Pro Arb March 2017 by Eljays44

MARCH 2017

AN INTERVIEW WITH

JONATHAN COCKING

GROW WITH THE FLOW

HOW TO PREVENT

SOIL COMPACTION

OLYMPIC PLANES

SELECTING TREES FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH COVER final.indd 7

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NEWS 04 AGENDA

Do you think that enough is done to promote arboriculture as a career option?

06 NEWS

A roundup of industry news

FEATURES 11

AN INTERVIEW WITH

Jonathan Cocking, JCA

OPINION

Stewart Wardrop of the AA discusses the controversy over Shefﬁeld’s trees

GROW WITH THE FLOW

A closer look into how Leeds City Council is using trees to mitigate urban ﬂooding

20 OLYMPIC PLANES The trees selected and planted for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

24 SPECIAL BRANCH An in-depth exploration of the Japanese maple

SOIL COMPACTION

Details and advice on the risks of soil compaction and how to deal with it

CONTENTS

WELCOME MARCH 2017 • VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 3

elcome to the new look Pro Arb magazine. We’ve decided to update our style after two and a half years in the industry. We want to make sure Pro Arb’s design still entices you, our readers, to pick up the publication and read its fantastic articles. It’s nothing major, it just looks and feels more modern, and we’re loving it at Pro Arb HQ. On to the March issue. We’ve all heard about what’s happening in She eld at the moment, with the tree felling situation and subsequent protests. Stewart Wardrop, CEO of the Arboricultural Association, has written a column regarding the AA’s stance on the goings-on in the Steel City. Check out page 15 for what he has to say. Our big interview is with industry expert and AA stalwart Jonathan Cocking. He’s been there, done it all and o ers ro rb an insight into what motivates him to keep achieving great things in arboriculture.

ou’ll ﬁnd a fantastic feature on page 0 on the trees in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Pro Arb was shown around the area by the park services manager, who informed us on why every species of tree was speciﬁed for the pro ect. e’ve also spoken with AV Arboriculture to learn how the company deals with soil compaction and how it can be prevented, on page 26. That’s it for this month. We’d love to hear what you think about Pro Arb’s new look. Have a great month.

JOE WILKINSON

29 TOP TEN TIPS

Integrating nursery trees into landscapes

30 PESTS & DISEASES

Bartlett Tree Experts advises on the threats to sweet chestnut

KIT 33

ROPE

The types of rope available to arborists and which to choose

34 STUMP GRINDERS

Tips for maintaining stump grinders

35 36 38

LATEST PRODUCTS

Urban planting

ARB KIT

A roundup of the latest arb kit

TOOLBOX

Greenbelt Tree Surgery in Bognor Regis

REGULARS 41

ALL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01903 777 570 Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA EDITORIAL Commissioning Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com roduction ditor Susie u susie.duﬀ@eljays44.com Editorial Reporter – Joe Betts joe.betts@eljays44.com Editorial Assistant – Max Dodd max.dodd@eljays44.com Subeditor – Charlie Cook charlotte.cook@eljays44.com ADVERTISING Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Group Sales Manager – Luke Chaplin luke.chaplin@eljays44.com Sales Executive – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Horticulture Careers – Liam Colclough liam.colclough@eljays44.com

PRODUCTION Design – Kara Thomas, Mandy Armstrong Printed by Pensord Press Ltd Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd CIRCULATION Subscription enquiries: emily.maltby@eljays44.com Pro Arb is published 12 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2017 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

FOLLOW US ONLINE www.proarbmagazine.com Follow us on Twitter @ProArbmagazine Like us on Facebook Proarbmagazine Connect to our LinkedIn group Pro Arb UK For careers in arboriculture and horticulture go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk Every week we send out ‘Pro Arb: The Tuesday Recap’, in which we highlight the most popular news stories from the last week. If you aren’t subscribed to The Tuesday Recap but would like to be, please email Amber Bernabe at amber.bernabe@eljays44.com If you would like to send us press releases to post online and potentially feature in The Tuesday Recap, please email Joe Wilkinson at joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Cover image © Miles Willis

MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson Director – Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson

ANCIENT TREE COLUMN The Marton Oak, Cheshire

42 MEET THE SUPPLIER Stihl GB

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NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

AGENDA

DO YOU THINK THAT ENOUGH IS DONE TO PROMOTE ARBORICULTURE AS A GENUINE CAREER OPTION? NAVIN SEHMI

Managing director, Down to Earth

“When I went to college in 1997, everyone was taking the course to change careers” When I went to college in 1997, I was the youngest in my class and one of the only people there looking for qualifications to make arboriculture my first ob. lmost everyone else was paying to take the course because they wanted to change their career path they came from all sorts of di erent obs, a lot of them nothing to do with arboriculture. Later on when I went back to college to teach arboriculture in 00 , found that the climate had changed everyone in the classes was a lot younger than they used to be and were choosing arboriculture because they were not sure what to do. hey see the industry as hands on, outdoors and fun. hen was learning, because everyone was older, if stepped out of line would be firmly put back in my place but now it’s very di erent. ’m now in the very lucky position to run my own business, and have to say it is very

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di cult to get high quality sta . don’t think this is because the industry is lacking, or not pushing hard enough to encourage young people to start this career, but the climate has certainly changed signiﬁcantly.

