Tree Surgeons Hillingdon

Who you going to call? Tree surgeons! - Tree surgeons provide an essential service in the general care and maintenance of trees for a selection of clients in Hillingdon - both commercial and domestic. Tree related services such as: felling, the pruning of dead, invasive or weak branches, safe tree planting, hazard assessments and inspections, and general tree care, are only a few examples of what a competent Hillingdon tree surgeon can offer.

However, it's not simply trees that get a tree surgeon's pulse racing! A tree surgeon in Hillingdon will carry out other responsibilities, such as hedge care, trimming and maintenance and stump removal. Since they will be able to examine your tree, put together a report on possible hazards, and give you advice on the best way to proceed, a tree surgeon is the person to hire if you've got any worries about the structural integrity of a tree.

Tree surgery is an immensely risky occupation and most certainly a process that should only be tackled by a professional. Whilst you could be tempted to avoid the costs and go for a DIY approach, it would definitely not be the wisest decision to make. So as to undertake this type of work, tree surgeons must be qualified, experienced and physically fit.

Whilst swinging from a harness in a tree and high up in the air, tree surgery and care will normally require the use of dangerous power tools. This is definitely not an activity for a novice! To carry out a tree surgery project, a team of tree surgeons all specialists in their field, will commonly be involved, and this is likely to consist of both a ground crew and climbers. Competing with this level of risk assessment, competence and experience to complete the work, would be virtually impossible for any unqualified individual.

When you've decided that you need the help of a qualified tree surgeon in Hillingdon, you'll need to take steps to find a dependable one. But, how can you accomplish this? Well, there are several things that you will need to check, for instance costs and qualifications. Below, we'll outline some invaluable tips for obtaining the ideal tree surgeon to care for, maintain and carry out your tree needs.

To dispel any doubts that they are correctly trained and competent, you firstly need to make certain that they have the appropriate qualifications. The main governing body for tree surgeons and the one that issues certifications is the the NPTC (National Proficiency Tests Council). Any competent Hillingdon tree surgeon should hold the following certificates as a bare minimum requirement:

• NPTC 308 (CS39) - Operate chainsaw from rope & harness.
• NPTC 201/202 (CS30) - Basic cross-cutting & chainsaw maintenance.
• NPTC 203 (CS31) - Fell and process small trees up to 380mm (15 inches) in diameter.
• NPTC 206/306 (CS38) - Tree climbing and aerial tree rescue.

Despite the fact that there is no legal requirement for a tree surgeon to gain these certifications, if you can find one that does, it shows that they have had the right training to safely and successfully complete the task. It is also crucial that some First Aid qualifications are held by forestry workers, tree surgeons and arborists, and that they carry an appropriate First Aid kit in accordance with HSE workplace guidelines.

Next, you should ask 3 or 4 tree surgeons in Hillingdon to give different quotes for the work, and check their breakdown of the costs. Disposal costs for the large amount of waste that's often produced by tree surgery and maintenance, will quite often not be included in your quotation. The process of removing this waste can be very inconvenient and costly for the client, consequently if it's possible to get the tree surgeons to remove and dispose of this waste themselves, it would definitely be the best solution.

Also, you must be prepared to ask potential Hillingdon tree surgeons loads of important questions when you come face to face with them. For example, you need to make sure you know who is going to do the work. Will you be able to meet up with them before work begins? Is it going to be one person on their own, or will it be a team of arborists? Will my home or my neighbours be impacted by the work? What tree removal or surgery methods will be used? Precisely how long will the task take?

To avert any unpleasant surprises down the line, ask lots of questions.

Also, pay attention to how your tree surgeon speaks and what they say. Pay particular attention to the ways in which they describe the work they are intending to carry out, because this can provide you with useful clues as to their level of professionalism. If your so called 'tree surgeon' throws in the phrase 'lopping and topping', this could be somebody to avoid, as this kind of term is more likely to come from cowboys and rogue traders, who know very little about the modern techniques of tree surgery. More appropriate terminology like 'crown reduction', 'dead wooding', 'thinning', 'crown lifting' and 'pruning', should trip off the tongue of a tree surgeon in Hillingdon who is experienced, fully trained and professional. Whilst this might not invariably be a sign of ability, it can certainly be a helpful clue regarding the level of experience held by your tree surgeon.

To conclude, it is always worth taking the time to consult a number of tree surgeons in Hillingdon regarding any potential tree surgery or tree maintenance requirements you might have. As a result, you will get a job that is expertly undertaken, caters to all your needs and conforms to all the recommended health and safety guidelines.

