Witham Tree Surgeon Essex: Trees are an attractive feature of many properties and gardens in Witham, and they can frequently transform an otherwise two dimensional area by adding structure, style and substance. However, when trees are neglected or are impacted by severe weather conditions such as gales or flooding, issues can occur. Seeking the expert advice of a certified tree surgeon in Witham, is the safest option when there is work that needs doing on your trees.
Those who employ unqualified personnel, or attempt to do tree work by themselves, may cause a risk of damage to the trees, to property and to life. But even employing a knowledgeable tree surgeon who knows all the dangers does not necessarily mean that tree work is safe. There are an average of 3 deaths and 140 major injuries annually within the industry, making it among the most hazardous jobs in the UK and definitely not for novices to try.
A damaged or poorly maintained tree can also cause a danger to life, with around five people each year being killed by falling branches and trees in the UK. If you bring in somebody to perform tree work and subsequently property is damaged, or an injury occurs, you may well be liable for any compensation to a third-party due to the consequences of your actions. These are just a few of the reasons why employing a competent Witham tree surgeon to work on your trees is imperative. (Figures sourced from HSE).
CHOOSING A TREE SURGEON IN WITHAM - A competent Witham tree surgeon will likely be an approved member of one or both of the 2 main professional trade bodies. The membership and professional standing of any tree surgeon in Witham can be checked out on the websites of both the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) and the AA (Arboricultural Association). This page allows you to check whether any specific tree surgeon has ARB Approved Contractor status, and is a member of either of these organisations.
If there is an issue during the work, or after it has been finished you'll be able to get hold of these industry organisations for mediation and for advice and help.
If anybody offers you an estimate for any tree work and you are unable to find them on this directory, you should courteously decline their offer of work and continue your search for an approved tree surgeon. As soon as their professional accreditations and memberships have been diligently checked, you should try and get at least 3 different quotes from various companies in Witham. Whilst acquiring the quotes you must ask the questions below, making it crystal clear that you need the answers because of the risks involved with tree work:
- What insurance cover is provided? Don't entertain a tree surgeon in Witham with any less than £5 Million public liability insurance as stated by the ISA and AA.
- Can you provide documentary proof of your professional membership, qualifications and a NPTC certificate for chainsaw use and maintenance? Any tree surgeon using a chainsaw, must by law have gained NPTC/LANTRA certification. Qualifications might include City & Guilds Certificates and Diplomas in Arboriculture.
- Can you give me a written quotation? You must NEVER settle for a verbal quote only. Only ever accept a written quote.
- Can I assess the standard of your tree work by contacting a person you have worked for recently? Independently examining any recent work is always sensible.
Clear and concise information on all the tree work that's being undertaken must be included on the written quotation. Who is responsible for removing tree branches, stumps and waste should be stated, as should specifics of any trees which might be protected in law, and the required steps to obtain permission to carry out work on them. Verify that VAT has also been included on the quotation. It is extremely important that only capable people are employed to work on your property and trees, and this is wholly down to you. This is stated under the "Common law duty of care responsibilities under the Occupier's Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984."
PRIOR TO WORK - The tree surgeon you have selected in Witham, will be able to investigate whether any of the trees on your property are subject to a TPO, and will check with the local authority if the green light for any work is forthcoming. Finding a tree has protected status doesn't signify that work cannot be carried out, because even protected trees require maintenance so as to cut back old or damaged wood and ensure public safety.
At least six weeks written notice must be given to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) before any tree work can be conducted, if your property in Witham is located in a designated conservation area. This notice isn't required if the tree stem is less than 75mm in diameter when measured at 1.5 metres above ground level. Written notice is also not required if thinning or pruning of a protected tree's branches is needed in order to sustain and encourage growth.
Your Witham tree surgeon will decide on the necessary remedial treatment and how best and safely to achieve the required outcome after conducting a complete assessment of your trees health. Where there's any potential for falling branches and debris, a full risk assessment will have to be carried out on public spaces, your property, and parts of neighbouring properties that could be affected. This stage will also ascertain the amount of workers required and the level of protection needed. This is both PPE (personal protective equipment) and other safety measures to keep the public and other property safe from harm or damage.
ON THE DAY OF WORK - Barriers, cones and safety measures should be put in place before any climbing, cutting of branches or tree felling begins, to keep unauthorised persons away from the work area. If there is a threat of falling debris into a public highway, traffic may have to be temporarily stopped.
