Alva Tree Surgeons (FK12) Scotland: Adding substance, style and structure to what can oftentimes be a two dimensional area, trees are a vital feature of gardens and properties in Alva. However, when neglected or affected by severe weather conditions like flooding or high winds, trees can be a bit of an issue. Before any work begins, the safest option is to get the advice of a qualified tree surgeon in Alva, when your trees are in need of attention.
Those in Alva who try to do tree work on their own, or by using unqualified personnel might risk causing damage to property, the trees or to life. However, tree work isn't even safe for skilled tree surgeons, who are aware of all of the risks involved. The reality is that tree surgery is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United Kingdom, with an average of 3 deaths and 140 serious injuries a year within the profession, hence it is certainly not safe work for amateurs to do.
There is also a risk to life from neglected or damaged trees in Alva, seeing as around five people each year are tragically killed in the United Kingdom by falling trees and branches. You could be liable for any compensation to a third-party as a consequence of your actions, if you bring in somebody to conduct tree work and property is damaged, or an injury occurs. This is why using the services of an established Alva tree surgeon to do the work on your trees is very important. (All figures are from HSE UK).
A certified Alva tree surgeon ought to be an approved member of at least one of the 2 trade bodies found in Britain. Both the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the Arboricultural Association (AA) offers a website where you can check up on the professional status and membership of any tree surgeon in Alva. To determine whether any particular tree surgeon has ARB Approved Contractor status and has membership of either of these bodies, you can do a search on this webpage.
You can contact these professional organisations for mediation and for advice and help at any point, if a problem springs up during or after any work has been completed.
If a tree surgeon who is not on this directory offers to give you an estimate, you should carry on with your search for an approved and qualified contractor, and tactfully decline their offer. It is wise to get at least 3 different quotes from various companies in Alva, once you have thoroughly checked their qualifications and professional memberships. Because of the risks involved in the work, you should ask the below questions, making it clear that you need to know the answers:
- Have you got documentary evidence of your professional membership, qualifications and a NPTC certificate for the use of a chainsaw? It is required by law that any tree worker who uses a chainsaw must have NPTC/LANTRA certification. Qualifications might include Certificates and National Diplomas in Arboriculture.
- Can you provide a written quotation? Verbal quotes alone aren't acceptable. Always try to get a quote in writing.
- How much insurance cover is provided? Your tree surgeon ought to be able to show you an insurance certificate covering a minimum of £5 Million public liability, as recommended by the AA and ISA.
- Could I contact some past customers to inspect the standard of your workmanship? It is recommended that you do an independent check of any recent work.
Clear and accurate details about all the work that is to be undertaken must be included on the written quotation. Who's responsible for removing tree branches, stumps and debris should be stated, as should information on any trees which might be protected in law, and the steps required to get permission to work on them. Unless you are a commercial business, you should also make sure that VAT has been included on the quotation. Recognising that you have a responsibility for hiring only competent tradespeople to work on your property and trees, is crucial. This is stated under the "Common law duty of care responsibilities and sometimes liabilities under the Occupier's Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984."
PRIOR TO WORK BEGINNING - The tree surgeon that you've chosen in Alva, will look into whether any of your trees are subject to a a TPO (tree protection order), and will consult with the local authority to find out if the go-ahead for any tree work is forthcoming. Finding a tree has protected status does not signify that work cannot be carried out, as even protected trees require maintenance so as to cut back dead or damaged wood and ensure the safety of the public.
If your property in Alva is inside a designated conservation area then at least 6 weeks written notice is required to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior to any work being undertaken. This is only required for trees with a stem diameter of more than 7.5cm in diameter, at a point 1.5 metres above the ground. It is also not necessary to give notice if a protected tree's branches need thinning or pruning simply to encourage and sustain growth.
On site they will complete a complete assessment of your tree's health and decide on the required remedial treatment and how best to achieve the required outcome in a safe manner. This will involve performing a full risk assessment to include your property, public spaces and any parts of a neighbour's property that could be affected by falling branches and debris. The amount of operatives needed and the level of protection required, will also be ascertained at this stage. This could include various safety precautions together with PPE (personal protective equipment) to guarantee the safety of the general public and nearby property.