BRUCE JAMES

Practical lecturer in arboriculture, Myerscough College

“Every year we have around 30 or 40 new students coming here to study arboriculture” t the moment we’re doing a very good ob encouraging students to take up arboriculture. e o er a huge range of courses for arboriculture from foundation courses in the sector to full time courses on arboriculture and urban forestry. very year we tend to have around 0 or 0 new students coming here to study arboriculture and naturally they progress towards obs in the industry. dmittedly the ﬁgures have gone down a bit this past year, but think we’re still in a very healthy position and the students who come here are all very passionate and keen for a good career in the sector.

JAMES PEAKE

Head of arboriculture, VPS Grounds

“Arb is seen as more of a stop gap for people who then move on” No, I don’t think arb is seen as a chosen career path. It’s more of a stop gap for people who then either move on or ﬁnd out they like the industry and stay to become climbers, surveyors, managers etc. feel this needs to be addressed, and fast, as we need dedicated people in this industry to keep it alive and away from the aws of unqualiﬁed teams we all know what that means).

STEVEN HOBSON

Marketing officer, Arboricultural Association

“Providing support and engagement is one of our key areas of focus for 2017” e strongly feel that there is a huge gap in resources and support for careers in

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arboriculture. It’ll come as no surprise that providing support and engagement for future arborists and those interested in a career in arboriculture is one of our key areas of focus for 2017. We’re currently working on a number of initiatives to improve this, such as a portal to help encourage people to take up a career in arboriculture and inform them on the various routes, and a guide to careers and qualiﬁcations. e’re always keen for input and the advice of our members and stakeholders within the industry on this and other topics, as they are the lifeblood of our association.

DAVE DOWSON

Managing director, Treelife

“A more cohesive industry, and improved knowledge of education, would assist greatly” My experience indicates that school career advice would not extend to arboriculture/tree surgery as a career path even if it was known about from our industry. A vast majority of people entering the industry do so because they like the outdoors, ﬁnd tree surgery

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exciting, like practical work as opposed to academia and often just want to ‘have a go’. Then, having entered the industry, career progression is often not considered until the realisation hits that the practical side is hard work. Once that happens certain career paths are unobtainable, as full time college is usually not an option for mature students for a variety of reasons. This leads one down a part time pathway of which there are good options leading to chartered professional status. Does the industry do enough to promote a career path? Probably not, due to a lack of understanding. A more cohesive industry, and improved knowledge and understanding of education and pathways, would assist greatly.

GEOFF WALSH

Managing director, Acme Arb

“It would be great if the industry successfully promoted a clear, model career path” We’re often asked for our recommendations on how to get started in arboriculture, and it’s usually a fairly straightforward answer. If I ask what makes an arborist, however, I’ll get a di erent response from most within

the industry. We’re very keen on continued professional development within our tree teams. Where budgets allow, we see training as an opportunity to promote ourselves as professionals, beyond the prerequisite C qualiﬁcations required for most ob applications. At the moment we pick and choose academic and vocational courses as we feel appropriate. This has its advantages, but it would be great if the industry more successfully promoted a clear, model career path with associated qualiﬁcations etc. .

SUE BARNES

Partner, Barnes and Associates

“There is a very limited amount of variation in the courses on offer at the moment” The simple answer is no! The courses on o er at the moment don’t provide enough for those who are studying biology or the science behind trees. There is a very limited amount of variation in the courses. A lot of people who, if done properly we could tempt in from a science background, don’t see enough progression in the industry to make it worth their time, and so they enter di erent ﬁelds.

Pro Arb | March 2017

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NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

NEWSBEAT

A ROUNDUP OF ALL THE LATEST ARBORICULTURE NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK. FOR MORE STORIES VISIT WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

INCREASE IN USE OF METHODS TO PROTECT TREE HEALTH PREDICTED Chris Mills, general manager at Glendale Civic rees, has predicted an increase in the use of methods and techniques which will help contribute to improved tree and plant health. Chris said e’ll see square tree pits being relied upon more frequently, which are more e ective at encouraging roots to e tend further, meaning a healthier and more stable tree. n addition, the recent trend towards hyperlocalism will continue, with an increase in

stock being sourced locally, supporting the value placed on homegrown produce and echoing the need to combat climate change by importing less from overseas in order to reduce carbon emissions.” lthough, optimistic about the year ahead, Chris also anticipates challenges will need to be tackled. here will be the usual challenges to face, with the number of pests and diseases coming from abroad on the rise.” www.glendale-services.co.uk

