Consultancy
None of the work we do would be possible without careful planning, gathering of information and feedback. At Tree Fella we believe that the key to success is to be as prepared as possible. Our staff are always prepared to listen to all of your questions, or concerns, enabling them to give you the best possible service. After all it’s your tree and your property we are working on.
All tasks we undertake begin with preliminary investigation, where we will discuss with you the requirements and any important information on the tree and the work site. For example, the access situation or the condition of the tree.
Our consultancy services also include;
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Tree Reports/ Surveys/ Risk Assessments
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Arboricultural Method Statements (AMS)
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Tree Management
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Ecological and Habitat Surveys
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Decay Assessments
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Expert Witness
Do you have Japanese Knotweed?
(Fallopia japonica var japonica)
Contact us the leading specialists in identity, control, removal and eradication of Japanese Knotweed.
Victorian Horticulturalists introduced Japanese Knotweed to this country in the mid 19th century as an ornamental plant. The plant originated in Japan where it can grow virtually anywhere even on the side of volcanoes.
It is now on the Environment Agency list of invasive plants, and is causing a hazard to the UK’s bio diversity. Some reports suggest that £1.6 billion is spent annually on it’s removal.
It is effectively a giant herbaceous perennial of the family Polygonaceae, which grows at an alarming rate of up to 10cm per day in any type of soil. As a plant it is quite attractive with stems which are red/brown at the base and mottled green towards the tip with bright green heart shaped leaves. It forms dense clumps of up to 3m (10ft) in height.
Japanese Knotweed thrives on disturbance and spreads by natural means and by human activity. Very small fragments of rhizome (underground stems), as little as 0.7g – approximately the size of your fingernail – can produce fresh new plants. But it is below ground where this invader causes the biggest problems, as each strand creates a rhizome network that can extend to 3m in depth and 7m in all directions.
The law regarding Japanese Knotweed
Strong legislation is in place due to the destructive characteristics of Japanese Knotweed, and the procedures of eradicating this weed.
6 common legal issues with regards to Japanese Knotweed;
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You can be sued (under laws relating to private nuisance under common law) for costs and damages if you allow Japanese Knotweed to spread from your property onto that of an adjacent landowner.
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It is an offence to cause the spread of Japanese Knotweed under Section 14(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA 1981)
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Fine of £5,000 and/or 6 months imprisonment, or 2 years and/or an unlimited fine on indictment.
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The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, Duty of Care Regulations 1991 state that cut Japanese Knotweed material and soil containing rhizomes must be disposed of as controlled waste.
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It’s not illegal to have it on your land.
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It’s not a notifiable weed
Trees and the Law
We act as independent advisors and can offer advice on a range of issues. We will liaise with local authorities where trees are in Conservation Areas or covered by Tree Preservation Orders.
Development Sites
We can provide full pre-planning site surveys with B.S. 5837 categorisation codes and recommendations.
If full planning permission is in place then site monitoring can be carried out and recommendations made for future maintenance.
Decay Assessments
When trees are examined structurally, all investigations are made using non-invasive techniques. Should internal decay be suspected, a resistograph test could be carried out. A resistograph test is used to establish the internal structural integrity of an individual tree. The machine measures the resistance of the timber to the drill, and provides a graphic print out of the structure of the timber tested, providing information on levels of decay, unseen voids and types of wood decay.
Evaluation of results provides an accurate assessment of structural integrity and thus the risk a tree may pose. This valuable information helps both consultant and tree owner decide on the safest and best outcome for the tree. Managers or owners of commercial properties that have high pedestrian traffic, and/ or where there is a need to ensure public safety should have their trees inspected regularly for decay and other problems to prevent failure that could lead to personal injury or property damage.
We can also provide a non-invasive decay testing service using a Sonic Tomograph device (Picus). During Picus testing, sensor pegs are driven into the bark to contact the cambial tissue beneath. Each sensor is stuck with a test hammer. Sensors pick up each blow on opposite sides of the test stem (sound travels fastest through solid wood and very slowly through decay). The relative speeds of reception are uploaded onto a portable data file and developed into a visual image of the stem interior, indicating solid wood (dark colours) to voids (light colour). These images, used in conjunction with a full external assessment, provide our consultants with the best information on which to give our customers advice.
Ecological and Habitat Surveys
With the advent of the European Habitats Directive and countryside protection legislation, commercial property owners and managers must ensure that any works they do on their land do not damage habitats for protected species.
Many such sites are closely related to trees, hedgerows, orchards, and woodlands. With our expertise in tree and woodland management, investigative surveys can be carried out, often alongside tree stock surveying, to ensure that landowners do not damage valuable habitat. Tree Fella can undertake most arboreal and terrestrial surveys.
For mammalian, invertebrate, and aquatic surveys, we have close links with leading environmental consultants, and can liaise between our customer and specialists to provide the appropriate consultation.
Mortgage and Insurance
Mortgage providers often require an arboricultural impact assessment before releasing funds. Our reports follow a recognised format and include the tree survey, a site plan and recommendations.
We appreciate that these reports may be required in the latter stages of a property purchase. With this in mind we aim to complete these reports within five working days.
Tree Management
Trees and woodlands are assets that need careful management because they outlive human generations evolving in complex, and specific environments.
Special consideration needs to be given to planting, maintaining, and managing tree stocks. We can undertake large-scale tree and woodland surveys, provide management programmes, maintenance advice, and develop budget strategies.
Risk Assessment Reports
Because trees can sometimes cause structural damage by root action, limb failure or collapse; insurers, surveyors, lenders, and structural engineers frequently require tree owners to obtain specialist risk assessment reports and vegetation management plans.
We can provide detailed reports covering trees and buildings for insurance and mortgage purposes at a level of detail to suit your budget and needs. Plus, details on tree safety, internal decay assessment and building damage mitigation advice can be added to the base document as required.
Tree Fella Ltd works with many of the country’s leading insurers and structural engineers, assisting in providing solutions to conflicts between trees and the urban environment. This experience enables us to provide up-to-date, proactive guidance to our clients.
Tree Reports/Surveys
We can assist land owners, developers and builders with site tree surveys and impact assessments to the British Standard 5837:2005 ‘Trees in Relation to Construction.’ This includes dealing with tree retention and protection, tree care during works, site monitoring and management, and devising method statements to suit most situations.
Reports are provided in bound format in the numbers required by the local planning authority. They can be forwarded to a customer's architect or engineer, and sent via email for merging with full proposals or as stand-alone documents.
