Tree Management
Management begins with an inspection. Good management is about knowing what trees you have, and using your money effectively to conserve and enhance their safety, health and beauty. Inadequate inspections and surveys, and lack of knowledge in assessing the condition of trees and their best management, result in poor management. Good management is NOT about spending lots of money on all sorts of tree surgery work and then doing nothing for 10 years. We believe good management is about assessing trees in a knowledgeable way, implementing the minimum tree work required, and then having regular check ups (monitoring).
For tree management not to be blind and wasteful, it should be planned. Planned management is efficient and cost-effective. For example, large sites/areas with a large population of trees can first be briefly viewed and as assessment made by a competant person as to which trees actually need to be surveyed/inspected and which may not. Those trees requiring inspection may then also be prioritised as to which tree groups should be surveyed first (i.e. for public safety); and also the level of inspection required and the frequency of re-inspection can be decided. This facilitates good, pro-active and cost-effective tree management; this also represents a responsible and legally defendable management programme.
Following inspection there may (or may not), be recommendations for priority remedial tree works ('tree surgery'). Landscape trees are often in critical locations and remedial tree work may be called for, either for reasons of tree safety & health or nuisance. Typical tree work operations include pruning, felling/dismantling and cabling - performed by tree work contractors ('tree surgeons'). But please note: Removal of live branches from mature trees is damaging to the tree! So the benefits of tree work must outweigh the damage, and assessing this requires knowledgable and objective judgement. Tree work should always be a treatment - an informed solution to a tree problem; even if, as in the worst case, it means felling/removal.
As consulting arboriculturists we are more interested in tree management than 'tree work'. We are paid to see the tree (and its site and owner!), we don't inspect and advise for free in the hope of then getting a tree work job. We assess trees, report on their condition and specify any tree works that are really needed for their safety or health. For large sites and populations, we offer a three stage service: initial site review and plan, surveying (of priorty areas where competancy requires), and, where needed, detailed inspection of key trees. Where requested, we can refer tree work to leading local reputable tree surgeons. Where occasionally required, we can also draft the work schedule and contract documents for tender, and supervise their performance of the contract.
Mature tree stems differ in their anatomy and physiology to young stems. Severe and irreparable damage can be done to semi-mature and mature trees by mal-pruning. To destroy the form and health of trees by indiscriminate inexpert 'lopping and topping' only creates ugly trees with future safety problems. There is always a better, informed solution. There is a world of difference between good, professional tree work and ignorant mutilation. Proper tree work requires great skill and judgement. Never let anyone attempt any tree work that they are not trained or insured to perform.
