Southampton Tree Surgeon Hampshire: An important feature of many properties and gardens in Southampton, trees add substance, style and structure to what can frequently be a boring and 2 dimensional landscape. But issues may occur when trees are neglected or are affected by extreme weather events like flooding or high winds. The best option if you have work that needs completing on your trees, is to speak to a skilled tree surgeon in Southampton.
Employing a non-qualified operative for tree work or trying to do it on your own, could cause damage to property, harm your trees, or even be life threatening. However, tree work isn't altogether safe for certified tree surgeons, who are aware of all of the risks involved with it. The reality is tree surgery is one of the most hazardous jobs in Britain, with an average of 140 major injuries and 3 deaths annually within the profession, so it is definitely not safe work for amateurs.
A neglected or damaged tree can also cause a danger to life, with around five people annually being killed by falling branches or trees in the United Kingdom. If there is an injury, or damage to property due to you bringing in someone to perform tree work, you could be liable for any compensation to any third-party. This is why it is imperative to retain the services of a skilled tree surgeon to carry out the work on your trees. (The figures given were sourced from HSE UK).
SELECTING A TREE SURGEON IN SOUTHAMPTON - A competent tree surgeon in Southampton ought to be a member of at least one of the 2 professional trade bodies found in Britain. The membership and professional standing of any tree surgeon in Southampton can be checked out on the websites of both the Arboricultural Association (AA) and the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). On this page you can check membership of either of these two bodies, which gives the tree surgeon in question, Approved ARB Contractor status.
You're able to get in touch with these professional associations for mediation and for help and guidance at any stage, if there is an issue during or after any work has been carried out.
If a tree surgeon who you are unable to find on this directory offers to give you a quotation, you are advised to carry on with your search for an approved and fully qualified contractor, and respectfully decline their offer. You should try to get at least three different price quotes from various companies in Southampton once you're reassured of their accreditations and professional memberships. There are several vital questions that you must ask while you are obtaining the quotations, and because of the risks involved in the work, you must tell them that you need to know the answers. You should for instance ask:
- What level of insurance cover do you have? As stipulated by the ISA and AA, your tree surgeon should be able to produce an insurance certificate covering a minimum of five million pounds public liability.
- Can I contact a recent person you have worked for so that I can check the quality of your tree work? Independently checking any recent work is always sensible.
- Do you have documents to indicate that you have the appropriate qualifications, membership of the ISA or AA, and also a certificate for the use of a chainsaw from the NPTC/LANTRA? Any tree surgeon/worker using a chainsaw, must by law have gained a NPTC/LANTRA certificate. A professional tree surgeon in Southampton will possibly hold City & Guilds Diplomas and Certificates in Arboriculture.
- Can you give me a quotation in writing? Verbal quotes alone aren't sufficient. Always try to get a written quote.
The written quotation must include easy to follow information on the work to be undertaken. It should include specifics of any trees which might be protected, and the steps necessary to obtain permission to work on them, and also state who's responsible for the removal of tree branches, stumps and waste. You should also make sure that VAT has been included on the quote. Realising that you have a responsibility for hiring only trained tradespeople to work on your property and trees, is crucial.
PRIOR TO WORK - Checking into the possibility of any of your trees having protected status, your selected Southampton tree surgeon should make certain that any tree work can get the go-ahead from the relevant local authorities. To ensure the safety of the public, even protected trees need to be maintained so as to cut back old or dying wood, so discovering that a tree is protected does not mean that you're unable to carry out important work.
No less than six weeks written notice is required to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior to any work being conducted, if your property in Southampton is in a designated conservation area. This is only required for trees with a stem diameter of over 75 millimetres in diameter, at a point 1.5 metres from ground level. Also, if the branches of a protected tree need to be pruned or thinned to encourage and sustain growth, written notice will not be necessary.
After doing a full assessment of your trees health, your Southampton tree surgeon will determine the remedial treatment needed and how best and safely to achieve the required outcome. Where there is any potential for falling branches, a full risk assessment will have to be done on public spaces, your property, and sections of neighbouring properties that could be affected. This stage will also establish the level of protection required and the quantity of workers needed. To keep the public and other property safe from harm or damage, this will include both personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety measures.