ON THE DAY OF WORK - To keep unauthorised persons and passers-by away from the area of work, barriers and safety measures should be put in place before any cutting of branches, climbing or tree felling is started. If there is a danger of falling debris into a public highway, traffic may need to be temporarily halted.
Different kinds of work will demand that the tree surgeon has different levels of protection. At the bare minimum they're going to be wearing special protective clothing to avoid injuring the legs, hands and torso, when working with a chainsaw. All workers involved in the operation must wear eye and head protection, and high visibility clothing, at all times.
Extra operatives will usually be necessary to assist in the safe removal of high branches and sections of tree trunk, particularly if working at height is involved, and where ladders and associated climbing equipment is being used. It's advisable to inform your neighbours of the need for easy access, since a skip or other method of transporting the waste materials away will be stationed as close as possible to the work area.
AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - Once the work has been finished all of the waste will be hauled away and the whole site cleared of any debris. A certificate of work should then be prepared by your tree surgeon, particularly where the trees are covered by TPOs, which will be signed off and a copy presented to you. If any safety measures were put in public areas they can now be taken away, with pathways and roads being re-opened to the public.
Problems or issues should be put right immediately by approaching your tree surgeon directly. If there's any further dispute or arbitration needed, and your tree surgeon is a member of a professional body, you can receive guidance and advice from the AA or the ISA in order to reach a satisfactory solution.
Locally based Alva tree surgeons will likely have the postcode FK12 and the phone code 01259. They'll work in Alva itself, along with nearby areas like Blairlogie, Alloa, Sauchie, Tullibody, Fishcross, Devonside, Menstrie Mains, Causewayhead, Coalsnaughton, Dollar, Clackmannan, Menstrie, Tillicoultry, Stirling, Logie, and these postcodes: FK12 5AX, FK12 5NT, FK12 5AB, FK12 5BD, FK12 5BS, FK12 5AW, FK12 5HT, FK12 5LX, FK12 5BJ, FK12 5AH. Checking this out will make certain that you access a local tree surgeon. Alva homeowners are able to benefit from these and numerous other similar services.
For this kind of assistance it's certainly a good idea to use an experienced tree surgeon. Alva home and property owners can benefit greatly from the expertise and know-how that are the trademark of a trained professional.
Dutch Elm Disease
Although Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) is not quite the concern it once was, during the last fifty years or more it has wiped out many millions of elm trees throughout the British Isles. Unintentionally introduced into Great Britain from North America (Canada) in the late nineteen sixties, Dutch Elm Disease is spread by the elm bark beetle and caused by the Ophiostoma novo-ulmi fungus.
After arriving, it spread quickly through the nationwide movement of elm products like crates, saplings, mulching bark, and firewood logs with the bark still attached. It was not just the UK that was affected by this dreadful disease, because the stocks of elm trees were also decimated in continental Europe, North America and New Zealand.
Generally first materializing in early summer, the recognisable symptoms of DED disease are:
- A "shepherd's crook" reaction on affected twigs.
- Foliage that turns yellow, shrivels and dies.
- New shoots that die back from the tips.
- Twigs with spots or rings in cross-section.
The felling of dying, infected and dead trees, has effectively eradicated the favourite habitat of the beetle, and over the last few years the spread of DED has been significantly slowed down. New plants have also been propagated from trees that up to now have proved resistant.
You can put in a request for a diagnosis from the THDAS (Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service), or you can contact your local tree surgeon for help and advice, if you have elm trees on your property in Alva, and suspect they may be affected by Dutch Elm Disease.