Dependent on the kind of work required a tree surgeon will need different degrees of protection. When carrying out basic tree work with a chainsaw, to prevent cutting injuries to the torso, hands and legs, they will as a bare minimum be wearing special protective clothing. Every worker involved in the operation, must at all times be wearing hi-vis clothing, and eye and head protection.
Extra workers will generally be necessary to help with the removal of high branches and large pieces of tree trunk, especially if working at height is involved, and where ladders and associated climbing equipment is being deployed. A skip or other means of transporting the waste materials away will be stationed as close to the work area as possible, so it's a good idea to inform your next door neighbours of the need for easy access.
UPON COMPLETION OF WORK - All of the waste materials will be transported away and the site cleared of all debris, when all of the work has been accomplished. Especially where the trees are under a protection order, a certificate of work done will then be prepared by your tree surgeon, which can be signed off and a copy presented to you. If any safety measures were put in public spaces they can now be taken down, with highways and footpaths being re-opened to the public.
Issues or problems should be fixed immediately by approaching your tree surgeon directly. If your tree surgeon is a member of a professional association, you can obtain guidance and help from the International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion, if any further arbitration is required.
Locally based Witham tree surgery services are most likely have the postcode CM8 and the dialling code 01376. They'll operate in Witham itself, together with nearby areas like Rivenhall, Great Braxted, Little Braxted, Boreham, Ulting, Wickham Bishops, Rivenhall End, Kelvedon, Hatfield Peverel, White Notley, Langford, Little Baddow, Fairstead, Terling, Great Totham, Gore Pit, and these postcodes: CM8 1HW, CM8 1DZ, CM8 1PE, CM8 1NJ, CM8 1DA, CM8 1PQ, CM8 1BA, CM8 1LG, CM8 1FN, CM8 1DU.
If you need this kind of assistance it's certainly better to employ an experienced tree surgeon. Witham residents can benefit from the skills and knowledge offered by a trained professional.
Tree Removal Witham
Trees are typically beneficial, therefore the removal of a tree should be a final resort. But, there obviously are bona fide reasons behind tree removal on your property or garden in Witham. Among the typical reasons for needing to fell a tree are if: the tree is just too large for its surroundings, you've got a dead/dying tree, your tree has been damaged, the tree is infected, the roots of a tree are damaging retaining walls/foundations, the tree poses a safety risk or your tree is hampering a new development. (Tags: Removing Trees Witham, Tree Removal Witham, Tree Felling Witham)
Preventing Storm Damage
When you look at a sturdy, strong tree standing tall and proud in your garden it is difficult to picture it ever toppling over. Some tree varieties can continue to grow with no issues for several hundred years, in particular oaks, yews and sweet chestnuts.
Even so, when faced with certain conditions they can be quite vulnerable to the elements, and it's not just falling tree limbs or branches that can be the result, but the entire tree can fall over in extreme circumstances. Trees have got one main weather related enemy, and that is high winds. As extreme weather events and violent storms become more and more commonplace with climate change, this kind of damage will occur more frequently in Witham. Soil that becomes saturated during floods or prolonged periods of rainfall can be another issue, as can heavy snowfall in winter.
To reduce the likelihood of issues with your trees in times of severe weather, it is advisable to get a local Witham tree surgeon to examine them now and again, and prune any dead or overhanging branches.
It's also recommended to fit larger trees with copper conductors, lightning rods, or other protection systems, to stop them getting struck by lightning, and to protect nearby buildings and property which might be affected by "arcs" and side-flashes. Trees can be damaged, seriously weakened, or even killed by lightning strikes, they can be burnt to the ground, split in two, or left susceptible to disease, pests or decay. For any of you who feel that lightning isn't that common, there are about three hundred thousand strikes in Great Britain every year.
If you're worried about the possibility of storm damage to your trees in Witham, you should ask what your local tree surgery firm can do to protect them, and reduce the risk of mishaps happening. (Tags: Storm Damage Prevention Witham, Storm Damage Witham, Storm Damaged Trees Witham).
Dutch Elm Disease
No longer the concern that it once was, Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) has killed off tens of millons of elm trees all over Britain over the last 50 years or more. Caused by a fungus called Ophiostoma novo-ulmi which is spread by the elm bark beetle (especially the Scolytus genus), Dutch Elm Disease was introduced into Great Britain unintentionally in the late 1960's from Canada.