Firewood and Logs Hillingdon

When you are looking for logs and firewood in Hillingdon, it is always worth contacting your local tree surgeon, because they can be a terrific source for this. This is no great surprise, as tree surgeons spend most of their days chopping down branches and trees.

Some tree surgeons in and around Hillingdon may be prepared to give you branches and logs free of charge, since they always have an excess of them to get rid of, while others will charge you for chopped and seasoned logs which are fully dried out and ready for burning.

Logs with a moisture level of below twenty percent are ideal for burning on your log burning stove or open fire, and these should have been dried out for a year or more. Typically tree surgeons in Hillingdon will have supplies of hardwood logs, and the advantage of these is that they give a sustained burn, and provide three or four hours of comforting heat. Softwood logs are great for getting a fire started, so if you can get hold of some of these too, that would be useful.

Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus Fraxineus)

A lethal fungal disease of ash trees that was first recorded in the British Isles in 2012, ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is likely to wipe out around 80% of the current ash tree stock. Set to have huge repercussions for our beloved countryside, ash dieback is probably going to be just as catastrophic as the preceding outbreak of Dutch Elm Disease.

A disease that affects the Fraxinus genus of trees, it has a particularly devastating effect on Fraxinus excelsior, the common ash that is native to the British Isles. The fungus which causes ash dieback is called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, and it originally came from Asia.

Ash dieback (or chalara ash dieback) has now spread to most parts of the UK, and is dispersed by wind blown spores which can travel for tens of miles, quickening the whole process.

Ash dieback is recognisable by symptoms such as:

• Dark brown lesions form where limbs meet with the trunk.
• Foliage that wilts, turns black in colour and falls prematurely.
• Leaves and new shoots which are visibly dying during the summer.
• New epicormic growth appears from previously dormant buds (common in stressed trees).
• Dark patches on leaves during mid to late summer.

To a certain degree, ash trees can fight the disease, however they eventually die as they're continually attacked every year. There is presently no effective treatment for chalara ash dieback, and no clear strategy for stopping it spreading.

If you think a tree in your local area is contaminated with ash dieback, or you're concerned about a tree on your property in Hillingdon, you should call in a local tree surgeon to affirm the diagnosis, and you could then report it to the "Tree Alert Service" provided by the Forestry Commission, although they're now only interested in hearing about cases in areas that were previously unaffected.

Trees affected - the genus Fraxinus.

Dutch Elm Disease

No longer the concern that it was at one time, Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) has wiped out many millions of precious elm trees right through the UK during the last fifty years or more. Caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi which is spread by the elm bark beetle (Scolytus), Dutch Elm Disease was imported into the United Kingdom accidentally in the late Sixties from North America (Canada).

Through the nationwide transportation of elm products like crates, saplings, bark mulch, and firewood logs with the bark still attached, it spread quickly through Great Britain after first arriving. Thought to have originated in Asia (possibly Japan), Dutch Elm Disease did not just affect trees in the British Isles, but also ravaged the stocks of elm trees in continental Europe, North America and New Zealand.

Dutch Elm Disease typically first manifests in early summer, and the main signs are:

• Twigs that turn into a "shepherd's crook" shape.
• Foliage that turns yellow, wilts and dies.
• Twigs with dark streaks under the bark.
• Shoots that die back from the tip.

The spread of DED has been dramatically slowed by the felling of infected, dead and dying trees, which has essentially eradicated the favourite habitat of the beetle. New saplings have also been successfully propagated from trees that have so far proved resistant.

If you suspect that you may have elm trees in your garden in Hillingdon, that might be infected with DED, you can put in a request for a diagnosis from the THDAS (Tree Health Diagnostic & Advisory Service), or speak to your local tree surgeon for guidance.

Tree Surveys Hillingdon

There are a number of situations where a tree survey may be needed, land development and property extension being the most commonplace. As outlined by BS5837 British Standards, if you happen to be clearing some land to make room for an extension to an existing property or a brand new house in Hillingdon, and there are trees standing on that land, you will need to organise a tree survey. Tree surveys in Hillingdon should be handled by a certified arboricultural surveyor or tree surgeon, and this holds true whether the survey is being conducted on either a private or public property.

