Tree Surgeons Smethwick

Hiring a non-qualified individual for tree work or trying to do it on your own, could cause damage to property, harm your trees, or even be life threatening. But even hiring a specialist tree surgeon who knows all the hazards doesn't necessarily mean that tree work is entirely safe. There are an average of 3 deaths and 140 serious injuries each year within the profession, making it among the most hazardous jobs in Britain and definitely not for novices to attempt.

With falling trees and branches causing around 5 fatalities annually in the UK, a threat to life can even be presented by a neglected or damaged tree. You might be liable to third-party compensation claims due to the consequences of your actions, if you employ someone to conduct tree work and subsequently an injury occurs, or property is damaged. This is why it is important to use an accredited tree surgeon to work on your trees in Smethwick. (The source of the above figures was HSE UK).

There are two main industry bodies, at least one of which an experienced Smethwick tree surgeon should be a signed up member of. You can check out the professional standing and membership of any tree surgeon in Smethwick on the websites of either the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or the Arboricultural Association (AA). Membership of either of these two bodies gives the tree surgeon recognised ARB Approved Contractor status which can be checked on this page.

If there is a problem during the work, or after it has been carried out you'll be able to get hold of these industry associations for mediation assistance and for help and advice.

If a tree surgeon offers you a quotation for any tree work and they aren't on this directory list, you should respectfully decline their offer of work and continue your search for an approved contractor. It's wise to get a minimum of three different estimates from various companies in the Smethwick area, as soon as you've carefully checked their accreditations and professional memberships. You should ask the below questions whilst acquiring these quotations, expressing that you need to know the answers due to the risks involved in tree surgery work:

• Can I contact a recent person you've worked for so I can assess the standard of your tree work? It's generally advisable to perform an independent examination of recently accomplished work.
• Have you got documents to show that you have the appropriate qualifications, membership of the AA or ISA, and also a certificate for the use of a chainsaw from the NPTC? Any tree worker who uses a chainsaw, must by law have a NPTC/LANTRA certificate. Qualifications may include City & Guilds Certificates and Diplomas in Arboriculture.
• What is your level of insurance cover? Don't entertain a tree surgeon in Smethwick with less than five million pounds public liability insurance as stated by the ISA and AA.
• Can you give me a quotation in writing? Only ever accept a written quote. NEVER take a verbal quote only.

Easy to follow details about all the tree work that's to be undertaken should be included on the written quote. It should state who is responsible for the removal of tree branches, stumps and waste, and should also include details about any trees which may be protected in law, and the steps required to get permission to work on them. You should also make sure that VAT has been included on the quotation. You've got a responsibility to hire only capable people to work on your trees and property, and it is crucial to understand that fact.

PRIOR TO WORK COMMENCING - Making enquiries into the possibility of any of your trees being protected, your preferred Smethwick tree surgeon should make certain that any tree work gets the go-ahead from the relevant local authorities. Finding a tree has got protected status does not signify that work cannot be carried out, because even protected trees need to be maintained so as to cut back old or dying wood and ensure public safety.

If your property in Smethwick is located in a conservation area then a minimum of 6 weeks written notice is required to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior to any work being conducted. This is only applicable to trees with a stem diameter of over 7.5cm in diameter, at a point 1.5m from ground level. If a protected tree's branches need thinning or pruning to sustain and promote growth, it is also not necessary to provide notice.

After performing a complete assessment of your trees health, your Smethwick tree surgeon will decide on the remedial treatment required and how best to achieve the required outcome in a safe manner. Where there's any potential for falling branches, a risk assessment will have to be completed on public spaces, your property, and sections of a neighbour's property that may be impacted. At this point, the number of operatives needed and the level of protection required will also be established. To keep the public and other property safe from harm or damage, this will include both PPE and other safety precautions.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - Safety measures and barriers should be put in place before any tree felling, climbing or cutting of branches is started, to keep passers-by and unauthorised persons away from the work area. Where there is the possibility of debris and branches falling onto a highway, it may be necessary to temporarily stop the traffic.

