Tree Surgeons Portsmouth

Those in Portsmouth who attempt to do tree work by themselves, or by using a non-qualified person may cause a risk of damage to property, the trees or to life. However, tree work is not a safe vocation, even for specialist tree surgeons, who are well acquainted with all the dangers. Tree surgery is certainly not a task for amateurs, and on average there are one hundred and forty serious injuries and three deaths each year within the industry, making it one of the most hazardous jobs in the UK.

With around 5 people each year being killed by falling branches and trees in the UK, even a neglected or damaged tree can also pose a danger to life. You could be liable to third-party compensation claims as a consequence of your actions, if you hire someone to do tree work and there is an injury, or damage to property. The above are merely some of the reasons why it is vitally important to employ a professional tree surgeon to work on your trees in Portsmouth. (All figures from HSE).

CHOOSING A TREE SURGEON IN PORTSMOUTH - A skilled Portsmouth tree surgeon ought to be an approved member of one or both of the 2 trade bodies found in the UK. The membership and professional status of any tree surgeon in Portsmouth can be checked out on the websites of both the AA (Arboricultural Association) and the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture). This webpage enables you to check out if any specific tree surgeon has recognised Approved ARB Contractor status, and has membership of either of these 2 associations.

You are able to make contact with these professional bodies for arbitration assistance and for guidance and help, if there is an issue at any point during the course of the work, or after it has been accomplished.

If anyone offers you a quotation for any tree work and they are not on this directory list, you should tactfully decline their offer of work and find an approved contractor. Once you have reassured yourself of their professional accreditations and associations you should try and get at least three different price quotes from various companies in Portsmouth. There are several crucial questions that you need to ask whilst you are obtaining the quotations, and due to the risks involved in the work, you must make it clear that you need them to provide the answers. You should for instance ask:

• Can you offer me a quotation in writing? Always get a quote in writing, and NEVER accept a quote that is only given verbally.
• Can I assess the standard of your workmanship by contacting a person you have worked for recently? It's recommended that you do an independent examination of any recent work.
• Can you show documents to show that you have the recommended qualifications, membership of the ISA or AA, and also a certificate for the use of a chainsaw from the NPTC/LANTRA? It's required by law that any tree surgeon/worker who uses a chainsaw must hold a NPTC/LANTRA certificate. A professional tree surgeon in Portsmouth will possibly hold City & Guilds Certificates and Diplomas in Arboriculture.
• How much insurance cover is provided? As suggested by the ISA and AA, your tree surgeon ought to be able to show you an insurance certificate covering at the least £5 Million public liability.

The written quote must include easy to follow information on the work being undertaken. It should indicate who is responsible for the removal of debris, tree branches and stumps, and should also include details about any trees which might be protected in law, and the steps necessary to obtain permission to carry out work on them. You should also make certain VAT has been included on the quote unless you are a commercial enterprise. Understanding that you have a responsibility to employ only qualified people to work on your trees and property, is very important.

PRIOR TO WORK BEGINNING - Finding out whether any of your trees are protected, your selected Portsmouth tree surgeon should make sure that any work can get the green light from the appropriate local authority department. Even protected trees need maintenance so as to cut back dead or damaged wood and ensure the safety of the public, so discovering that a tree has protected status does not signify that work can't still be carried out.

A minimum of six weeks written notice must be given to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) before any tree work can be carried out, if your property in Portsmouth is inside a designated conservation area. However, tree trunks of under seventy five millimetres in diameter when measured at 1.5 metres from ground level are exempt from this requirement. It is also not necessary to give written notice if a protected tree's branches need pruning or thinning simply to encourage and sustain growth.