Through the movement of elm products like crates, mulching bark, saplings, and firewood logs with the bark still attached, it was swiftly spread through the UK after its initial arrival. Believed to have originated in Asia (probably Japan), DED did not just affect trees in the UK, but also ravaged stocks of elms in continental Europe, North America and New Zealand.
Dutch Elm Disease generally first materializes in early summer, and the main symptoms are:
- Twigs that turn into a "shepherd's crook" shape.
- Dark streaks underneath the bark of twigs.
- Shoots that die back from the tip.
- Clusters of leaves turning yellow and wilting.
As there are now hardly any large elms in the UK countryside, the elm bark beetle's favourite habitat has been pretty much decimated, the result of which has been a slowing of DED. The propagation of young elms that up to now have proven resistant to DED is being undertaken.
If you have elms on your property in Witham, and are suspicious they may be infected with Dutch Elm Disease, you should get in touch with your neighbourhood tree surgeon for advice, or request a diagnosis from the Tree Health Diagnostic & Advisory Service (THDAS).
Trees affected - Ulmus and Zelkova.
Vectors - small beetles of the Scolytus and Hylorgopinus genera.
Cause - fungi Ophiostoma Novo-Ulmi and Ophiostoma Ulmi.
Deadwooding Witham
All competent tree surgeons in Witham will undertake the practice known as dead-wooding, which is an essential part of tree care and upkeep. Where there could be a danger to homes, passers-by or vehicles, dead-wooding is done to carefully remove the dead and dying branches which are at risk of falling to the ground. Tree branches can die off for a number of different reasons, with a damaged root system, attack by pests, diseases or a lack of light, acknowledged as the most common.
Even though safety is obviously the most frequent reason for dead-wooding a tree, it is occasionally done to make the tree more attractive, or because the tree itself will benefit. It is possible to greatly improve a tree's health by removing dying, dead and damaged branches, an excess of which will attract infestation by insects and disease. You can also make a tree look more attractive through this procedure, as a tree with a lot of dead wood can also look rather unappealing.
As the smaller dead branches present little risk, only more substantial ones will be taken off in most situations. Having said that, where trees are overhanging a public space, a park, a house, a garden or a highway in Witham, it might be necessary to remove any dead wood that's in excess of 50mm in diameter.
Eco-Plugging Stump Removal Witham
If you have a large tree stump in your garden which needs to be removed, the traditional technique that is used by most tree surgeons in Witham is stump grinding. However, these days "eco-plugging" is recognised as a less costly alternative to this technique. It's not merely the point that eco-plugging is cheaper that makes it an attractive alternative for stump removal, but also that it's handy in hard-to-reach locations that are hard to get to with bulky stump grinding machinery.
For killing off tree stumps without affecting the surrounding vegetation and trees, eco-plugging is an incredibly effective treatment. Eco-plugs can be utilised during any season of the year and in all weather conditions, and they kill off the entire root system of the tree stump. Eco-plugs contain a form of granular glyphosate herbicide which is suitable for treating a wide selection of trees, and is 95-100% effective.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) Witham
You need to make certain that there is no TPO (Tree Preservation Order) on any of your trees in Witham, before you carry out any major work on them. To find out whether any of your trees are covered by Tree Preservation Orders, contact your local authority. If one or more of your trees have Tree Preservation Orders, you're prohibited from undertaking cutting down, topping, wilful destruction, uprooting, lopping, wilful damage or removal, without written permission from the local authority. Speak to your tree surgeon about this - they'll be able to check this out for you.
If you currently live within a conservation area in Witham, you should talk to your council concerning any tree surgery work that you want to carry out, and if the tree involved has a diameter of over seventy five millimetres (at a point 1.5 metres from ground level), you need to give your local council at least 6 wks notice in writing.
