Tree Surgeon Reading

There is a big risk of damaging property, trees or even life, for people in Reading who attempt to do tree work on their own, or by hiring a non-qualified individual. However, even for qualified tree surgeons who are acquainted with all the dangers, tree work is not entirely safe. There are an average of 3 deaths and 140 severe injuries a year within the profession, making it among the most dangerous jobs in the UK and certainly not for amateurs to try.

With falling branches and trees causing around five deaths a year in the UK, a risk to life can even be presented by a damaged or poorly maintained tree. If you employ someone to carry out tree work and subsequently an injury, or damage to property occurs, you may well be liable for any compensation to any third-party. This is why it is vitally important to hire an established tree surgeon to undertake the work on your trees. (The above figures were sourced from HSE UK).

PICKING A TREE SURGEON IN READING - A qualified tree surgeon in Reading will likely be a member of at least one of the two principal industry bodies. Both the Arboricultural Association and the International Society of Arboriculture offers a website where you can view the membership and professional standing of any tree surgeon. To discover whether any particular tree surgeon has recognised ARB Approved Contractor status and has membership of either of these bodies, you can check this webpage.

If a problem crops up during the course of the work, or after it's been completed you will be able to speak to these industry organisations for mediation and for advice and help.

If anyone who isn't on this directory offers you a quotation, you should tactfully decline their offer of work and find an accredited contractor. When their professional qualifications and associations have been carefully checked, you should try to get a minimum of three quotes from different companies in the Reading area. While acquiring the quotes you must ask the questions below, making it clear that you need them to provide the answers due to the risks of the work involved:

• Can I contact a recent person you've worked for so that I can check the quality of your tree work? Doing an independent check on any recent work is always recommended.
• Exactly what level of insurance coverage do you have? As stipulated by the ISA and AA, your tree surgeon should be able to show you a certificate covering at least £5 Million public liability insurance.
• Do you have documents to demonstrate that you have the recommended qualifications, membership of the ISA or AA, and also a certificate for basic chainsaw use from the NPTC? Any tree worker who uses a chainsaw, must by law have gained a NPTC/LANTRA certificate. A skilled Reading tree surgeon may hold City and Guilds Certificates and National Diplomas in Arboriculture.
• Do you offer written quotations? You should NEVER accept just a verbal quote. Only ever accept a written quote.

The written quote should include clear and concise details of the work being undertaken. Who's responsible for removing waste, tree branches and stumps should be stated, as should details of any trees which could be protected in law, and the steps necessary to obtain permission to carry out work on them. You should also make sure VAT is included on the quote. It's very important that only skilled people are hired to work on your property and trees, and this is entirely down to you. This is outlined by the "Common law duty of care responsibilities under the Occupier's Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984."

PRIOR TO WORK COMMENCING - The tree surgeon you have selected in Reading, will be able to look into whether any of the trees on your property are under a protection order, and will check with the local authority if the green light for any tree surgery is possible. To ensure the safety of the public, even protected trees need maintenance so as to cut back old or dead wood, therefore discovering that a tree is protected does not imply that you're unable to carry out important work.

If your property in Reading is in a conservation area then no less than 6 weeks written notice must be given to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior to any work being carried out. However, tree stems of under 75mm in diameter when measured at 1.5m from the ground are exempt from this requirement. Also, if the branches of a protected tree need to be thinned or pruned to promote and stimulate growth, written notice won't be necessary.

After fully assessing the health of your trees, your chosen Reading tree surgeon will determine the appropriate treatments and how the required outcome can best be accomplished. This will involve conducting a risk assessment to include public areas, your property and any part of a neighbour's property that could be impacted by falling debris. The level of protection needed and the amount of operatives required, will also be determined at this stage. To keep the public and other property safe from harm or damage, this will include both personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety measures.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - To keep passers-by and unauthorised persons away from the work area, safety measures, barriers and cones should be put in place before any climbing, cutting of branches or tree felling begins. Passing traffic might need to be halted temporarily if there is any risk of debris falling onto a public road.

Different kinds of tree work will demand that the tree surgeon has varying levels of protection. At the bare minimum they're going to be wearing protective clothing to prevent serious cutting injuries to the hands, legs and torso, when working with a chainsaw. At all times, every worker involved in the operation should wear hi-vis clothing, and head and eye protection.