Tree Preservation Orders Alva
Before performing any major work on your trees in Alva, you need to make sure that there is not a TPO (Tree Preservation Order) on any of them. To check whether the trees on your property are subject to Tree Preservation Orders, contact your local planning authority. If there are TPOs on one of your trees, you'll need local authority consent to do any of the following: lopping, felling, uprooting, wilful destruction, wilful damage, removal or topping. You can ask if your tree surgeon will help with this process, any decent one will be glad to offer guidance and advice.
Also, if you want to undertake any work on a tree with a diameter of seventy five millimetres or more, and you live within a conservation area in Alva, you need to give your local authority a minimum of six weeks written notice of the work. (Tags: Tree Preservation Order (TPO) Alva, Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) Alva, Tree Preservation Orders Alva).
A Tree Surgeons's Everyday Duties
- Assess the health of trees and create plans of action.
- Maintain and service equipment like wood chippers and chainsaws.
- Be competent using power tools and other powered machinery.
- Identify hazards presented by trees.
- Fell and remove trees and perform stump grinding.
- Work with customers and complete administrative duties.
- Tree planting and transplanting.
- Produce tree survey reports for both commercial and domestic clients.
- Climb trees to prune or remove branches as required.
- Chip and cut branches and logs.
- Prepare on-site or telephone quotes with the clients.
- Tidy up area on completion and remove waste products from client's site.
Tree Care Accidents
As was mentioned earlier, the work that tree surgeons and tree care professionals in Alva undertake, involves a significant level of danger. With a high risk of injury to both operatives and those on the ground, all possible safety measures must be taken when working on trees.
It would seem (as stated by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive)), that the use of chainsaws, falls from trees, and being hit by a falling tree or branch are the cause of the majority of serious and fatal injuries that are associated with tree work. Surprisingly, people that are involved in tree care work are more at risk of sustaining a serious injury than those who are working in building and construction.
In terms of insurance claims the most common tree care accidents involve falling from ladders, being struck by objects (cranes, branches, grapple hooks, trees, ropes etc) and lifting injuries.
That's why hiring a professional Alva tree surgeon is so vital when you have tree care work that needs doing. Most often, accidents that happen in the tree care industry are down to unqualified operatives trying to do tree work that they are not equipped for, nor skilled in. So, always use an experienced and reputable company that has been trading in the Alva area for several years, to sidestep this problem.
Wood Chipping Alva
As large quantities of vegetation, tree limbs and branches are generated by the tree surgery process, most Alva tree surgeons will utilise wood chipping devices to break down this material into manageable pieces. These awesome wood chipping machines can gobble up as much as forty tons of material per hour, depending on what equipment is being used, however the smaller, more commonly used models will process nearer to 5 tons per hour.
Having many uses like biomass solid fuel, garden walkways, weed prevention, mulch, landscaping, cultivating mushrooms, ecosystem restoration and wood pulp, the chopped down tree branches are also far easier to transport.
If you decide that you would like to keep some of the wood chippings that your tree surgery project generates, most Alva tree surgeons will gladly let you keep them. If you don't have any use for them, they'll cart them away for use on other assignments, or ethically dispose of them. As I am sure you will have realised by reading this write-up, tree surgeons are a good source for wood chippings which you can use for various purposes throughout your garden in Alva, whether you actually need tree surgery or not. Certain tree surgeons will supply you with wood chips for free, others may charge you, especially if you want them delivered.
Forest Master, Forst, Timberwolf and T-Mech, are among the best known makes of wood chipping equipment.
Crown Thinning Alva
The removing of some of the small branches towards the tree's outer crown to create a density of leaves which is even all over while not changing the size or shape of a tree, is termed crown thinning. Such a procedure is usually only performed on broad leafed trees and is done to decrease the overall weight of the crown, to stop the tree being uprooted when it is windy, to permit more sunlight to pass through, to help reduce the tree's wind resistance or to lessen the stress on larger branches as a consequence of gravity, wind, ice, or snow. The over-all shape and size of the tree shouldn't be altered by crown thinning, and should just bring about a uniform foliage thickness encompassing evenly spread out branches. It should be possible to find crown thinning services in Blairlogie, Alloa, Sauchie, Tullibody, Fishcross, Devonside, Menstrie Mains, Causewayhead, Coalsnaughton, Dollar, Clackmannan, Menstrie, Tillicoultry, Stirling, Logie, and the Alva area. (Tags: Tree Crown Thinning Alva, Crown Thinning Alva, Crown Thin Alva)
Eco-Plugging Tree Stumps Alva
If you have large tree stumps in your garden that need to be removed, the common procedure employed by most tree surgeons in Alva is stump grinding. However, nowadays there is a more cost-effective alternative to this approach in the shape of "eco-plugging". Eco-plugging is not only cheaper, but it's also useful for use in hard-to-reach locations where there are stump grinding accessibility issues.
