in Cookstown, and any skilled tree surgeon will be able to offer this service to you. Calling for the removal or dead and dying branches which could pose a threat to vehicles, homes or passers-by, dead-wooding can make a tree both healthier and safer. The most typical reasons for tree branches dying off are attack by pests, disease, root damage or light deficiency, and this is in fact a purely natural process.

Although the most frequent rationale for getting rid of dead branches is one of safety, it's also sometimes done to benefit the tree, or for aesthetic reasons. A tree that has an excessive number of dead, dying and damaged branches is prone to the spread of disease and insect infestation, therefore you can radically improve a tree's health by removing these compromised branches. A tree with lots of dead wood may also have an unsightly appearance, so this must be removed to get your tree looking great once again.

Only the largest dead branches will usually be cut out, because in most cases the small ones won't pose any great risk. However, where trees are overhanging a public area, a road, a park, a garden or a house in Cookstown, it might be recommended to remove any dead limbs that are more than 50mm in diameter. (Tags: Deadwooding Trees Cookstown, Dead-Wooding Cookstown, Deadwooding Cookstown, Deadwooding Surgery Cookstown).

Daily Tasks of a Tree Surgeon

• Tidy area on completion and remove waste products from client's site.
• Service equipment like wood chippers and chainsaws.
• Tree planting and transplanting.
• Prepare telephone or on-site price quotes for clients.
• Prepare tree survey reports for commercial and domestic customers.
• Be proficient with power tools and equipment.
• Chip and cut branches and logs.
• Climb trees to prune or remove branches.
• Fell and remove trees and perform stump grinding.
• Establish hazards presented by trees.
• Evaluate the health of trees and create plan of action.
• Work with customers and complete administrative tasks.

Tree Removal Cookstown

Trees are generally perceived as beneficial, so tree removal should be a final resort. On the other hand, there are genuine reasons behind removing a tree from your garden or property in Cookstown. Some of the most common reasons for needing to perform tree removal are if: the roots are obstructing retaining walls/foundations, your tree is too large for its setting, your tree is damaged, you've got a dying/dead tree, the tree is hampering a new construction project, the tree presents a threat to safety or the tree is infected/diseased.

Conservation Areas & Tree Preservation Orders Cookstown

Before performing any serious work on your trees in Cookstown, you must make certain that none of them have TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders) If you contact your local planning authority, they will advise you whether any trees on your property are subject to a TPO. If one of your trees have TPOs, you are prohibited from undertaking wilful destruction, wilful damage, lopping, removal, topping, uprooting or felling, without written approval from the local authority. Your tree surgeon should be able to explain the process and help you with any checks.

For those of you who live inside a conservation area in Cookstown, no less than 6 wks written notice has to be given to the local authority if you want to perform any work on a tree with a diameter of 75mm or more (1.5m from the ground).

Health and Safety Considerations

Tree surgery can definitely be a dangerous procedure if done badly, for this reason one of the principle considerations is the safety aspect. If the "tradespeople" carrying out the work are untrained or inexperienced, there are a number of things that can easily go awry such as not wearing hearing or eye protection, a lack of head protection, failure to wear cut resistant apparel (particularly trousers and safety boots), not cordoning off the work area to protect passing pedestrians and vehicles, falling branches and timber and little protection from falling, in the shape of platforms, harnesses and ropes. What could be in jeopardy due to these incompetencies are fences and garden features, pedestrians, personnel on the ground, the people living in the property, passing and stationary vehicles, the street facilities, the actual tree itself, nearby structures, the tree surgeon himself (person working in the tree).

Woodland Clearance Cookstown

Clearing land by woodland clearance in the Cookstown area can be impacted by national and local limitations in effect, depending on where your ground is, and what flora and fauna is located in the area to be cleared. Hiring the skills of a specialist Cookstown tree surgeon for woodland clearance, will see them apply for any relevant permits, observing applicable covenants and protection orders, and use eco-friendly procedures in clearing the area.

A thorough site survey will be carried out by a professional tree surgeon who'll also liaise with woodland organisations and authorities to make sure that your woodland clearance is done safely and legally. If it's found that protected animal or plant life is in the area that needs clearing, it is necessary to move these flora and fauna, if approval is given by the relevant authorities.

It is going to be much more economical to employ a specialist Cookstown tree surgeon to carry out your clearance project, because the mulching, chipping and felling equipment that's necessary is extremely expensive. (Tags: Woodland Clearances Cookstown, Woodland Management Cookstown, Woodland Preservation Cookstown, Woodland Clearance Cookstown).

Tree Cable Bracing Cookstown

In specific situations where a tree shows signs of decay, damage, or is a threat to nearby property or persons, a method called cable bracing may be used to provide support for the tree. Where it is undesirable to fell a tree or remove large, unsafe sections, due to the tree being old or valuable, cable bracing is the perfect solution.

To give additional support to weak limbs, V-shaped forks and defective joints in a tree, a purpose designed cable bracing system can be used. Most tree surgeons in Cookstown will be prepared to carry out various types of bracing work through the installation of rods and cables to alleviate structural stresses and extend the lifespan of old and specimen trees.

Cable bracing does not cause additional damage to the tree by drilling and bolting the branches, and offers a flexible and shock-absorbing means of support that is largely non-invasive. An extensive risk risk assessment, to guarantee the safety of the tree and adjoining areas, needs to be completed before the commencement of any cable bracing project in Cookstown. (Tags: Cable Bracing Trees Cookstown, Tree Cable Bracing Cookstown, Cable Bracing Cookstown, Cable Bracing Methods Cookstown).

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Stump grinding machines - article 678.

Tree Surgery Tasks Cookstown

Cookstown tree surgeons will likely help with tree topping, tree work, shrub maintenance, crown raising Cookstown, woodland management Cookstown, root removal in Cookstown, tree waste removal in Cookstown, crown removal, damaged tree cutting and removal, tree cutting, root flare exposure, crown cleaning in Cookstown, crown lifting Cookstown, hedge trimming, tree maintenance in Cookstown, tree bracing, air spading, safety inspections, hedge laying, stump grinding Cookstown, root grinding Cookstown, tree health monitoring Cookstown, pollarding in Cookstown, commercial tree care Cookstown, removal of storm damaged trees in Cookstown, formative pruning, stump treatment, terraventing, tree management, tree replanting, landscape clearance, tree reshaping, tree transplanting, coppicing, drop crotching and other tree surgeon services in Cookstown, Northern Ireland. Listed are just some of the duties that are accomplished by local tree surgeons. Cookstown companies will be happy to inform you of their entire range of services.

Tree Surgeons Near Cookstown: Also find: Castledawson tree surgeons, Tullyhogue tree surgeons, Drum Manor tree surgeons, Kildress tree surgeons, Pomeroy tree surgeons, Coagh tree surgeons, Desertmartin tree surgeons, Derrychrin tree surgeons, Coalisland tree surgeons, Toomebridge tree surgeons, Stewartstown tree surgeons, Ballyroan tree surgeons, Galbally tree surgery and more. All these areas are served by local tree surgeons. Cookstown homeowners and others can obtain quotations by going here.

(Created with tree surgeons Cookstown text version four.)

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