Safety climbing equipment and ladders will need to be deployed if any working at height is involved, and to assist in the removal of high branches and large pieces of tree trunk, extra operatives will be essential. For hauling waste away from the area, a skip or truck will be stationed as close as possible to the work area. This requirement for access is as good a reason as any for informing your next door neighbours of the planned work.

AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - On completion of all the work, the site can be cleared of all debris, and all of the waste materials can be hauled away. Your tree surgeon should then sign off and give you a certificate of work, especially where the trees are under a protection order. If any safety measures were put in public spaces they can now be taken down, with pathways and roads being re-opened.

Issues or problems should be rectified straight away by approaching the tree surgeon directly. If your tree surgeon is a signed up member of a professional association, and there is any further dispute or arbitration required, you can receive advice and help from the International Society of Arboriculture or the Arboricultural Association so as to reach an acceptable conclusion.

Locally based Reading tree surgery services are most likely have the postcode RG1 and the telephone code 0118. They will operate in Reading itself, together with nearby areas such as Whitley, Caversham, Tokers Green, Norcot, Trench Green, Sulham, Binfield Heath, Southcote, Mapledurham, Dunsden Green, Tidmarsh, Earley, Caversham Heights, Play Hatch, Theale, Shinfield, West Reading, Chazey Heath, Englefield, Pangbourne, Lower Earley, Emmer Green, Sonning, Pingewood, Purley on Thames, Calcot, and these postcodes: RG1 1AR, RG1 2QL, RG1 2FG, RG1 1EN, RG1 2PX, RG1 2JB, RG1 1LT, RG1 2LR, RG1 2BG, RG1 1NG. Checking this can guarantee that you're accessing a local tree surgeon. Reading homeowners will be able to benefit from these and countless other related services.

If you require this kind of service it's unquestionably far better to employ a competent local tree surgeon. Reading residents can benefit greatly from the expertise and knowledge offered by a fully trained professional.

Chainsaws

With regards to the equipment that is used by tree surgeons in Reading, the most commonly seen is the chainsaw. The most popular style of chainsaw with professionals is the petrol driven version, being easy to handle and more mobile, although nowadays it's possible to buy rechargeable battery chainsaws and mains operated ones. For substantial tree work, the only realistic option is to use petrol driven chainsaws, because they're able to cut through trunks and branches of any dimensions, and are exceptionally robust and powerful.

Essentially, a chainsaw is composed of a revolving motor-driven chain that has a set of razor-sharp teeth for slicing through bark and wood. There are also a variety of styles of chainsaw, pole saws for hard to reach branches and long distance pruning, top-handled for working at height (and which can be used single handedly) and rear-handled for working on the ground (must be used with two hands).

While it isn't the safest thing to be carrying up a tree, it is fairly rare to find a tree surgeon in Reading who does not use a chainsaw virtually every day. All tree surgeons need to be trained in the safe use and maintenance of chainsaws, and it's one of the primary requirements for becoming a registered member of the Arboricultural Association (AA).

Although there are numerous different chainsaw brands available to professional tree surgeons, the most popular ones the United Kingdom are Makita, Hyundai, Stihl and Husqvarna.

Wood Chipping Reading

To reduce the vegetation, tree limbs and branches that tree surgery creates, most professional Reading tree surgeons will make use of wood chipping machines on a regular basis. These awesome wood chipping systems can munch up as much as forty tons of material each hour, depending on the equipment being used, though the smaller, more frequently used models will process around five tonnes each hour.

Chipped down timber is obviously less cumbersome to transport, taking up less space in the tree surgeon's truck or trailer, and can also be used for landscaping, garden walkways, biomass fuel, cultivating mushrooms, mulching gardens, ecosystem restoration, wood pulp and weed prevention, to name just a few.

The majority of Reading tree surgeons will be willing to let you have the wood chips that are generated during your tree work, if you've got a good use that you want to put them to, otherwise they will generally take them away to use on other landscaping projects. Tree surgeons are a great source for wood chippings that you can use in your garden, even if you don't need any tree surgery doing on your property in Reading. If you need a load of wood chippings to be delivered then most tree surgeons will charge a fee for this service, others let you have them for free.

Forest Master, Crytec, Timberwolf and T-Mech, are among the most popular makes of wood chipping machinery. (Tags: Wood Chips Reading, Wood Chipping Services Reading, Wood Chipping Machines Reading, Wood Chipping Reading).