An effective treatment for eliminating tree stumps, eco-plugging does not affect any nearby vegetation and trees. Eco-plugs eliminate the stump by destroying the entire root system, and can be used in any weather, and during any season of the year. Containing a kind of granular glyphosate herbicide, eco-plugs are 95-100 percent effective, and is suitable for a wide selection of tree species.
Tree Surveys Alva
There are a number of reasons why you may need to have a tree survey done, and the most common is for development or property extension. As laid out by BS5837 British Standards, if you're clearing some land to make room for a new house or an extension to an existing property in Alva, and there are trees on that land, you might need to do a professional tree survey. Tree surveys on both private and public property must be undertaken by a qualified tree surgeon or arboricultural surveyor in Alva.
For the area in question, a number of details will be gathered about the trees within it. For instance:
- The number of trees.
- A tree reference number for each of the trees.
- The structural and physiological health of the trees.
- Tree management guidelines.
- The predicted lifespan of the trees.
- The existence of any TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders).
- The spread of the branches to the North, West, East and South.
- The species of each tree.
- The height of each tree in metres.
- The diameter of each tree (measured 1.5m above ground level).
- The age of the trees.
If you're altering an existing home in Alva but you aren't extending the footprint of the property and are not changing the access points or service lines, a tree survey will probably not be necessary. (Tags: Tree Surveys Alva, Arboricultural Surveyors Alva, Alva Tree Surveys, Tree Survey Alva).
Storm Damage Alva
While we're all familiar with the power of Mother Nature, big trees seem sturdy, strong and able to withstand just about any eventuality. Some species of tree can in actual fact survive for many hundreds of years and will happily do so in most situations.
Despite all this, trees can be vulnerable to adverse weather, and aside from the threat of falling branches and limbs, when confronted by a certain set of conditions trees can even topple over completely, causing lots of damage. Trees have one main weather related enemy, and that is high winds. As violent storms and extreme weather events become more and more common with climate change, this sort of damage will happen with greater regularity in Alva in the future. Prolonged periods of rain or flooding will cause soil to become waterlogged, which is another issue for larger trees, as is heavy snow during wintertime.
To reduce the likelihood of problems with your trees in times of severe weather, it is advisable to get a professional Alva tree surgeon to examine them from time to time, and trim any dead or excessively long branches.
Larger trees can also be fitted with copper conductors, lightning rods, or other protection systems, to lower the risk of them being struck by lightning and to prevent nearby buildings and property being affected by jumps or "arcs" from one conductive path to another. A tree can be killed or severely weakened by a lightning strike, and even where the effect is not immediately conspicuous, the tree will probably be more vulnerable to attack by disease and pests. Whilst you may not believe that lightning is all that common in Alva, every year something like 300 thousand lightning strikes are recorded throughout the UK.
To safeguard your trees from storm damage and lower the chances of major consequences should an unstable tree crash down as a result of extreme weather conditions, ask your local Alva tree surgery company what can be done.
Coming Soon: Tree pruning Alva.
