Author: Emma Candlin

What do we Look for When Surveying Trees?

Surveying Trees

Case Study: 

This tree survey was carried out in Stoke-On-Trent. We surveyed a number of trees on this property, one in particular was a lime tree. It was approximately 60-70 years old and was really nice, good healthy tree, aside from a little bit of dead, however that is quite common in limes. One of the types of things that people ask us is what do you look at when you’re surveying a tree?

 
surveying trees stoke-on-trent

Firstly, we survey to British standards, therefore all of our reports are covered by our £5,000,000 professional indemnity insurance. The report itself covers things like the diameter of the trunk, age of the tree, the spread of the canopy etc… However, we also look at other things such the root system. In this case the roots could easily extend towards the house, as part of the survey we plot, what we expect to be the root zone of the tree to be. This gives the client valuable information, enabling them to see if the tree is likely to have any effect on the foundations and the structure of their property. 

 

If you need a tree survey not only to identify the tree, but from a health and safety point of view or to see if it’s going to have any effect on your house. Then please do get in touch.

Surveying Trees

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Ecologically Valuable Trees

Ecologically valuable trees contribute significantly to the aesthetics and value of the landscape. They can also contribute positively to surrounding wildlife and environment.

 

Here are some of our favourite ecologically valuable trees:

Oak:

Oak forests support more life than any other native forest, they host hundreds of insects and supply many birds and mammals with an important food source. In Autumn, their leaves break down and form a rich mould beneath the tree, supporting fungi and invertebrates. Crevices in the bark make perfect nesting spots for birds such as the pied flycatcher and marsh tit. Oak trees are also home to bats which roost in old woodpecker holes or underneath loose bark.

oak tree
copper beech tree

Copper Beech:

Copper (Purple) Beech are cultivated from common beech trees. They can grow to heights of more than 40m. Their bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings. Their twigs are slender and resemble a zig-zag shape. In fact, their name comes from their copper-coloured leaf buds, they are torpedo-shaped and grow up to 2cm long with a distinctive criss-cross pattern.

Hazel:

Hazel is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers are found on the same tree. However, they do not self-pollinate; Hazel flowers must be pollinated by pollen from other hazel trees. The yellow male catkins appear before the leaves and hang in clusters from mid-February. The female flowers are tiny and bud-like with red styles; once pollinated, they develop into oval fruits that mature into a nut with a woody shell.

Hazel Tree
yew aril

Yew:

The common Yew (Taxus Baccata), is one of the longest-lived native species in Europe. However, unlike many conifers, it does not bear its seeds in a cone. Instead, each seed is enclosed in a red, fleshy, berry-like structure known as an aril which is open at the tip. This berry is eaten by birds and small mammals and the leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the satin beauty moth.

Larch:

This fast-growing tree is also a favourite of squirrels, birds and moths. The European Larch (Larix Decidua) was introduced over 400 years ago. Therefore, it was one of the first trees brought to the UK in the 17th century for its timber. It has pale creamy-brown sapwood and red-brown heartwood that is hard and rot-resistant. Mature Larch trees can grow to 30m and live for 250 years. It is fast-growing tree that is cone-shaped when young and becomes broader with age.

larch cones
sycamore tree seeds

Sycamore:

The Sycamore’s winged seeds are often known as ‘helicopters’ and are used in flying competitions by children on the playground. These broadleaf trees can live for 400 years and grow to 35m. The bark is dark pink-grey and smooth when young, but as the tree matures, it becomes cracked and develops small plates. Sycamores are a great source of food and shelter for wildlife. They are particularly loved by aphids and, therefore, a variety of their predators, such as ladybirds and hoverflies. Caterpillars eat the leaves, and the flowers provide a good source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects, and birds and small mammals eat the seeds.

Silver Birch:

Silver Birch is a common medium-sized deciduous tree with silver-white bark, making it striking. They can reach up to 30m in height, forming a light canopy with elegant, drooping branches. The white bark sheds tissue-paper-like layers and becomes black and rugged at the base. As the trees age and mature, the bark develops dark diamond-shaped fissures.

silver birch tree

Contact Us for mor Information on Ecologically Valuable Trees:

ProHort’s arboricultural team can provide you with detailed tree or ecological surveys. You can find out more about the services we offer here.

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Tree Surveys in the Peak District

We have been completing a number of tree surveys and tree health checks in the beautiful Peak District specifically near Buxton.

What do Tree Surveys in the Peak District Include?