Pollarding Trees Witham
Pollarding is principally carried out for safety reasons and is a technique for greatly decreasing the size of trees which have got too large for their existing surroundings. The encouragement of cultivated elements and the transforming of trees into specific shapes can also be accomplished by the pollarding technique. You will often observe trees that have been pollarded alongside highways in Witham, and also quite typically in managed hedgerows The rather harsh and naked appearance that is the outcome of pollarding isn't very popular with tree lovers, seeing that it is so dissimilar to its attractive natural state. However, in spite of the fairly unsightly appearance of recently pollarded trees such as maples, planes, oaks, limes, beeches, sycamores and horse chestnuts, there's a beneficial feature to the procedure, in that such trees can be kept when they would otherwise have to be removed. (Tags: Tree Pruning Witham, Tree Pollarding Witham, Pollarding Witham)
Tree Transplanting Witham
Transplanting trees and moving them to other locations has become a comparatively straightforward process since the introduction of tractor mounted tree spades and other tree lifting equipment. A specialist tree moving service in Witham should be able to move any trees that you have on your property, or transplant mature trees to add a great new look to your garden.
Moving a tree in Witham causes less stress to the root-ball and wellbeing of the tree in autumn and winter seasons, but it can be done in warmer summer season by soaking the ground thoroughly before removal. To lift a tree from the soil a tractor based mechanical tree spade is pushed down into the ground to surround the tree's root ball, before lifting the whole thing free. If the tree isn't going to be straight away transplanted, it can be temporarily stored provided that its root ball and the surrounding earth is kept moist.
Even protected trees can be transplanted by a certified tree moving company in Witham, provided that all relevant legislation and preservation orders are given by the woodland organisations and authorities. It should be possible to get transplanting services in Rivenhall, Great Braxted, Little Braxted, Boreham, Ulting, Wickham Bishops, Rivenhall End, Kelvedon, Hatfield Peverel, White Notley, Langford, Little Baddow, Fairstead, Terling, Great Totham, Gore Pit, and in Witham.
Tree Surgery Tasks Witham
Witham tree surgeons will likely help you with felling of storm damaged trees, dead-wooding, tree lopping, decompaction Witham, vegetation management in Witham, monitoring of tree health, tree lightening protection in Witham, damaged tree removal, stump grinding, crown thinning in Witham, landscaping in Witham, tree fertilising in Witham, tree pruning in Witham, the protection of trees from grazing animals in Witham, drop crotching in Witham, emergency tree surgery Witham, tree reduction Witham, stump removal in Witham, tree planning in Witham, tree bracing, tree pest control, eco-plugging, arboriculture Witham, commercial tree care, tree work in Witham, waste removal, crown removal, retrenchment pruning in Witham, crown lifting, tree maintenance and other tree surgeon services in Witham, Essex. These are just some of the duties that are handled by a local tree surgeon. Witham companies will be delighted to keep you abreast of their full range of services.
Tree Surgeons Nearby
Also find: Boreham tree surgeon, Little Braxted tree surgeon, Fairstead tree surgeon, Terling tree surgeon, White Notley tree surgeon, Rivenhall tree surgeon, Rivenhall End tree surgeon, Ulting tree surgeon, Gore Pit tree surgeon, Langford tree surgeon, Wickham Bishops tree surgeon, Great Braxted tree surgeon, Little Baddow tree surgeon, Great Totham tree surgeon and more. All these areas are catered for by local tree surgeons. Residents in the region can get estimates for tree surgery by clicking here.
Tree Care Services Witham
- Witham Tree Planning
- Witham Eco-Plugging
- Witham Vegetation Management
- Witham Tree Watering
- Witham Tree Maintenance
- Witham Soil Terraventing
- Witham Crown Reduction
- Witham Tree Care
- Witham Root Removal
- Witham Stump Removal
- Witham Tree Pollarding
- Witham Root Decompaction
- Witham Tree Management
- Witham Stump Grinding
More Witham Trades: Of course, when you are having tree surgery done in Witham, Essex, you are likely to need other garden related services, and apart from a tree surgeon in Witham, Essex, you may additionally need garden decking in Witham, SKIP HIRE in Witham, grass cutting services in Witham, artifical grass in Witham, landscape gardeners in Witham, garden design and planning in Witham, weeding in Witham, soil irrigation in Witham, gate installers in Witham, patio installation in Witham, garden clearance in Witham, waste removal in Witham, garden shed installation in Witham, driveways in Witham, garden pond builders in Witham, hedge trimming in Witham, and other different Witham tradespeople.
Tree Surgeon Jobs Witham: Find Witham tree surgeon jobs here: Tree Surgeon Jobs Witham
To find local info about Witham, Essex click here
Tree Surgery CM8 area, telephone code 01376.
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