Tree Surgery Tasks Alva
Alva tree surgeons will likely help you with formative pruning, root grinding Alva, stump grinding in Alva, landscaping in Alva, hedge reduction in Alva, hedge lowering, tree management, cabling, dead wooding, damage restoration, emergency tree removal, terraventing Alva, drop crotching Alva, tree maintenance in Alva, woodland clearances, cut sealing Alva, crown cleaning, root pruning, damaged tree removal, tree lightening protection Alva, arboriculture, brush cutting services Alva, crown thinning in Alva, root flare exposure, tree surveys, tree transplanting, dead-wooding, woodland management, eco-plugging, tree dismantling, tree pest management, commercial tree surgery, tree bracing, tree waste removal, retrenchment pruning and other tree surgeon services in Alva, Scotland. These are just an example of the duties that are carried out by a tree surgeon. Alva companies will be happy to tell you about their whole range of services.
Tree Surgery Courses - Training - Apprenticeships Alva
Having employment as a tree surgeon is a rewarding and fulfilling way to earn a living. Opportunities like starting at the bottom (maybe as a groundworker) and working towards this role, registering for a private course, taking a course in university, gaining a tree surgery apprenticeship or enrolling for a college course are available to anyone in Alva keen to be a tree surgeon. For youngsters, tree surgery apprenticeships in Alva (when available locally), can be applied for while they are still in school. All over Great Britain, there are private courses and college courses in tree surgery, and folks of all ages can enroll. A range of related university courses are offered in forestry, countryside management, woodland conservation & ecology, arboriculture and forest management, and those with the appropriate qualifications (generally one to three "A" levels) can go for higher national diplomas, degrees and foundation degrees. If you aren't excited by any of the above alternatives, you may prefer to do some voluntary work so as to get a bit of practical tree care experience. You might try speaking to the Forestry Commission, the Tree Council, the National Trust or the Woodland Trust, to discover what may be possible in the Alva area. If you arrived here searching for information on "how to become a tree surgeon in Alva", hopefully this article has proven to be helpful. The best place to head to find out everything there is to know concerning ways to become a tree surgeon is the official website of the National Careers Service. (Tags: Tree Surgery Training Alva, Tree Surgery Apprenticeships Alva, Tree Surgery Courses Alva)
Getting Information and Advice
When chatting with local Alva tree surgeons, you must ask them questions like: Have you got public liability and employment insurance? Do your working practices match the British Standard? Can you supply references from satisfied clients? Do you have membership of a trusted professional body (i.e. The International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association)? Will you give me a quote in writing? Do your team and you have the proper certifications and qualifications (for tree management and chainsaw use)? to determine that they know exactly what they're up to and that they will not cause irreparable damage to your trees. You need to continue looking for a tree surgeon if you don't get satisfactory responses to any or all of these important questions.
To find lots of helpful information about how to choose a great tree surgeon, in addition to a comprehensive directory of experienced tree surgeons in the British Isles, you should visit the AA (Arboricultural Association) site. Another fine source of information is the International Society of Arboriculture site which boasts a "find an arborist" tool and a "verify arborist's credentials" tool. To get an overall idea of tree surgery as an occupation, you can pay a visit to the Wikipedia "Arborist" webpage by going here, or the Britannica webpage here. Trustmark is a Government approved organization that is also a great resource for choosing authentic contractors. Centering on excellent customer service, technical competency and good trading practices, Trustmark has consumer protection at its core.
Tree Surgeons Near Alva: Also find: Causewayhead tree surgeons, Tullibody tree surgeons, Sauchie tree surgeons, Alloa tree surgeons, Menstrie tree surgeons, Fishcross tree surgeons, Tillicoultry tree surgeons, Dollar tree surgeons, Coalsnaughton tree surgeons, Stirling tree surgeons, Devonside tree surgeons, Logie tree surgeons, Clackmannan tree surgeons, Menstrie Mains tree surgeons, Blairlogie here. All of these places are covered by a tree surgeon. Alva home and property owners can get tree surgery price quotes by clicking here.