Tree Surveys and Reports, Health of Your Trees

A tree survey involves us working to the BS5837:2012 standard. This means that our surveys are compliant, and they are covered by our £5million Professional Indemnity Insurance for further peace of mind. They typically include a detailed plan identifying where the tree is located, tree measurements including canopy, trunk and root zone. They also include a plan and details on where to situate a tree protection fence to ensure the protection of the roots.

These tree surveys are often used in planning applications as the council often request them when an extension or new build is planned to take place. Their objective to make sure that no damage will occur to the tree canopy or its root zone. As such we can advise on different methods to achieve the desired build whilst protecting the tree(s) and appeasing the Arboricultural Officer with regards planning constraints.

What is a Tree Condition Survey?

Tree condition surveys are based on a standard tree survey; however, they are bias toward the health of the tree and identifying any potential issues. This is done with the objective to firstly make sure the tree is safe and secondly to ensure the ongoing health of the tree. Tree condition surveys are particularly useful if the tree overhangs a pedestrian walkway or a playground as the Health and Safety executive can, and has, taken a number of people to court when a branch has come off a tree and injured a person.

tree health survey london

How much should Tree Surveys in the Peak District cost?

The price varies but typically the price will be between £500 and £250. However, this will increase depending on the number of trees, accessibility, and what type of survey you require. For example, many people will need an Arboricultural Impact Assessment as well as the initial tree survey and this can add to the price. For a detailed quote please do ring our Head office on 01782 479479

 

For tree surveys and tree condition surveys, especially in the Peak District, please do get in touch by phone on 01782 479479 or email: [email protected] and we will be happy to help with any of your questions!

 

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Excavating Around Trees

When digging or excavating around trees there is an absolute need to be mindful of the roots as if these are damaged it can cause significant harm to the tree and even kill it. 

In an ideal world no excavation will occur in what is called the root zone of a tree. The root zone is calculated by measuring the diameter of the trunk. This is then used to calculate the area that should not be dug in as there is a high risk to causing damage to the roots of the tree. 

However, it is often necessary to dig around them and sometimes near them when building foundations or inserting utilities. So how can we help?

excavating around trees

 

What happens when you need to dig near a tree?

If you need to dig near a tree to put in a foundation or utilities, we will follow the following process:

  1. We would come out and conduct a survey of the tree and area. This allows us to look at multiple factors that will influence our recommendations and enables us to advise not only what is best for the health of the tree but also from a commercial perspective.
  2. We would then put together a detailed report and method statement; all our reports are to BS5837:2012 standard.
  3. The report would contain detailed recommendations that would normally enable the work to be carried out whilst also protecting the health of the tree and meeting the requirements of the council’s Arboriculture officer.

How close can you excavate next to a tree?

Typically, the “rootzone” area has a radius of 12x the diameter of the trunk. Outside this area you can carry out ground works unhindered. However, within this area you will require a tree survey carried out by a qualified arboriculturist and a report with recommendations along with a detailed method statement.

How do you protect tree roots during excavation?

If we need to excavate within the rootzone of a tree we can use an “air-spade”. This is the recommended way of excavating in an area that is likely to have roots. This does take significantly longer than simply digging with a digger, but it enables us to dig without damaging the roots. If there are small roots that are less than 30mm in diameter these can be carefully cut with a pruning saw or secateurs. However, any larger roots will need to be looked at on an individual basis as these may need to be excavated around. 

Can you dig around tree roots?

Yes, you can dig around roots, however this needs to be done very carefully. We would use an air-spade or soil pick. This selective excavator breaks up porous and semi-porous soils, whilst leaving non-porous objects unaffected. This is achieved by firing an airstream that is supersonic travelling at Mach 2, leaving both utilities and tree roots unaffected.

How deep do you need to dig around a tree?

It is quite possible to dig under a tree as it is rare that tree roots are deeper than 1m. However, when digging under a tree you still need to be very careful to ensure that there are no roots. By careful moling and use of cameras this can be achieved successfully especially when digging at 1m or greater below the majority of trees. As with anything there is always the exception to the rule and some trees have substantial tap roots. In these cases, these need to be avoided and dug around.

 

Trees on construction sites:

This is where most of our work takes place and with 20+ years of experience there is not much we have not previously encountered.

We aim to be commercially minded, with the aim of supporting the architect or builder to achieve the construction of property or wall with the minimum disruption to the site, whilst keeping the cost down for the needed works to enable the build to proceed smoothly.

If you need any advice on excavating or digging around trees or through their rootzone, please do phone or email. We aim to answer all calls within three rings and emails within the hour.

 

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