HUNDREDS OF TREES PLANTED IN LAKE DISTRICT FOR FLOOD PREVENTION Trees are being planted in the Lake District to help reduce ooding and restore woodlands, the National Trust has said. More than 90 people are helping to plant , 00 native woodland trees including oak, birch, ha el, rowan and crab apple, at ﬁve sites, in the ﬁrst mass planting the trust has attempted in the

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national park. Some . cm of rain fell in ust over hours on oniston ass, Borrowdale,

during Storm esmond, with e treme rainfall made more likely by climate change, scientiﬁc analysis has shown. he storm ooded homes, devastated farmland and transport links, and left the ational rust with a m clean up bill for land and property it owns and manages. Mike nnerdale, assistant

director of operations for the ational rust, said his is a real community e ort, with do ens of volunteers helping to plant trees, restoring important wood pasture habitats and slow the ow of storm water o the fells.” www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ADDED TO TEACHING TREES COUNTIES She says: “There is something very special about woodlands: the never ending cycle of seasons and the nooks and crannies waiting to be found. I love seeing woodlands through the eyes of children and helping them to explore and understand their own passion for the outdoors.” Another new appointee is Tim Kaye (pictured), who takes over from Faye Esrich in Herefordshire. He has worked in outdoor education for over 20 years and will be basing Teaching Trees sessions at Aconbury. www.rfs.org.uk

The Cellweb® TRP system with a 10 year guarantee is right beneath your feet www.geosyn.co.uk

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TREE SURVEY REVEALS RARE SPECIES A survey at Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Conservation Estate near Loch Ness has revealed a range of rare species, including a midge never before recorded in the UK, underlining the site’s growing reputation as a ‘lost world’ for biodiversity. ther key ﬁndings during the charity’s 2016 survey season included two rare gnats whose larvae feed on fungi. One of these, Sciophila varia, is only known from four other UK sites. The other, Mycomya nigricornis,

is only known in the UK from a handful of Scottish sites and had not been seen since 1990. “Dundreggan is a special part of the Caledonian Forest that keeps on revealing beautiful, interesting and rare species. The surprisingly rich wealth of life in this corner of the Highlands highlights the importance of conservation action to protect and restore Scotland’s wild places,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s founder. www.treesforlife.org.uk

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The Royal Forestry Society’s (RFS) successful Teaching Trees project for primary schools has added Gloucestershire to the list of counties it now operates in. Teaching Trees o ers schools two hour sessions in local woods with a range of creative and fun seasonal activities which closely link the care and management of woods to the national curriculum. In Gloucestershire, Georgia Spooner, an experienced environmental education o cer and primary school teacher, will be leading sessions in her local woodlands.

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NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

GLENDALE TREE TEAM BRIDGES THE GAP FOR MANCHESTER RAILWAY PROJECT A team from Glendale Civic Trees, specialists in tree relocation, supply and planting, was called upon when three large trees needed relocating to enable a new railway bridge to be installed. Using the largest tractor mounted tree spade in

the UK, three Wellingtonia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) were moved so infrastructure specialist J. Murphy & Sons Ltd could replace the bridge near Mauldeth Road Station in Manchester. Once the relocation was complete the crane was able

to lift out the old bridge, which had reached the end of its useable life, and replace it with a new one. Marc Greenaway, operations manager at Glendale Civic Trees, said: “The time constraints of the project meant we needed to act quickly to relocate the trees, which combined with wet ground and tight access meant somewhat challenging conditions. “Tree pads were placed around the relocation site by the Murphy team to prevent the tree spade churning up the ground. It was important to take good care of the trees throughout the process, particularly as they’re an interesting species with a lot of history.” www.glendale-services.co.uk

FÖRST INTRODUCES PT8 WOODCHIPPER AS PART OF ITS 8IN SERIES Först has introduced a new machine to its 8in series with the launch of the PT8. The new woodchipper, the fourth machine to be added to the manufacturer’s 8in series, is a premium machine developed speciﬁcally for contractors, arborists and landscapers. The PT8 is a robust and powerful woodchipper with its own hydraulic system and

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reservoir, meaning the machine doesn’t need to be connected to a power unit’s hydraulic system. Doug Ghinn, director at Först, commented: “Our aim is to continue producing strong and durable woodchippers that deliver exceptional performance and reliability to tree surgeons, arborists and contractors. “The PT8 encompasses

the features and beneﬁts that the industry has come to expect with all Först machines, displaying a level of quality that we strive to maintain in the research and development of our new products.” www.forst-woodchippers.com