Your chosen Portsmouth tree surgeon will determine the required remedial treatment and how best and safely to achieve the required outcome after carrying out a thorough assessment of your trees health. Where there's any potential for falling branches and debris, a full risk assessment will need to be carried out on public areas, your property, and sections of neighbouring properties that might be affected. At this point, the number of workers required and the level of protection needed will also be established. This could include a number of safety measures together with PPE to ensure the safety of the general public and adjacent property.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - Before any climbing, tree felling or cutting of branches begins, barriers, cones and safety measures will be put in place to keep unauthorised persons away from the area of work. If there is a risk of debris falling into a public highway, traffic might have to be temporarily halted.

Varying levels of protection will be needed by the tree surgeon according to what work needs to be undertaken. At the very least when working with a chainsaw they need to be wearing specialist protective clothing to avoid cutting injuries to the torso, hands and legs. Every operative involved in the work, should at all times be wearing high visibility clothing, together with head and eye protection.

Ladders and associated climbing equipment will be required if working at height is involved, and to help in the safe removal of high branches and pieces of tree trunk, additional personnel will be essential. For removing waste, unhindered access to the work site will be needed. Therefore, it is advisable to inform your next door neighbours, because a skip or pickup truck will need to be stationed as close as possible to the work area while the work progresses.

UPON COMPLETION OF WORK - On completion of all the tree work, the whole site can be cleared of all debris, and all the waste can be taken away. Your tree surgeon should then prepare and sign off a certificate of work, a copy of which will be presented to you. This is especially important where trees with TPOs are concerned. If any safety measures were put in public areas they can now be removed, with highways and footpaths being re-opened to the public.

If you've got any complaints about or issues with the completed work, you should get them put right immediately by first of all taking them up with the tree surgeon. If your tree surgeon is an approved member of a trade body, you can get guidance and advice from the ISA or AA in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion, if any further arbitration is needed.

Tree Surveys Portsmouth

There are a number of instances where tree surveys may be required, land development and property extension being the most frequent. If you are clearing some land in Portsmouth which has trees growing on it, to make way for an extension to an existing property or a brand new home, you'll need to carry out a tree survey as laid out by the British Standards BS5837. Tree surveys on both public and private property must be carried out by a certified tree surgeon or arborist in Portsmouth.

A whole bunch of information about all of the trees within a specified area will be gleaned by a correctly performed tree survey. For example:

• The existence of any TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders).
• The height of each tree.
• The age of the trees (i.e. young, semi-mature, mature, over-mature and veteran).
• The spread of the branches towards the West, North, East and South.
• The diameter of each tree (measured 1.5m above the ground).
• The number of trees.
• Tree management recommendations.
• The species of trees on the site (either common or scientific).
• A unique tree reference number for every tree.
• The health of the trees.
• The predicted life expectancy of the trees.

A tree survey will most likely not be necessary if you are not extending the building's footprint nor are you changing the service lines or access points of an existing home in Portsmouth. (Tags: Portsmouth Tree Surveys, Tree Survey Portsmouth, Arboricultural Surveyors Portsmouth, Tree Surveys Portsmouth).

Emergency Tree Surgery Portsmouth

Although emergencies are rare regarding trees in your garden, accidents are always possible, so it may be wise to have an emergency contact number where you can reach a tree surgeon in Portsmouth. Tree surgeons in Portsmouth typically expect to receive a huge surge in emergency calls when there are strong winds and gales, which is why some of them offer a 24/7 service to cater for this eventuality. In gusty weather there's more potential for branches breaking off and falling onto property or pedestrians, and even the prospect of an entire tree toppling over. Prevention is definitely better than having to contend with the aftermath, and commonplace problems that can result from falling branches and tree limbs include broken garden furniture, splintered sheds, cracked greenhouses and damaged fences.

When substantial tree branches break of and fall onto railway tracks, public walkways and roads, the local council in the Portsmouth area will also occasionally need emergency tree surgery services.