Tree Transplanting Reading

Moving fully-grown trees is an intricate, yet rather straightforward process nowadays, mostly due to cutting-edge truck mounted spades, tree lifting equipment and other specialist tools. Removing a tree from your property does not have to involve chopping it down and excavating the roots; a certified tree removal contractor in Reading can remove and transplant even adult trees and restore the disturbed ground afterwards.

Transplanting a tree in Reading can be executed any time of the year, however during the warmer months the soaking of the ground becomes particularly important so as to cause as little stress on the root-ball as possible. Removing a fully grown tree will involve a mechanical spade burrowing down and encompassing the root-ball, before raising the entire tree, uninjured, from the ground. The tree can then be temporarily stored before its transplanting in its new home.

If you want to move a tree from land that has a preservation order upon it, a certified tree moving contractor in Reading can collaborate with appropriate authorities to approve transplanting in a suitable location. (Tags: Tree Transplanting Reading, Tree Replanting Reading, Tree Moving Reading).

Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus Fraxineus)

First reported in Great Britain in 2021, ash dieback is a highly infectious fungal disease that is expected to wipe out about 80 percent of the current ash trees, in the next few years. Already having an equally disastrous effect on the beautiful British countryside as Dutch Elm Disease, ash dieback is just another blow to the UK's tree stocks.

Ash dieback has an especially disastrous effect on the native British common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), although it actually affects the whole Fraxinus genus of trees, which have different levels of tolerance. Originally coming from eastern Asia where the native Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis) and Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) are less seriously affected by it, the fungus which causes the disease is called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (H. fraxineus), and it kills off a tree by obstructing its water transport (vascular) systems.

Dispersed by microscopic spores that blow on the wind, which can travel for tens of miles, ash dieback (or chalara ash dieback as it is often known) has already spread to most regions of the United Kingdom.

The obvious symptoms of ash dieback are:

• Shoots and leaves which are dying during the summer.
• Dark patches on leaves during the summertime.
• Dark brown necrotic lesions form where branches connect to trunk.
• Wilting leaves that turn black in colour and drop prematurely.
• New growth appears from previously dormant buds.

Ash trees can fight off the disease to some degree, but eventually succumb to repeated attacks, year-after-year. There is not yet any cure for chalara ash dieback, and because it's a disease which is airborne, no clear way to stop it spreading.

If you suspect that you have identified a tree suffering from ash dieback in your garden in Reading, or somewhere else in the neighbourhood, you can report it to the Forestry Commission's "Tree Alert Service", although ash dieback is so common all over the United Kingdom that they're really only interested in cases discovered in areas not affected previously. You can still however get in touch with a local tree surgeon, who will offer advice and guidance on how best to proceed.

Tree Cable Bracing Reading

When a tree could be a threat to nearby property or pedestrians, or if it is showing warning signs of damage or decay, the tree may be supported using a method known as cable bracing. Where highly valued or older trees in Reading are involved, cable bracing is used where it's undesirable to fell a tree or remove large sections that are unstable.

A cable bracing system could be effective in supporting any weak limbs, poor joints and V-shaped forks that may be causing some concerns. Carrying out different forms of bracing work, a competent tree care specialist should be able to use cables and rods to help mitigate structural stress, and ideally extend the lifespan of veteran trees in Reading.

Cable bracing has the objective of offering a shock-absorbing and flexible means of support that is non-invasive and does not cause further damage to the tree by having to drill and bolt the branches. A thorough risk risk assessment, to guarantee the safety of the tree and surrounding areas, should be done prior to the commencement of any cable bracing work in Reading.

Hedge Cutting Reading

Despite the fact that tree surgeons in Reading are primarily associated with the maintenance and care of trees and shrubs they are often brought in to trim and cut back hedges. Homeowners will find Leylandii and other conifer hedges challenging to cope with, as they grow tall very quickly - so a skilled tree surgeon may be required.

A hedge can fairly quickly get out of control and overgrown when it is uncared for and poorly maintained. Routine clipping is recommended if you don't want a hedge to take over your garden in Reading, and as well as making the hedge stronger it will also make it more visually appealing.

Neat hedges help make your entire garden look tidier, and could even add to the value of your home in Reading, if you've got plans to sell it. (Tags: Hedge Clipping Reading, Hedge Cutting Reading, Hedge Maintenance Reading, Hedge Trimming Reading).

