Tree Works

Tree Works

Tree works teams offer a comprehensive range of tree maintenance services, encompassing felling, crown lifting, pollarding, canopy reductions, aerial dismantling, stump grinding, and disease surveys, particularly for ash dieback.

Beyond managing existing urban tree stock, we also design and implement new tree and woodland planting schemes, all supported by our tree and arboriculture consultancy services. Our expertise extends to tree surveys, tree maintenance and management plans, pest and disease inspections, and the diagnosis and treatment of tree-related issues.

Trees and woodlands are an extremely important part of any facility’s landscape and offering numerous benefits for the well-being of users and visitors. However, trees that are not properly maintained can pose a serious health and safety hazard.

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• Falling trees and branches: Trees that are dead, diseased, or have been weakened by pests or storms are more likely to fall. This can cause serious injury or death to people and property.
• Hidden hazards: Trees can also create hidden hazards, such as deadwood, loose bark, and exposed roots. These hazards can cause tripping, falls, and other injuries.
• Allergic reactions: Some people are allergic to tree pollen or sap. Exposure to these allergens can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other allergic reactions.
• Rats and other pests: Trees that are not properly maintained can attract rats and other pests. These pests can spread disease and contaminate food and water.

It is important to properly maintain trees to reduce the risk of health and safety hazards. This includes:

• Inspecting trees regularly: Trees should be inspected regularly for signs of decay, disease, pests, and other problems.
• Removing dead or diseased trees: Dead or diseased trees should be removed as soon as possible to reduce the risk of falling.
• Trimming branches: Branches that are dead, diseased, or hanging over walkways or roads should be trimmed.
• Removing debris: Debris, such as leaves, twigs, and fruit, should be removed from under trees to reduce the risk of tripping and falls.
• Keeping the area clean: The area around trees should be kept clean to discourage pests.

In addition to the health and safety hazards listed above, trees that are not properly maintained can also contribute to other problems, such as:

• Obstruction of views: Trees that are overgrown can obstruct views, making it difficult to see traffic or other hazards.
• Damage to property: Trees that are not properly anchored can fall during storms or high winds, damaging property and vehicles.
• Increased fire risk: Dead or dying trees are more likely to catch fire, which can spread to nearby buildings and vegetation.

By taking the time to properly maintain trees on a facility, site managers can help to prevent these problems and keep users safe.

Tree Surveys

An OUTCO tree survey gives a clear, well-defined description of the location and condition of your trees. This information can be used to provide an opinion of tree health, amenity value, probability of failure, level of impact following failure and risk to people and property. These compliance risk factors are why large estates and councils order tree surveys on a three-year cycle. In an increasing number of facility and property-related estates, tree surveys are mandatory, to prevent a protected tree from being cut down accidentally (based on the Wildlife and Countryside Act). However, tree surveys are more often conducted when there is an intention to build outbuildings or additional offices/parking in proximity to trees. In such scenarios a tree survey is vital.

Tree surveys can provide information that has value in numerous ways for facility manager’s planning and project management processes. For example, information collected in a tree survey can provide insight to guide investment and better design of new offices or car parks, providing levels of accuracy impossible to achieve otherwise. Elsewhere, grounds maintenance contractors may decide to earmark or even add trees, so as to increase the overall asset value. Understanding which trees can and cannot be removed by law can better inform the design and ensure trees are appropriately incorporated within the planned landscape. A tree survey should be carried out on a three-year cycle to ensure all trees on site are in a healthy and safe condition, especially with the prevalence of fungus-borne diseases such as ash dieback. An OUTCO tree survey also ensures that your trees grow in the right shape and direction, and that branches are always monitored to be cleared to 2.4m over paths, 5m over roads, 1m from all street lighting, traffic signs, traffic lights, street name plates and 2m from windows or adjacent premises.