When a tree has lost some of it's branches it can become uneven or lopsided, with more weight and branches on one side than the other. This can be both aesthetically displeasing and unsafe, therefore the tree may need to be "re-balanced". For all of these issues, you should call up a local tree surgeon in Portsmouth who provides emergency tree care services, and they will deal with all of this for you. You can also obtain emergency tree services in Eastney, Milton, Fratton, Widley, Alverstoke, Copnor, Hilsea, Porchester, Lee on the Solent, Cosham, Hayling Island, and Portsmouth, Hampshire. (Tags: Emergency Tree Services Portsmouth, Emergency Call-Outs Portsmouth, Emergency Tree Care Portsmouth, Emergency Tree Surgery Portsmouth).

Crown Thinning Portsmouth

If you would like to allow more light inside, to lessen the tree's wind resistance, to minimize the stress upon certain limbs as a consequence of gravity, snow, ice, or wind, to lessen the overall weight of the crown of the tree or to reduce the chance of the tree being uprooted in blustery weather conditions, most of the smaller live branches that grow on the outer crown of a broad leafed (Rather than conifer) tree are trimmed in a process which is termed crown thinning. The overall shape and size of your tree aren't changed by this, and the probability is it will have to be done on a fairly regular schedule, as more shoots develop. Crown thinning shouldn't change the all round shape and size of the tree, but needs to establish a uniform foliage density surrounding uniformly spaced limbs. (Tags: Crown Thinning Portsmouth, Tree Crown Thinning Portsmouth, Crown Thin Portsmouth)

Air-Spading Portsmouth

There are a number of issues that can impact on the health of your trees, and the tree's root system is one of the places to consider when something is worrying you. A local tree care specialist in Portsmouth may need to access your tree's root system, so as to check for issues such as root rot and soil compaction.

Because of the likelihood of root damage during the digging down process, this was tricky previously. A technique called "air spading" is used by some contemporary tree surgeons in Portsmouth, and this allows compressed soil to be broken down and blown away by using compressed air, which does not cause any harm to the tree's root system.

The health of a tree can be badly affected when the soil surrounding the roots becomes compacted by heavy foot traffic, passing vehicles or construction work. When a tree becomes "stressed" it is more susceptible to attack by diseases, pests and insects, and this stress can be caused by a lack of water and nutrients. Air spading is also useful to resolve root flare problems, where the flare at the base of the trunk becomes covered with too much soil, causing tissue breakdown, and heightening the likelihood of root decay.

By forcing air into voids in the soil at speeds of up to 1,200 mph through the use of an air compressor and an air-spading tool, the innovative air-spading process swiftly breaks down the soil without damaging harming the tree roots. All the compacted soil is blown away from the roots by the highly powerful flow of air, meaning that inspection and investigation can take place immediately. The previously compact soil can then be replaced with wood mulch and fertiliser to rejuvenate the tree, and resolve any problems. (Tags: Air-Spading Portsmouth, Air-Spade Portsmouth, Air-Spade Investigations Portsmouth).

The ISA (International Society of Arboriculture)

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is an international, non-profit organisation which is based in Atlanta, GA, USA, with the aim of fostering the awareness and benefits of trees. Serving the tree care industry all around the globe, the ISA is a membership association that champions the professional practice of arboriculture, and provides qualifications for tree care professionals.

Allowing those involved in the tree care sector to develop their knowledge, arboricultural expertise and skills, the ISA is solidly focused on technology, education and research, which it makes readily available via educational services, events and publications.

An agreement signed in 2016 between the International Society of Arboriculture and the UK's Arboricultural Association, meant that the AA became an associate organisation of the ISA. Offering more opportunities for ISA members in Great Britain and Ireland, this also strengthened the relationship between the two. Any UK tree care professionals with either ISA or AA membership can now reap the wide and diverse benefits of being an integral part of a unique international network. Boasting over 22,000 members internationally the ISA now has associate organisations and professional affiliates in South Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Europe, Australia, and the UK.

Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus Fraxineus)

First reported in Britain in 2021, ash dieback is a lethal fungal disease which is likely to wipe out approximately 80 percent of the current ash trees, in the next few years. Ash dieback is almost certain to have huge repercussions for our countryside, piled onto the destruction caused by the Dutch Elm Disease outbreak.

A disease that affects the Fraxinus genus of trees, it has a particularly devastating effect on Fraxinus excelsior, the native British common ash. Believed to have originated in Asia where the native species of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica and Fraxinus chinensis) were more resistant, the fungus which causes the disease is known as Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (H. fraxineus), and it obstructs a tree's vascular (water transport) systems, causing it to die.

Ash dieback (or chalara ash dieback as it is sometimes known) has already spread to most areas of the UK, and is dispersed by wind blown spores released from the fruiting bodies of the fungus, and can travel for many miles, accelerating the process.

Ash dieback strikes trees of every age group and has the following symptoms:

• Leaves that develop dark patches during mid to late summer.
• Dying shoots and leaves which are visible during the summertime.
• New growth appearing from previously dormant buds (epicormic growth).
• Dark brown necrotic lesions form where limbs connect to trunk, and the inner bark under the lesions looks brownish grey.
• Foliage that wilts, turns black in colour and falls early.

Even ash trees that are able to fight the infection, are attacked year-on-year and ultimately succumb and die. There's currently no remedy for ash dieback, and no clear-cut procedure for stopping it spreading.

Whilst the "Tree Alert Service" provided by the Forestry Commission is presently only interested in hearing about cases reported in new areas where the disease has not previously been documented, if you're worried about an ash tree in your garden in Portsmouth, you should contact a local tree surgeon or tree specialist to verify the diagnosis and suggest an effective plan of action.

Trees that are affected by ash dieback: Fraxinus excelsior, Fraxinus angustifolia, Fraxinus ornus, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus nigra, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus mandschurica.

Day to Day Tasks of a Tree Surgeon

• Establish hazards presented by trees.
• Be adept with power tools and powered equipment.
• Maintain and service equipment like chainsaws and wood chippers.
• Climb trees to remove or prune branches.
• Plant trees and vegetation.
• Cut and chip logs and branches.
• Prepare telephone or on-site quotations with the customers.
• Clean up area upon completion and remove waste from customer's site.
• Evaluate tree health and treatment.
• Work with clients and complete administration duties.
• Fell and remove trees and grind stumps.
• Produce tree survey reports for both domestic and commercial clients.

Necessary Skills for a Tree Surgeon in Portsmouth

• To be able to perform common tasks on a computer or hand-held device.
• Have the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools.
• Patience and the ability to stay calm and focused in stressful situations.
• Physical skills such as movement and coordination.
• The cabability to work well with others.
• Have the ability to work well with your hands.
• Be aware of the complexities and dangers involved in all areas of tree work.
• Have an organised and methodical approach to work.
• Have a good understanding of public safety and security.
• Be professional and capable of completing work within the given timeframe.
• Good customer skills.

Leylandii Hedge Removal

The Leylandii hedge is a commonly chosen option for Portsmouth householders who desire both quick growth and privacy. However, they can quickly become overgrown and hard to maintain. When it comes to removing a Leylandii hedge, there are a few important things to consider. The first thing to do is to verify that the hedge is not protected by any legal regulations, such as a Tree Preservation Order. In such cases, you must seek approval from the local council before removing the hedge. Additionally, Leylandii hedges can possess extensive root systems, which underscores the need to employ a qualified tree surgeon to safely remove both the hedge and its roots. Finally, once the hedge is removed, you'll need to dispose of the waste responsibly. To put it simply, removing a Leylandii hedge can be a dangerous and prolonged task, underscoring the need to take the necessary safety measures and potentially seeking assistance from a professional.