Depending on the type of work that's required a tree surgeon will need varying degrees of protection. When working with a chainsaw, they will at the very least be wearing specialist protective clothing to prevent cutting injuries to the torso, hands and legs. All operatives involved in the work should be wearing eye and head protection, and hi-vis clothing, at all times.

If any working at height is involved, safety climbing equipment and ladders will need to be used, and extra operatives will be there to help in the removal of high branches and large pieces of tree trunk. For taking waste away from the work area, a skip or truck will be stationed as close as possible to the area. This need for access is reason enough for informing your neighbours of the work.

AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - Upon completion of all the tree work, the area can be cleared of any debris, and all of the waste materials can be taken away. Especially where the trees are covered by TPOs, a certificate of work done should then be prepared by your tree surgeon, which can be signed off and a copy handed to you. If any public spaces required safety measures, this can be taken away and paths and roads will be re-opened.

If you've got any issues or problems with the finished work, you should first take them up with the tree surgeon in order that they can be put right straight away. If any further arbitration is required, and your tree surgeon is an approved member of a professional trade association, you can receive guidance and help from the ISA or AA in order to come to an acceptable solution.

Dutch Elm Disease

No longer the issue that it once was, Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) has killed many millions of elm trees all over the United Kingdom during the last five decades or more. Caused by a fungus called Ophiostoma novo-ulmi which is spread by the elm bark beetle (particularly the Scolytus genus), Dutch Elm Disease was imported into Great Britain inadvertently in the late nineteen sixties from North America (Canada).

After its arrival, it was spread quickly through the nationwide transportation of elm products such as elm crates, saplings, mulching bark, and firewood logs with the bark still attached. It wasn't just the British Isles that was affected by this horrible disease, since the stocks of elm trees were also decimated in mainland Europe and North America.

Generally first showing up in early summer, the recognisable symptoms of DED disease are:

• A "shepherd's crook" reaction on affected twigs.
• Twigs with rings or spots in cross-section.
• Affected shoots dying back from the tips.
• Clusters of leaves turning yellow and wilting.

The spread of DED has been slowed down by the felling and removal of infected, dead and dying trees, which has essentially removed the favourite habitat of the elm bark beetle. There's now a continuing project for propagating young elms which are so far resistant to Dutch Elm Disease.

If you have elms in your garden in Smethwick, and suspect that they may be affected by Dutch Elm Disease, get in touch with your neighbourhood tree surgeon for guidance, or request a diagnosis from the Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service (THDAS).

A Tree Surgeons's Regular Duties

• Identify dangers presented by trees.
• Prepare tree survey reports for commercial and domestic customers.
• Climb trees to prune or remove branches.
• Produce telephone or on-site quotations for clients.
• Cut and chip branches and logs.
• Evaluate the health of trees and create plans of action.
• Tidy work area upon completion and fulfil removal of waste product from client's site.
• Fell and remove trees and perform stump grinding.
• Service equipment like chippers and chainsaws.
• Deal with clients and complete administrative tasks.
• Be proficient with power tools and powered equipment.
• Plant trees and vegetation.

Ash Dieback

First reported in the UK in 2021, ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is a deadly fungal disease that is expected to wipe out approximately 80% of the current ash tree stock, in the next few years. Following the devastation of Dutch Elm Disease, which killed the United Kingdom's elm trees, ash dieback is going to have an enormous impact on our beloved countryside.

Trees of the Fraxinus genus are affected by this highly destructive disease, but it has an especially disastrous effect on Fraxinus excelsior (the European or common ash), which is the most widespread species in Britain. Originally coming from eastern Asia, the fungus which causes ash dieback is called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (H. fraxineus).

Already present in most parts of Great Britain, ash dieback (or chalara ash dieback as it's sometimes known) is dispersed by minute spores that blow on the wind, and released from the fruiting bodies of the fungus, and can travel for tens of miles.