ON THE DAY OF WORK - Safety measures and barriers should be put in place before any cutting of branches, tree felling or climbing begins, to keep unauthorised persons away from the work area. Traffic may need to be temporarily stopped if there is any threat of debris falling onto a public road.
The tree surgeon will need different degrees of protection depending on the type of tree work being performed. When carrying out basic tree work with a chainsaw, to avoid injuring the legs, torso and hands, they will as a bare minimum be wearing special protective clothing. Without exception, every operative involved in the work should wear hi-vis clothing, and eye and head protection.
Additional personnel will normally be needed to help with the safe removal of high branches and heavy sections of tree trunk, especially if working at height is involved, and where ladders and associated climbing equipment is being used. For removing waste materials, easy access to the work site will be needed. So, it is recommended that you inform your next door neighbours, as a pick up truck or skip will need to be stationed as close as possible to the workplace while the work progresses.
AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - When the work has been finished all of the branches and waste can be hauled away and the area cleared of any debris. Your tree surgeon should then put together and sign off a certificate of work, a copy of which will be given to you. This is particularly important where trees with TPOs are concerned. Any safety measures that were put in public spaces can then be taken away, with pathways and roads being re-opened.
Issues or problems should be put right immediately by approaching the tree surgeon directly. If your tree surgeon is a registered member of a trade association, and any further arbitration is needed, you can obtain help and guidance from the International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association so as to reach an acceptable conclusion.
Local Southampton tree surgeons are most likely have the telephone code 02380 and the postcode SO14. They'll work in Southampton itself, along with nearby areas such as Rownhams, Millbrook, Hillyfields, Freemantle, Bitterne Village, Shirley, Chapel, Midanbury, North Stoneham, Bitterne Park, Eling, Chartwell Green, Sholing, Weston, Butlocks Heath, Ocean Village, West End, Swaythling, Woolston, Hightown, Nursling, and these postcodes: SO14 0HD, SO14 0DG, SO14 0AJ, SO14 0RS, SO14 0DB, SO14 0JH, SO14 0LJ, SO14 0DD, SO14 0AW, SO14 0RH.
If you require this sort of service it's unquestionably far better to hire an experienced tree surgeon. Southampton home and business owners can benefit from the skills and knowhow offered by a trained professional.
Dutch Elm Disease
A fungal disease that has wiped out millions of precious elm trees all over the British Isles during the last fifty years or so, Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) isn't quite as big a concern as it was previously. Accidentally imported into Great Britain, by means of elm logs imported from North America (Canada) in the late Sixties, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) is caused by the Ophiostoma novo-ulmi fungus which is spread by the elm bark beetle (particularly the Scolytus genus).
Its swift spread was attributed mainly to elm products such as mulching bark, saplings, elm crates, and logs with the bark on, being moved around the United Kingdom. Thought to have originally come from Asia (probably Japan), DED didn't only affect trees in the British Isles, but also devastated the stocks of elms in mainland Europe and North America.
Typically first manifesting in early summer, the recognisable signs of Dutch Elm Disease disease are:
- Foliage that turns yellow, wilts and dies.
- Shoots that die back from the tip.
- Dark streaks beneath the bark of twigs.
- Twigs turning into a "shepherd's crook".
As a consequence of disease and the felling of infected, dead and dying trees, there are now very few large elms surviving in the British countryside, and thus the spread has slowed down and the favourite habitat of the beetle largely decimated. The propagation of young saplings that are so far resistant to Dutch Elm Disease is a continuing project.
You can put in a request for a diagnosis from the Tree Health Diagnostic & Advisory Service (THDAS), or you can contact your neighbourhood tree surgeon for advice and guidance, if you have elm trees on your property in Southampton, and suspect they may be afflicted with Dutch Elm Disease.
(Tags: Signs of Dutch Elm Disease, Spotting Dutch Elm Disease, Dutch Elm Disease Southampton).Storm Damaged Trees Southampton
Although we are all familiar with the power of Mother Nature, larger trees seem sturdy, strong and capable of withstanding pretty much anything. The life expectancy of most trees far outstrips that of animals or humans, and in actual fact some varieties such as yews, sweet chestnuts and oaks can survive for several hundred years.