‘OLDEST TREE IN BIRMINGHAM’ FELLED

A London plane, believed to be the oldest tree in Birmingham, has been felled despite a huge campaign to try and save it. The tree, which was at least 90 years old, has been removed to make way for new anti-terror barriers. Campaigners had launched a petition to try and save the tree, which stood on the edge of Centenary Square near the Library of Birmingham. Michael Allen, 46, who campaigned to stop the felling, said: “The tree was perfectly healthy and it was a historical feature, but they say it needs to be removed to make progress. I think it’s just more convenient to take it out rather than work around it and give it a chance. Birmingham City Council and Transport for West Midlands said: “We will be planting 59 semi-mature trees as part of the new square design, making the area even greener than before.” www.birminghammail.co.uk

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06/03/2017 16:11

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KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

AN INTERVIEW WITH

JONATHAN COCKING

JONATHAN COCKING HAS SPENT 20 YEARS BUILDING HIS ARBORICULTURE CONSULTANCY, JCA, INTO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. HE TELLS US WHY BECOMING A REGISTERED CONSULTANT IS AN ACCOLADE THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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“

people began to realise we were one of the few registered consultants in the north

What is your day to day role? Managing director and principle consultant of JCA is the long title. It’s not a big enough company for me to sit in a chair and just direct so I do get involved. Today, for instance, I will be working on a legal job that I am preparing, and writing a report for an accident investigation. Later I have various projects and new potential jobs to quote for. What is the structure of your business? We have 16 people working here. Ten do survey work and the rest are either ecology or administration sta .

What has been the biggest challenge of your career? We were at our strongest in 2008. We had 18 people and then the recession hit. At the time about 80% of our work was for developers. I was well aware that if the property bubble burst we would be in trouble, so early 2008 I started making plans to diversify. I was looking at areas that would be free of the problems of recession, so sought work with housing associations, local authorities, and statutory government organisations. We undertook a big marketing campaign and were fortunate in that two marketing letters resulted in huge new contracts. One of them was for a housing association that had 35,000 trees to survey over three

“

What is your favourite part of the job? I enjoy getting stuck in to interesting case scenarios such as the accident investigations. I also like the chase of ﬁnding new work, speaking to new clients and negotiating on what they need and what their project entails, and hopefully winning the job. How did you start out? I began in Cumbria with a diploma in forestry. There wasn’t much work available and when I did the sums I realised I was pretty much working to pay for my accommodation. Somebody suggested contacting the local authority. I knew they employed tree surgeons so I paid them a visit. They told me to start Monday morning. turned up and set o in a Land over with a team of other young, like-minded lads and had a whale of a time. I worked there for about six years. Why did you decide to start your own business? wenty years ago, in 99 , we were pretty low sta ed at the local authority in Bradford where I was working at the time. There were various issues and people were having to reapply for their jobs. I had three young children and decided to make a go of it on my own. I did a bit of planning, got my registered consultancy under way and handed my notice in. I left on good terms with the local authority and they allowed me to continue to work part-time for three months. I started working from my spare bedroom at home writing letters to all the developers I had contacts with when I worked at the local authority. It turned out 1997 was a good year to start a business because there was so much subsidence work around at that time. I built up a reputation and the business has grown organically since then. We have employed a new person pretty much every 15 months or so.

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years, and the other was a ﬁve year pro ect to map ,000 properties. hose two pro ects pretty much kept us going during the darkest months of the recession. obody had to be made redundant during that period, which am very proud of. What made you decide to become a registered Arb Association (AA) consultant? set my sights quite high. Somebody once said to me you should set out to achieve as much during your career as you possibly can. Sitting at my desk back then, thought the best way of making an impact was to e pose myself to work for the planning inspectorate, government agencies, government departments, the courts, and solicitors. felt that the best thing to do would be to achieve the registered consultancy scheme certiﬁcation. What difference did it make when you were accepted as a registered AA consultant? nitially it didn’t make a huge di erence to my work. f course used it as part of my marketing, letting my clients know that had got it and using it as a tool to try and win obs. n those days the list of approved consultants was in a little booklet that was printed once a year and it wasn’t on the internet. he rboricultural ssociation sent it out to around 00 local authorities but other than that it was down to me to advertise the fact that was on it. fter months some really interesting work started to come in. eople began to realise we were one of the few registered consultants in the north. Jobs came in that have done every year since, so it has been a really useful tool. Being a registered consultant gave us the opportunity to work for the likes of the planning inspectorate, nglish eritage, and the ational rust. How big a role does the AA play in the industry? aren Martin had a fantastic e ect on the ssociation. She brought in so many changes and instilled so

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“

i would like anyone looking for opinions on trees to come to arboriculturists

much confidence in the sta and committees and now Stewart ardrop is continuing with that process. he e ect the ssociation is having on the industry is four times what it was five years ago. How would you like to see the industry develop? would like the press, the government, and anyone else looking for opinions on anything related to trees, pests and diseases to come to arboriculturists rather than going to the forestry commission, landscape architects or horticulturists. don’t have anything against those industries but we are better placed for that sort of advice. What would your advice be to someone considering trying to become a registered consultant? think it is helpful to anybody’s career to have that accolade. ’ve spoken with a number of people who didn’t get through first time and try to persuade them to go for it again. he number of people making a living out of arboricultural consultancy is certainly in the high hundreds, it may well even be in the thousands. ut of those, there are only registered consultants, which is the same as 0 years ago. here needs to be at least 0 across the country for it to be viable. would like it to get to that point by 0 0.