If a tree survey is conducted properly, it will produce a whole bunch of information about the trees within the area specified. For instance:

• The age of the trees.
• The height of each tree.
• The health of the trees.
• The spread of the branches to the South, West, North and East.
• The life expectancy of the trees.
• Recommendations for tree management.
• The species of trees (either common or scientific).
• A unique tree reference number for each tree.
• The existence of any TPOs.
• The number of trees.
• The diameter of each tree (measured 1.5m above ground level).

If you happen to be altering an existing home in Hillingdon but you are not extending the building's footprint and are not modifying the access points or service lines, a tree survey will most likely not be required.

Chainsaws

Probably the most common piece of equipment used by Hillingdon tree surgeons, the chainsaw, in unskilled hands, is also the most dangerous. The preferred type of chainsaw with professional users is the petrol driven version, being easy to handle and more mobile, although you can buy rechargeable battery chainsaws and mains operated models. Petrol chainsaws are the only serious option for the heaviest tree work, being very robust, powerful and able to cut through branches and trunks of any dimensions.

A chainsaw is basically composed of a rotating motor-driven chain which is lined with a set of teeth which cut through the bark of a tree and the inner wood. There are also different types of chainsaw, top-handled for working at height (and which can be used single handedly if required), pole saws for hard to reach branches and long distance pruning and rear-handled for work at ground level (must be used with two hands).

You will very rarely find a tree surgeon in Hillingdon who does not use a chainsaw, although working at height a tree with a rapidly twirling blade in your hand isn't an especially safe thing to do. To be able to become a member of the AA (Arboricultural Association), being trained in the maintenance and safe use of chainsaws is one of the main requirements for professional tree surgeons.

For any person looking to purchase a chainsaw in the United Kingdom, there are numerous makes and models to choose from, but the most popular with tree surgery specialists are Makita, Hyundai, Husqvarna and Stihl.

Crown Thinning Hillingdon

If you want to permit more light throughout, to minimize the stress on certain limbs caused by gravity, wind, snow, or ice, to prevent the tree from being uprooted in windy conditions, to help reduce the wind resistance of the tree or to lower the overall weight of the crown of the tree, many of the small branches that are growing inside the outer crown of a broad leafed (Rather than conifer) tree are cut in a technique that's generally known as crown thinning. The shape and size aren't changed by this process, and the chances are it will need to be carried out on a regular basis, as more shoots develop. Crown thinning should not transform the general size and shape of the tree, but should produce a uniform foliage density around evenly spaced branches. (Tags: Crown Thin Hillingdon, Tree Crown Thinning Hillingdon, Crown Thinning Hillingdon)

Coming Soon:

Stump grinding machines - article 246.

Tree Surgery Tasks Hillingdon

Hillingdon tree surgeons will likely help you with woodchipping Hillingdon, tree replanting, drop crotching, landscape clearing, damage restoration, stump removal in Hillingdon, tree work, crown removal, landscaping, hedge cutting, tree reduction Hillingdon, retrenchment pruning, woodland clearance, tree surveys, hazard assessments, tree maintenance, crown cleaning in Hillingdon, tree topping, hedge lowering in Hillingdon, tree dismantling Hillingdon, air spading Hillingdon, tree waste removal Hillingdon, staking Hillingdon, stump grinding in Hillingdon, commercial tree surgery, root grinding Hillingdon, tree fertilising, tree felling in Hillingdon, tree lightening protection, safety inspections in Hillingdon, shrub maintenance, the removal of dead wood in Hillingdon, site clearance, the protection of trees from grazing in Hillingdon, root pruning and other tree surgeon services in Hillingdon, Greater London. These are just some of the activities that are accomplished by local tree surgeons. Hillingdon specialists will be delighted to keep you abreast of their entire range of services.

Tree Surgeons Near Hillingdon: Also find: Goulds Green tree surgeons, Cowley tree surgeons, Uxbridge Moor tree surgeons, George Green tree surgeons, Langley tree surgeons, Colham Green tree surgeons, Yiewsley tree surgeons, Hillingdon Heath tree surgeons, Newyears Green tree surgeons, Hayes End tree surgeons, North Hillingdon tree surgery and more. Most of these places are serviced by local tree surgeons. Hillingdon householders and others can get tree surgery quotations by going here.

(Sourced from tree surgeons Hillingdon text version three.)

Forest Management Hillingdon - Tree Management Hillingdon - Crown Thinning Hillingdon - Vegetation Control Greater London - Tree Surgeons Hillingdon - Tree Pruning Hillingdon - Tree Surgeon Hillingdon - Tree Removal Hillingdon - Tree Care Hillingdon