Despite all of this, trees can be susceptible to unfavourable weather conditions, and besides the possibility of falling limbs and branches, when confronted by certain conditions trees can even fall over completely, causing a lot of damage. High winds and gales pose serious problems for trees, and this form of damage is becoming more and more commonplace in Southampton, as the number of violent storms and weather events increases with climate change. Heavy snow during winter can also cause problems, as can saturated soil resulting from floods or prolonged periods of rain.
To trim and remove any dead, dying or overhanging branches that might cause an issue in times of severe weather, it's recommended that you get a qualified Southampton tree surgeon to examine your trees fairly regularly.
It's also recommended to fit taller trees with lightning rods, copper conductors, or other protection systems, to stop them being struck by lightning, and to protect surrounding buildings and property which may be affected by side-flashes ("arcs"). A lightning strike can easily kill a tree completely, or drastically weaken it, making it more susceptible to disease or pest attacks. Lightning occurs more frequently than you might think, and there are something like 300 thousand strikes each year in the UK alone.
If you're anxious about the chance of storm damage to your trees in Southampton, you should ask your local tree surgery company what they can do to protect them, and lower the risk of mishaps taking place. (Tags: Storm Damage Southampton, Storm Damaged Trees Southampton, Storm Damage Prevention Southampton).
Tree Emergencies Southampton
If you have trees in your garden in Southampton, there may be certain situations when you need to call an emergency tree surgeon. When the weather conditions in Southampton are stormy and windy, local tree surgeons expect to see a rise in emergency calls, and fortunately many of them offer a 24 hour service for this very reason. In stormy weather there is more chance of branches breaking off and falling, and even possibly the risk of an entire tree crashing to the ground. Plummeting tree limbs and branches can cause broken garden furniture, damaged fences, smashed greenhouses and squashed sheds, so instead of having to handle the consequences of such events, avoidance is the vital thing.
When sizeable branches snap of and drop onto public paths, streets and railway tracks, the local authorities in the Southampton area will also often need emergency tree surgeons.
Further problems could also arise after the emergency tree surgery has been successfully carried out, because when a tree has lost some of it's branches, it might be lopsided or uneven, with the weight unevenly distributed - hence "re-balancing" may be required. A local Southampton tree surgeon who offers 24 hour emergency services must be brought in to handle all of these problems, and you must not attempt to sort them out yourself. You can also get emergency tree surgery in Rownhams, Millbrook, Hillyfields, Freemantle, Bitterne Village, Shirley, Chapel, Midanbury, North Stoneham, Bitterne Park, Eling, Chartwell Green, Sholing, Weston, Butlocks Heath, Ocean Village, West End, Swaythling, Woolston, Hightown, Nursling, and Southampton itself. (Tags: Emergency Tree Care Southampton, Emergency Tree Surgery Southampton, Emergency Tree Services Southampton, Emergency Call-Outs Southampton).
Pollarding Trees Southampton
Pollarding is mostly carried out for basic safety reasons and is a technique for significantly reducing the size of trees that have outgrown their current environment. This procedure is from time to time used for visual reasons to mould a tree into a particularly pleasing form. It is commonly noticed on trees that serve as boundaries or hedgerows, in addition to trees which grow alongside roads in Southampton. The rather bare and harsh appearance that results from pollarding is not at all popular with tree lovers, seeing that it is so different from its attractive natural state. The beneficial element of pollarding, is that trees which might normally have to be cut down can be retained. Pollarding is regularly used on broad-leafed species like oaks, limes, maples, planes, beeches, horse chestnuts and sycamores.
Cable Bracing Southampton
When a tree could be a threat to nearby property or pedestrians, or if it's showing the warning signs of damage or decay, the tree may be provided with extra support with a procedure known as tree cable bracing. Where it is undesirable to fell a tree or remove large, unsafe sections, because the tree is valuable or old, cable bracing is an effective solution.
A cable bracing system can be useful for supporting any weak tree limbs, V-shaped forks and defective joints that may be an issue. To help alleviate structural tension and extend the lifespan of old and valued trees most tree surgeons in Southampton should be able to carry out various kinds of bracing work through the installation of cables and rods.
A non-invasive strategy, that will not damage the tree (as is the case when drilling and bolting the problematic branches), cable bracing provides both flexible and shock-absorbing support. Before any cable bracing work can begin, a risk risk assessment should be done to ensure the safety of the tree and adjacent areas. (Tags: Cable Bracing Southampton, Cable Bracing Methods Southampton, Tree Cable Bracing Southampton, Cable Bracing Trees Southampton).