Tree Removal Reading

Whilst there are various reasons behind why you may need to remove a tree from your garden or property in Reading, the removal of a tree should actually be a last measure. Many trees could even be protected by law, so you could not get rid of them even if you wanted to, unless they're presenting a safety threat. Authentic factors behind tree removal could be when your tree is infected, your tree is in the way of new development, the tree has grown too large for its setting, the roots of a tree are obstructing foundations/retaining walls, the tree is a threat to safety, you've got a dying/dead tree or your tree is damaged.

Removal of Tree Stumps Reading

After having a sizeable tree chopped down in Reading, you will be left with one further problem - the stump. In some situations it may be feasible for you to leave the stump where it is until such time as it breaks down and rots away by itself. However, tree stumps left in your garden can produce suckers in an attempt to regrow, and substantial stumps can take several years to break down, during which time they can become a trip hazard, and eyesore and the perfect home for unwelcome pests, bacteria and fungi.

There are several ways by which a large tree stump can be removed, if you decide that this is the preferred plan of action, though the 2 main options are stump removal and stump grinding. For the purposes of this piece we will be focusing on stump removal rather than stump grinding.

Chemical treatments, digging out by hand and burning, are the 3 main methods of getting rid of a tree stump. If you want to have a crack at removing the tree stump for by yourself, you could pick any one of these procedures when appropriate. If you are using a tree surgeon in Reading, they'll generally recommend the aforementioned stump grinding method.

Tree Stump Removal by Burning: Take care if you choose this technique for stump removal, because burning can be quite dangerous and could conflict with legislation in your area. A number of one inch holes will need to be drilled into the tree stump, and over a period of several days continually topped up with vegetable oil. You can then stack charcoal around the tree stump and set it alight. This shouldn't ever be left to its own devices, but be constantly supervised. Once the burning process is complete, you must make certain that the fire is put out, and when it has cooled down completely you can dig out and remove the burnt remnants of stump and roots.

Other options include shoveling out and clearing away all the soil from underneath the stump, and setting a fire in the cavity that has been created. If the stump is in close proximity to a building, other trees or fences, you should not use any of these burning procedures.

Chemical Stump Removal: If you opt for the chemical stump removal solution, you'll need to purchase Resolva Xtra Tough Tree Stump Killer, Roundup Tree Stump Remover or Vitax SBK Stump Killer. You must always read and follow the directions closely for timings, applications and rates for these chemical solutions, and be mindful of the fact that they're toxic and sometimes inflammable. This isn't a short term fix, and it can take a few weeks for the stump to decay entirely, after which an axe and spade can be used to remove it.

Digging Out a Stump by Hand: The technique for digging out by hand is relatively self-explanatory, and requires shoveling out out as much soil as possible from around the base and roots, cutting any thick roots with a chainsaw, and ultimately freeing up the stump so it can be hoisted out and removed. You may need to use a cable ratchet winch for the final lifting out of the stump. This is laborious and tiring work.

Tree Surgery Tasks Reading

Reading tree surgeons can usually help with tree cutting in Reading, crown thinning, crown raising Reading, coppicing, landscape clearing, stump removal, tree waste removal, tree fertilising, tree pruning, crown removal in Reading, tree topping, vegetation management, tree planning, crown lifting Reading, the protection of trees from grazing, pollarding, tree shaping, commercial tree surgery Reading, crown cleaning Reading, stump treatment, tree replanting Reading, landscaping, tree pest management, residential tree care, root pruning, drop crotching, woodland management, forestry management, root grinding, tree care services Reading, hedge reduction, retrenchment pruning Reading, site clearance Reading, crown reduction in Reading, damaged tree removal and other tree surgeon services in Reading, Berkshire. These are just some of the duties that are accomplished by a local tree surgeon. Reading companies will let you know their whole range of services.

Obtaining Help and Information

When you're trying to find a arborist or tree surgeon in Reading, there are a few specific questions that you should ask to confirm that they are both up to the task, and will not do any permanent harm to your trees. Pertinent questions might include things like: Does your work adhere to the British Standard? Will you give me a written quote? Do you and your workforce have the appropriate certifications and qualifications (for chainsaw use and tree management)? Do you have employers and public liability insurance? Do you have membership of a trusted professional association (such as The Arboricultural Association or the International Society of Arboriculture)? Are you able to provide me with references from satisfied customers? If you aren't provided with acceptable replies to any of these questions, it is best to find a different a tree surgeon.