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07/03/2017 09:55

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OPINION

THE ARBORICULTURAL ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR A BALANCED DEBATE FOLLOWING THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF STREET TREES BY SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL. THE SITUATION IS NOW ADVERSELY AFFECTING ARBORISTS WORKING IN THE CITY

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

Opinion Stewart Wardrop.indd 15

“

we need a reasoned debate which will enable us to move forward

“

t has come to our attention that the ongoing public outcry, caused by decision makers at She eld City Council’s handling of the felling of street trees in the city, is, in some cases, negatively a ecting arborists who are going about their lawful work. ollowing feedback from our members and other tree care professionals in the area, it seems that the atmosphere in She eld towards local arborists has become increasingly to ic. Some activists and protesters seem to be ﬁnding it di cult to distinguish between the rivate

inance nitiative main contractor Amey and a local tree contractor. rborists have been verbally abused in the street for felling trees and are often accused of being tree butchers’ a local reputable and highly qualiﬁed arboriculturist was recently subjected to abuse and his company’s reputation called into question. We feel there is a serious need for perspective within the debate, and the atmosphere towards local arborists needs to change and become positive. She eld’s street trees require a proper management plan, which may by necessity include felling trees. The Arboricultural Association has contacted the She eld ree ction Group S G who have agreed with our sentiments and the need for perspective and a reasoned debate, which will enable us to move forward from what appears to have

been a poorly thought out and mismanaged contract. s arboriculturists, we should be highlighting the folly of felling trees for engineering reasons alone, whist e plaining the comple ities of managing an urban forest. Dave Dillner, chairman of STAG, has kindly agreed to lend his support to our appeal of respect for local arborists. ave wishes to make it clear that STAG do not advocate any type of abuse directed toward arborists and that any members found acting in this way will be e pelled from the group: ask that if anyone witnesses our members behaving in this way,

please report it to me directly we don’t want this type of unwarranted abuse and we’ll boot them out.” t’s important to remember that She eld has, and will continue to have, one of the largest tree populations within its boundary of any city in urope. t is in large part to the credit of the arboriculturists of She eld, including mey, that it is in this position. e must highlight the shortcomings of parts of the contract whilst maintaining support for pragmatic arboriculture and tree management in the city, aimed at improving and sustaining the city’s tree stock for generations to come.

ABOUT Stewart Wardrop is chief executive of the Arboricultural Association. www.trees.org.uk

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GROW

WITH THE

FLOW

WITH URBAN FLOODING INCREASING IN RECENT YEARS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE TAKING STEPS TO MITIGATE EXTREME RAINFALL EVENTS. PRO ARB SPOKE TO GLENN GORNER, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MANAGER AT LEEDS CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE AUTHORITY’S HOLISTIC APPROACH AND ITS LONG RUNNING PARTNERSHIP WITH TREES FOR CITIES

xtreme weather events, and consequences such as urban ooding, have been commonplace over the past few years and studies from governmental and academic institutions such as universities, the Met ce, and suggest we should e pect these to as much as double over the coming decades. hile the big picture involves minimising climate change, on a micro level management of the local environment can mitigate the e ects of high intensity rainfall. here are a number of facets to this, including managing absorption, runo and blockages upstream but regulating the urban environment has an important part to play. ncreased runo due to building on oodplains and the ever increasing proportion of residential areas taken up by hard landscaping such as paved driveways are signiﬁcant here and the urban forest is a part of the solution. ne area impacted by such ooding is Leeds. hat was once a predominantly wooded area is now a dense metropolis, although the city still owns over ,000ha of green space, including , 00ha of woodland. he high proportion of hard landscaping combined with the iver ire owing through the city centre

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Trees For Cities rees or Cities was launched in 99 with the stated mission to plant trees and green cities worldwide. ith a focus on working with local communities, it plants more than ,000 trees every year and aims to reach a total of one million by 0 0. he charity has been working with Leeds City Council since 00 , providing the council with funding for woodland creation, street trees, parkland trees and even an orchard. ne of those involved in the collaboration is the council’s natural environment manager, Glenn Gorner, responsible for forestry, arboriculture, conservation and public rights of way. Since the beginning of the partnership, rees or Cities has planted more than ,000 trees in Leeds with the help of , 00 volunteers. Glenn e plains