Conservation Areas & Tree Preservation Orders Portsmouth

Before carrying out any major work on your trees in Portsmouth, you need to make certain that none of them have Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) If you contact your local planning authority, they'll let you know whether any of your trees are covered by a Tree Preservation Order. Local authority approval in writing is essential if removal, topping, wilful destruction, wilful damage, lopping, uprooting or cutting down is intended on any tree that is subject to a TPO. Any reputable tree surgeon in Portsmouth will be ready to help you through this process.

For those of you who reside within a conservation area in Portsmouth, at least 6 wks written notice must be given to the local council if you intend to undertake any work on a tree with a trunk diameter of 75mm or more (1.5m from the ground).

Accidents Through Tree Surgery

The work carried out by tree surgeons in Portsmouth can be extremely hazardous. Most tree work involves a high risk of injury to both operatives, co-workers and passers-by, therefore all reasonable safety measures should be taken when working on trees.

It would appear (according to the HSE (Health & Safety Executive)), that falls from trees, the use of chainsaws, and being hit by a falling branch or tree are responsible for the vast majority of major and fatal injuries that are associated with tree work. In fact, those people working in tree care have a higher likelihood of being seriously injured than those in the construction sector.

The most frequent tree work accidents in terms of insurance claims, involve falling from ladders, being struck by objects (ropes, trees, cranes, grapple hooks, branches etc) and lifting injuries.

This is why employing an experienced Portsmouth tree surgeon is so vital when you've got tree work that needs doing. Inexperienced workers trying to tackle tasks that they have not been trained to do, accounts for most accidents in the tree care industry. So, always try to use a trustworthy and experienced company which has been operating in the Portsmouth area for several years, to sidestep this kind of issue.

Tree Surgery Tasks Portsmouth

Portsmouth tree surgeons will likely help with pest control, shrub maintenance, tree cutting, root decompaction in Portsmouth, crown reduction Portsmouth, dead wooding, tree replanting, hazard assessments Portsmouth, tree management, emergency tree surgery, tree felling, crown cleaning, tree fertilising, tree inspections in Portsmouth, crown removal in Portsmouth, root grinding in Portsmouth, formative pruning, root flare exposure Portsmouth, hedge reduction in Portsmouth, safety inspections in Portsmouth, cut sealing, root pruning, hedge planting in Portsmouth, felling of storm damaged trees, stump grinding, tree lightening protection, air spading, landscaping, crown lifting, root removal, eco plug treatments, fruit tree pruning, tree pruning, tree waste removal, crown thinning and other tree surgeon services in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Listed are just an example of the activities that are accomplished by local tree surgeons. Portsmouth professionals will be happy to inform you of their full range of services.

Tree Surgeons Near Portsmouth

Also find: Gosport tree surgeons, Purbrook tree surgeons, Fareham tree surgeons, Porchester tree surgeons, Copnor tree surgeons, Emsworth tree surgeons, Milton tree surgeons, Fratton tree surgeons, Widley tree surgeons, Cosham tree surgeons, Drayton tree surgeons, Eastney tree surgeons, Lee on the Solent tree surgeons, Havant tree surgeons, Hayling Island tree surgeons, Alverstoke tree surgeons, Hilsea tree surgeons, Southsea tree surgeons and more. All these areas are served by trained tree surgeons. Local home and business owners and others can obtain tree surgery estimates by going here.

(Sourced from tree surgeons Portsmouth text version four.)

More: Root Decompaction, Tree Inspections, Tree Pollarding, Crown Thinning, Site Clearance, Tree Pollarding, Crown Cleaning, Crown Raising, Tree Reshaping, Soil Terravention, Tree Topping, Hedge Reduction, Air-Spading, Tree Surveys, Woodchipping, Stump Grinding, Cable Bracing, Hedge Planting, Woodland Management, Tree Care, Tree Reduction, Crown Reduction, Site Clearance, Hedge Planting, Tree Inspections, Root Decompaction, Tree Maintenance, Soil Terraventing, Tree Transplanting, Woodchipping.

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