To find tons of helpful details concerning how to pick a reliable tree surgeon, combined with a searchable directory of certified tree surgeons in the United Kingdom, you should visit the AA (Arboricultural Association) site. Yet another leading resource is the International Society of Arboriculture website which boasts a "verify tree surgeon credentials" tool (here) and a "find an arborist (tree surgeon)" tool. To find a basic idea of tree surgery as a vocation, you could pay a visit to the trusty old Wikipedia "Arborist" article by going here, or the Britannica page here. Trustmark is a Government endorsed organisation that is also an excellent stop-off-point for obtaining reliable trades-people.

Tree Surgeons Near Reading: Also find: Calcot tree surgeons, Lower Earley tree surgeons, Theale tree surgeons, Caversham Heights tree surgeons, Mapledurham tree surgeons, Trench Green tree surgeons, Southcote tree surgeons, Caversham tree surgeons, Tokers Green tree surgeons, Norcot tree surgeons, West Reading tree surgeons, Purley on Thames tree surgeons, Binfield Heath tree surgeons, Chazey Heath tree surgeons, Pingewood tree surgeons, Englefield tree surgeons, Tidmarsh tree surgeons, Sonning tree surgeons, Emmer Green tree surgeons, Play Hatch tree surgeons, Earley tree surgeons, Sulham tree surgeons, Pangbourne tree surgeons, Dunsden Green tree surgeons, Whitley tree surgeons, Shinfield here. The majority of these areas are catered for by a tree surgeon. Reading householders can get tree surgery quotations by clicking here.

Tree Care Services Reading

Find a Tree Surgeon in Reading Here

• Reading Crown Thinning
• Reading Cable Bracing
• Reading Crown Raising
• Reading Tree Felling
• Reading Tree Cutting
• Reading Root Grinding
• Reading Crown Reduction
• Reading Stump Treatment
• Reading Root Removal
• Reading Woodland Management
• Reading Vegetation Management
• Reading Crown Lifting
• Reading Tree Care
• Reading Tree Topping

More Reading Trades: Obviously, whenever you happen to be having tree care done in Reading, Berkshire, you'll likely need other garden related services, and along with a tree surgeon in Reading, Berkshire, you could also need fence installers in Reading, artifical grass in Reading, driveways in Reading, pond installers in Reading, garden clearances in Reading, landscape gardeners in Reading, lawn mowing in Reading, rubbish removal in Reading, hedge shaping in Reading, planting services in Reading, garden wall construction in Reading, patio layers in Reading, garden shed installation in Reading, garden design in Reading, SKIP HIRE in Reading, garden decking in Reading, and other different Reading tradespeople.

Tree Surgeons Around Reading: Tree surgeons were recently doing work in the following Reading areas: Ashwood, Andrews Close, Sandford Close, Shurlock Road, Tanners Lane, Thornbury Green, Dale Road, Bishops Road, Dunsfold Road, Dalby Close, Boundary Lane, Dukes Ride, The Orchard, Albury Close, Second Avenue, Tavistock Road, Camborne Close, Third Avenue, Cedar Road, Tenaplas Drive, Sanctuary Close, Adelaide Road, Taynton Walk, Calcot Place Drive, Charlville Drive, Southwood Gardens, Amber Close, Blewbury Drive, Castle End Cottages, Chichester Road, and in homes having these postcodes: RG1 1AR, RG1 2QL, RG1 2FG, RG1 1EN, RG1 2PX, RG1 2JB, RG1 1LT, RG1 2LR, RG1 2BG, RG1 1NG. Work was undertaken in these areas by a certified tree surgeon. Reading residents benefited from trusted and competent tree surgery services in every case.

More Berkshire Tree Surgeons: Berkshire tree surgeons: Tilehurst, Finchampstead, Crowthorne, Newbury, Slough, Winkfield, Reading, Windsor, Thatcham, Twyford, Wokingham, Ascot, Sandhurst, Woodley, Maidenhead, Sunninghill and Bracknell.

If you want local info on Reading, Berkshire check here

Tree Surgeon Jobs Reading: Find Reading tree surgeon jobs here: Reading Tree Surgeon Jobs

Tree Surgery RG1 area, (dialling code 0118).

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