Ash dieback can be recognised by symptoms like:

• New growth appearing from previously dormant buds.
• Foliage that wilts, turns black and falls early.
• Dark brown necrotic lesions (often diamond shaped) form where branches meet with the trunk.
• Dying shoots and leaves that are visible during the summertime.
• Leaves that develop dark patches during mid to late summer.

Even ash trees that have the ability to fight the disease, suffer sustained attacks year after year and sooner or later succumb and perish. There's presently no cure for chalara ash dieback, and no obvious procedure for stopping it spreading.

If you suspect a tree in your local neighbourhood is suffering from ash dieback, or you are worried about a tree in your garden in Smethwick, you should call in a local tree surgeon to verify the diagnosis, and you can report it to the Forestry Commission's "Tree Alert Service", although they're presently only interested to know about cases in areas that were previously unaffected.

Tree families affected by ash dieback: the Fraxinus genus.

TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders) Smethwick

Another thing to consider before commencing work on your trees, is whether or not they've got a TPO (Tree Preservation Order) on them. To find out whether the trees on your property are covered by TPOs, get in touch with your local planning authority. You can't undertake lopping, topping, uprooting, wilful damage, felling, wilful destruction or removal, without written approval from the relevant local authority, if a tree on your property in Smethwick is subject to a Tree Preservation Order. You can ask your tree surgeon to help with this process, any reputable one will be ready to offer advice.

If you are living in a conservation area in Smethwick, and plan to undertake any work on a tree with a trunk diameter of seventy five millimetres or more (1.5 metres from the ground), you have to give a minimum of 6 weeks written notice to your local council.

Tree Transplanting Smethwick

Transplanting trees and moving them to other areas has become a comparatively straightforward process with the development of tractor mounted tree spades and other nifty tree lifting equipment. An experienced tree removal company in Smethwick will be glad to move any trees that you have on your property, or transplant mature trees for an instant aesthetic appeal.

Moving a tree in Smethwick causes less stress to the roots and health of the tree in autumn and winter seasons, but it can still be achieved during the warmer summer months by thoroughly soaking the ground before removal. To lift a tree from the soil a truck based mechanical tree spade is pushed down into the dirt to encompass the tree's root ball, before hauling the entire thing free. If the tree is not to be immediately replanted, it can be temporarily stored so long as its root ball and the surrounding earth is kept damp.

A specialist tree transplanting service in Smethwick will communicate with the local authorities to make sure that preservation orders and local regulations are followed at all stages of the tree moving and transplantation procedure. (Tags: Tree Transplanting Smethwick, Tree Replanting Smethwick, Tree Moving Smethwick).

Coming Soon:

Stump grinding machines - article 678.

Tree Surgery Tasks Smethwick

Smethwick tree surgeons can normally help with tree planning, shrub maintenance, woodchipping in Smethwick, dead-wooding, site clearance, tree transplanting, root grinding, crown thinning, shielding trees from grazing animals, hedge reduction, tree staking, woodland management, tree work, pest management, stump treatment, tree cutting, emergency tree surgery, woodland clearances Smethwick, tree bracing, root flare exposure Smethwick, coppicing, crown raising, crown reduction, commercial tree care, terraventing, tree waste removal, root removal in Smethwick, crown lifting, tree management, vegetation management, dead wooding, airspading Smethwick, tree care services, crown cleaning, residential tree surgery and other tree surgeon services in Smethwick, West Midlands. Listed are just a handful of the activities that are performed by tree surgeons. Smethwick professionals will be happy to tell you about their full range of services.

Tree Surgeons Near Smethwick: Also find: Selly Oak tree surgeons, Londonderry tree surgeons, Langley Green tree surgeons, Harborne tree surgeons, French Walls tree surgeons, Winson Green tree surgeons, Ladywood tree surgeons, Beech Lane tree surgeons, Bournbrook tree surgeons, Handsworth tree surgeons, West Smethwick tree surgeons, Bearwood tree surgeons, Rood End tree surgeons, Browns Green tree surgeons, Chad Valley tree surgery and more. All of these areas are covered by tree surgeons. Smethwick homeowners and others can get estimates by going here.

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