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how important the collaboration is ver the last two years it has become especially useful to us because of the di culties we’ve e perienced accessing the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme CSS . raditionally we were able to draw a lot of funding from the orestry Commission for amenity woodland management, particularly to improve public access. Since the new scheme came in we have not succeeded in drawing down any meaningful funding.” he pro ect is ongoing and Glenn e plains how he would like to see it develop. e are very e cited about using trees as part of atural lood Management M pro ects. he ne t pro ect we’re looking to get started with is a natural attenuation pond within a local nature reserve which will include a large area of wet woodland. his is something rees for Cities has e pressed an interest in getting involved with.” 00 study found that Leeds is at dangerous risk of ooding due to a mostly hard landscape, meaning all rainwater ows straight into the iver ire and this has been borne out by events. Since then, the council has put an emphasis on using trees as an integral part of M as a way of softening and complementing more traditional, engineered ood defences.

“

we are excited about using trees as part of a natural flood defence set-up

“

puts Leeds at a high risk of ooding, as shown most recently in the Bo ing ay oods of 0 . n the wake of these oods, Leeds City Council is taking a oined up approach across all relevant departments, meaning those who have any dealing with trees and their interaction with the hard and soft landscapes, and is continuing its collaboration with charity rees or Cities.

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Leeds City Council – an integrated approach In times of budget cuts and outsourcing, Glenn is pleased that the council is able to retain an in-house team, allowing an integrated approach. “I have seven inspecting o cers, a forestry manager, and operational sta . t’s quite a big team and we only ever outsource work when we just don’t have the capacity to complete it,” he says. All highways inspectors, countryside non-specialist sta and even housing o cers at the council are trained to its level one tree risk assessment standard. Glenn says: aving a good number of on the ground’ sta who are trained to be able to recognise obvious tree defects and report them means that we don’t have to waste time sending out one of our arborists for an unnecessary job.” Leeds is developing rapidly and it’s important that trees are factored into this, making an holistic approach vital. n June 0 , the est orkshire Combined uthority Investment Committee supported the integration of green streets principles into the est orkshire plus ransport Fund, which includes the development of Sustainable Urban Drainage schemes, particularly where areas are sub ect to surface water ood risk. Glenn says: “The city is currently planning a new East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR) which will improve transport links and facilitate much needed development in the eastern part of the city.” This route is being designed to

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‘Green Streets’ principles to ensure that green and blue infrastructure is fully incorporated at the earliest stages. t’s really helpful that of the est orkshire Transport Fund is ring-fenced for green infrastructure improvement – maintaining trees alongside roads and planting new ones. A lot of the funding we need for our street trees is actually to ensure we’re able to do the appropriate below-ground work, given that it is a hard landscape. We have to make sure that we provide the most appropriate soil volumes to ensure that newly planted trees can reach their full potential. We all know that trees need soil, but let’s not forget that adequate, uncompacted soil volumes can also make a major contribution to Sustainable Urban Drainage. “I actually planted the most expensive tree in Leeds,” Glenn says. n 0 we planted a London plane in Dortmund Square, in the city centre. It is thriving and cost us ,000, with the ma ority of that being for the underground works. This sounds expensive, but it was a retroﬁtting’ pro ect to provide a case study demonstrating the value of properly planted urban trees. When such an approach is designed as part of a major development, the tree element of the costs is reduced.” To the layman, planting trees in city centres may seem e pensive, but with a report to est orkshire Combined uthority on the impact of the 0 oods ﬁnding that over ,000 businesses and ,000 homes were a ected, more than , 00 obs were at risk and the impact on productivity would cost the Leeds City Region up to m in 0 alone, the value is clear. Recent extreme weather events and their consequences have demonstrated the disruptive power of the natural environment. The brute force approach to preventing or defending against ooding clearly hasn’t worked, and the folly of development policies and practices such as building on oodplains and paving over gardens is becoming clear. Literally growing with the ow, mastering our interaction with nature rather than attempting to master nature itself, is the only viable course. “It just shows how important it is to us to have these urban trees,” says Glenn.

“

we had a lot of rainfall but this was largely soaked up by the trees... a fantastic result

“

We asked Glenn if they had seen any positive results: “On Boxing Day last year it worked exactly as planned. We had a lot of rainfall but this was largely soaked up by the trees and ran into the pond we had created. This is a fantastic result, and it opens up the opportunity to do a lot more work like this with trees across the city.” In the medium term, Glenn has more ideas for how the local authority and Trees For Cities could work together. “In the future we would like to undertake some larger woodland creation, although that won’t take place until the next planting season.”