Hedge Trimming Southampton
Although the maintenance and care of trees and shrubs is the main focus of Southampton tree surgeons, they are frequently asked to carry out work on hedges, for example trimming and height reduction. This is especially useful if you have conifer hedges (Leylandii for example) which will often get too high for most gardeners to cope with.
A hedge can pretty quickly become overgrown and out of control when it's neglected and poorly maintained. Routine clipping is recommended if you don't want a hedge to overwhelm large parts of your garden in Southampton, and along with making the hedge stronger it will also make it more visually appealing.
Tidy hedges help to make your property and garden neater and more desirable, which will be a big advantage if you have plans to sell your home in Southampton in the immediate future. You should also be able to get hedge cutting services in Rownhams, Millbrook, Hillyfields, Freemantle, Bitterne Village, Shirley, Chapel, Midanbury, North Stoneham, Bitterne Park, Eling, Chartwell Green, Sholing, Weston, Butlocks Heath, Ocean Village, West End, Swaythling, Woolston, Hightown, Nursling, and Southampton itself.
Protecting Shrubs and Trees in the Wintertime
Even though you might not think that the weather in Southampton is harsh enough to justify protecting your trees and shrubs, it may be a good idea to take another look at this. Even the plants, shrubs and trees that we generally consider to be hardy, can find winter a tough time to endure, especially in the colder months, and they'll always benefit from a bit of extra protection and TLC.
Strong winds and storms can be the biggest problem where trees are concerned, and although come winter most of your trees will have already shed their leaves, they may still be susceptible in severe conditions. If you're worried about a tree's condition, or it looks like it could fall to the ground, you should contact a local tree surgeon to check it out and do a risk assessment. You can also have issues with breaking branches due to heavy snowfall, so when this kind of weather is anticipated, be on the lookout for possible damage. Protection from frost and ice may be necessary for some trees and shrubs (in particular ones that have been newly planted), and a substantial covering of mulch spread around their bases can help keep their roots from freezing, and allow them to absorb much needed moisture.
Tree Surgery Tasks Southampton
Southampton tree surgeons can generally help you with hedge lowering in Southampton, emergency tree surgery in Southampton, stump grinding, coppicing Southampton, stump treatment, woodland clearance, hedge reduction in Southampton, tree transplanting Southampton, hedge trimming, hedge planting in Southampton, pest control, damage restoration, domestic tree surgery in Southampton, monitoring of tree health, tree lightening protection, shielding trees from grazing animals, forestry management, crown cleaning, formative pruning in Southampton, root removal in Southampton, decompaction, tree management in Southampton, arboriculture, removal of storm damaged trees in Southampton, tree planning, tree pruning, landscaping, dead wood removal, woodchipping, tree bracing and other tree surgeon services in Southampton, Hampshire. Listed are just a handful of the activities that are conducted by a local tree surgeon. Southampton specialists will tell you about their whole range of services.
Tree Surgeons Nearby
Also find: Rownhams tree surgeon, Weston tree surgeon, Sholing tree surgeon, Shirley tree surgeon, Bitterne Park tree surgeon, Midanbury tree surgeon, Bitterne Village tree surgeon, Ocean Village tree surgeon, Millbrook tree surgeon, Hillyfields tree surgeon, Butlocks Heath tree surgeon, Chapel tree surgeon, Eling tree surgeon, West End tree surgeon, Nursling tree surgeon, Swaythling tree surgeon, North Stoneham tree surgeon, Hightown tree surgeon, Chartwell Green tree surgeon, Freemantle tree surgeon and more. Most of these areas are catered for by tree surgeons. Business and home owners in these areas can get tree surgery quotations by clicking here.
Tree Care Services Southampton
- Southampton Hedge Planting
- Southampton Tree Management
- Southampton Hedge Reduction
- Southampton Tree Replanting
- Southampton Crown Cleaning
- Southampton Crown Thinning
- Southampton Tree Watering
- Southampton Tree Care
- Southampton Tree Bracing
- Southampton Site Clearance
- Southampton Crown Lifting
- Southampton Shrub Maintenance
- Southampton Tree Pruning
- Southampton Tree Removal
To get local information regarding Southampton, Hampshire look here
Tree Surgery SO14 area, 02380.
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