Tree Care Services Alva
- Alva Crown Cleaning
- Alva Tree Shaping
- Alva Tree Planning
- Alva Cable Bracing
- Alva Wood Chipping
- Alva Root Removal
- Alva Hedge Cutting
- Alva Tree Surveys
- Alva Crown Raising
- Alva Woodchipping
- Alva Tree Reduction
- Alva Arboriculture
- Alva Hedge Planting
- Alva Tree Transplanting
More Alva Trades: Needless to say, whenever you are having tree care carried out in Alva, Scotland, you will likely need other garden related services, and aside from a tree surgeon in Alva, Scotland, you may also need landscapers in Alva, artifical grass in Alva, garden clearance in Alva, garden wall construction in Alva, decking fitters in Alva, garden design and planning in Alva, gate installers in Alva, patio installers in Alva, garden sheds in Alva, planting services in Alva, hedge shaping in Alva, rubbish removal in Alva, driveway specialists in Alva, pond maintenance in Alva, SKIP HIRE in Alva, grass cutting in Alva, and other different Alva tradespeople.
Tree Surgeons Around Alva: In the last few weeks, people in these Alva places have sent in enquiries about tree surgery: Scott Court, Henderson Place, Cochrane Crescent, Duke Street, Erskine Street, Cleuch Drive, Ochilview, Kersiepow House, The Cochranes, Hoggan Way, Academy Avenue, Craigton Crescent, Brookfield Place, The Broich, Minto Gardens, Stirling Street, Brook Street, The Wynd, Courthill, Viewfield Drive, Strude Howe, Southcroft, Alva House Gardens, Provost Hunter Avenue, Coblecrook Lane, Glebe Crescent, Parkgate, and also in these nearby postcodes FK12 5AX, FK12 5NT, FK12 5AB, FK12 5BD, FK12 5BS, FK12 5AW, FK12 5HT, FK12 5LX, FK12 5BJ, FK12 5AH. Work was conducted in these areas by a local tree surgeon. Alva business and home owners were given professional and dependable tree surgery services in every case.
More Scotland Tree Surgeons: Scotland tree surgeons: Brechin, Elgin, Hawick, Kilmarnock, Lerwick, Lochgelly, Inverkeithing, Denny, Galashiels, Leven, Fort William, Alva, Dundee, Nairn, Hamilton, Linlithgow, Greenock, Bishopbriggs, Broxburn, Newton Mearns, Bearsden, Falkirk, Westhill, Montrose, Alloa, Armadale, Bathgate, Glasgow, Arbroath, Aberdeen, Ardrossan, Stornoway, Bonnybridge, Grangemouth, Musselburgh, Carnoustie, Largs, Inverurie, Dumbarton, Prestonpans, Erskine, Jedburgh, Dumfries, Cumbernauld, Linwood, Kirkintilloch, Rosyth, Bishopton, Stenhousemuir, Peterhead, Galston, Tullibody, Cumnock, Dalry, Strathaven, Stonehaven, Stranraer, Kirkcaldy, Wishaw, Dunblane, Girvan, Kinross, Bellshill, Stirling, Kelso, Carluke, Motherwell, Ayr, Irvine, Lenzie, Glenrothes, Cowdenbeath, Ardeer, Coatbridge, Airdrie, Troon, Dingwall, Cupar, Tranent, Methil, Kilsyth, Dalgety Bay, Fraserburgh, Stepps, Larkhall, Burntisland, Barrhead, Forfar, Bonnyrigg, Kirriemuir, Dunfermline, Stewarton, Forres, East Kilbride, Buckhaven, Dunbar, Larbert, Blantyre, Johnstone, Rutherglen, Renfrew, Milngavie, Livingston, Whitburn, Prestwick, Cambuslang, St Andrews, Penicuik, Ellon, Viewpark, Edinburgh, Ballingry, Perth, Kilwinning, Uddingston, Clydebank, Newport-on-Tay, Stevenston, Peebles, Dalkeith, Tayport, Inverness, Lanark and Paisley.
For the best local information on Alva, Scotland check here
Tree Surgeon Jobs Alva: Find Alva tree surgeon jobs here: Tree Surgeon Jobs Alva
Tree Surgery FK12 area, phone code 01259.
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