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OLYMPIC PLANES

PRO ARB MAGAZINE VISITS QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK TO SPEAK WITH CHRIS MORAN, THE PARK SERVICES MANAGER, ABOUT HOW THE TREES WERE SELECTED FOR THE PARK, AND THE STAGES IN WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN PLANTED

rior to the London 2012 Olympics, the site where Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park now sits was a square mile of disused industrial land. During the build up to the games and in the years after, the land has been transformed into a hugely popular park containing over 13k trees. When asked about the scale of the project, Chris says: “At the time it was one of the largest construction sites in Europe, roughly the size of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens combined.” How has the park changed the surrounding area? “The park acts as the green heart that integrates the surrounding area, including the future residential, business, educational and cultural developments. It has helped shops and businesses in the area thrive and the greenery has spread out into the immediate area, not to mention the fact that it encourages a huge amount of visitors every year,” Chris explains.

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Tree selection There is a vast selection of trees within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park including oaks, hazel, hawthorn and Liquidambar among many others. We ask Chris about why particular species were chosen: “From the start we wanted to use trees as the framework for the landscape. Trees such as the oaks and planes were chosen to create avenues and vistas within that landscape as they really ﬁt into the view. “We then have informal woodland areas to provide wildlife habitats and enhance biodiversity by using native species. We had consultations with landscape architects and input from the Forestry Commission and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew to make sure we were choosing the right species for the area. There is a huge emphasis on promoting biodiversity in the park so a lot of the trees have been chosen to maximise this.” In every direction you look within the park there’s a di erent species of tree. Being an lympic park,

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Individual Features Many of the trees in the Olympic Park provide fantastic displays. Chris runs through some of the best features that showcase the park’s trees...

THE SOUTH PARK BOULEVARD

“This is the showpiece of the park. In terms of arboriculture it’s quite an achievement. We planted 97 semi-mature specimen trees with around 90cm girths, which were mainly grown in air pots at Hillier Nurseries. As these trees are so big, they’re anchored down with concrete blocks.”

LEANING PINES

“A particularly nice feature of the park is the group of semi-mature Austrian pines on the canal bank slope. This informal group includes some specimens that lean at an angle and create a natural hillside windswept look. The leaning shape also ﬁts in really well with the re ective mirror bridge that they sit around.”

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TIBETAN CHERRY, SILVER BIRCH

“We’ve planted groups of Tibetan cherry and silver birch. They’re planted much closer together than usual, and when you get the natural light of the sun shining through them it really highlights the red and silver coloured bark, which looks fantastic. When they grow to a bigger size we may need to move some of them and replant with smaller stock.”

HISTORY TREES

“Around the park we have ten ‘history trees’ where we have planted sturdy species such as oaks and planes. Around the tree is a heavy metal ring which we attached via a series of wires. If you stand under the tree, you can read all about the history of the area. We keep these trees closely monitored to make sure they’re not being negatively a ected by the weight of the ring.”

FACTFILE • At its time one of the largest construction sites in Europe • One square mile of brownfield site remediated • 13k trees planted with further planting scheduled in the future • Two million tonnes of soil washed, processed and reused

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“

At the time it was one of the largest construction sites in Europe

“

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a multicultural array of trees was something designers were keen to incorporate. Visitors can walk through sections containing plants from di erent continents there are sections for plants and trees from Africa, Europe and America which, particularly in the autumn months, provides a brilliant display of colour. Planting Before the park could be created, the team had to undertake the mammoth task of cleaning the area. Two million tonnes worth of soil on site had problems with contamination, making it unsuitable for planting. Instead of replacing it, a major operation was undertaken to wash it and produce seven di erent soil types which are now perfectly suitable for the variety of trees and other plants within the park. With such a large number of trees being planted over a short space of time, how was the planting planned? “There have been three stages of development within the park,” Chris explains. “First of all in the pre-games stage we planted 60% of the trees, which were mainly the woodland copse and wetland areas around the river. “When the games ﬁnished we went into the transformation

stage. This is where we planted the remaining 40% and in truth it’s when the big tree work came into play. “Finally, the third stage is part of what we call our 2030 legacy development. There will be a lot of new development, mostly residential, around the park over the next couple of decades and we want to use tree planting to support and integrate this new development using the same design concept.” s part of the ﬁrst phase of planting, 0 black poplar cuttings were taken from trees in the local area of Lea Valley. This was to maintain a local provenance and to provide the trees with the best chance of surviving the integration. The majority of trees in the park are connected to an irrigation system. Local sewage is processed by Thames Water at a special treatment plant within the park that turns it into non-potable water which is fed into the irrigation system. “The system not only helps to deal with local waste but also works really well in keeping the trees healthy,” Chris says. “We also feed the semi-mature specimen trees with Carbon Gold fertiliser which is hoed in to the surface to give them a boost of nitrogen. Those trees are expensive and obviously we have to make sure that they’re nurtured to become established.”

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SPECIAL BRANCH

FACTFILE

THE JAPANESE MAPLE

Recommended landscape Parks/ornamental woodlands Leaf persistence Deciduous Crown shape Rounded to spreading Height at maturity On average 6m, depending on variation Soil conditions Good drainage Bark identification Very smooth to the touch and usually dark in colour Leaf identification Usually very delicate although there are some types with broader star shaped leaves

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CHRISTINA JONES OF MAJESTIC TREES EDUCATES ON THE JAPANESE MAPLE

he Acer palmatum, commonly known as the Japanese maple, has been cultivated in Japan for centuries. The species was ﬁrst introduced in ngland in 0 where it now ourishes in abundance in our parks and gardens. housands of cultivars e ist with a vast array of leaf shapes, colours and growth habits, making this an e tremely versatile group with applications for a wide range of planting schemes. What makes the Japanese maple unique? s a plant group, the Japanese maples are renowned for their e quisite foliage and distinctive, petite growth habits. Leaf shapes can vary from broad maple-like types to delicate, lacelike dissected’ forms, with colours varying from green to red, orange and purple. utumn colours are incredibly intense arguably this plant group’s greatest claim to fame’. owever, spring and summer interest is also signiﬁcant, with dainty unfurling leaves and blossom phasing into lush summer hues before intensifying for the autumn show. Centuries of cultivation have drawn out many desirable characteristics of this group, including growth habits. on invasive rooting make the Japanese maple ideal for planting near walkways, pavements or buildings, and there are cultivars with crown shapes to suit most requirements, from bonsai to cascading dome to upright and spreading. verall, heights tend to range from as little as cm for bonsai forms to m for cascading varieties to as much as

0m for those with broader upright habits. s such, they o er all the colour and style of our large growing western maple varieties in a more compact package. Any planting and maintenance tips? Japanese maples perform best when planted in a fairly sheltered location, away from strong winds or full sun. appled shade or morning sun is ideal. Broad leafed, upright varieties are more tolerant of e posed conditions than dissected forms, whose ﬁligree leaves are vulnerable to wind burn or scorch. Aesthetically, an ideal position would be near to a pathway, window or patio, where the seasonal phasing of the foliage can be fully appreciated. Alternatively, Japanese maples are very e ective when planted as part of an ornamental woodland or naturali ed planting scheme. would also highly recommend siting the tree where the foliage will be backlit by the sun. his gives the tree a luminous quality which is particularly dramatic in autumn. In terms of soil, Japanese maples aren’t overly demanding. cid to neutral, well drained and reasonably fertile soil is ideal. o avoid chalk, though, and take care not to over fertilise with nitrogen fertili er. Japanese maples will beneﬁt from occasional pruning to encourage a pleasing, balanced shape. emove awkward, unbalanced or crossing branches, and prune out any dead wood. It should be noted that although the species is tolerant to our climate, cer palmatums do sometimes su er a degree of winter dieback, manifesting as a few inches of dead wood at the tips of branches. The dieback is rarely severe enough to damage the shape, and the easiest solution is to simply cut out the dead wood in spring.

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“

autumn colours are incredibly intense – arguably this group’s ‘claim to fame’

Tree feature.indd 25

“

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SOIL COMPACTION

PRO ARB CHATS TO MIKE CHARKOW, PRINCIPLE ARBORICULTURIST AT AV ARBORICULTURE, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOIL COMPACTION AND HOW TO PREVENT IT Soil compaction can be a serious threat to the health of trees and their roots. Compaction takes place when soil particles are compressed into a smaller capacity by pressure from above. In turn this reduces the pore space available for air and water. Mike and his team at AV Arboriculture undertake a lot of soil decompaction jobs. What are the most common causes? “The majority of the time it’s caused by vehicles that drive over the land, purely down to their sheer mass. It can also be found in areas where people are constantly walking over the land. Generally, if there is a large amount of pressure on the soil then it will be at risk.” An increase in the use of heavy machinery, such as MEWPs, means it is more important than ever to be aware of the risks and know how to deal with them. How do you spot it? We asked Mike how you can tell if soil has become compacted: “There are certain soil probes you can get, which are mostly used in agriculture, where obviously soil compaction is serious. They will give you a reading on the density of the soil.” Soil compaction takes place below the surface, which does make it tricky to spot. If any evidence is found showing that the soil may be compacted, you should check for any abnormal root growth. For a lot of trees, the roots are less than half a metre below ground. Mike explains: “Compacted soil reduces or removes the ability for gases to travel through the soil; roots need oxygen to survive. Compaction also causes waterlogging of the soil, which in turn prevents oxygen getting to the roots.

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Pictures (left and above) courtesy of Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

How do you prevent it? Due to the rapid rate at which trees feel the negative e ects of soil compaction, the aim should always be to prevent it from happening in the ﬁrst instance. There are a number of ways of doing this, as Mike explains: “With vehicles and heavy machinery being some of the most common causes of soil compaction, it’s no surprise that often it will become a problem on development sites. “Everyone should be following the BS5837, which states that there should be a root protection area the equivalent of the diameter of the tree’s stem multiplied by . he area should be fenced o and there should be no machinery or storage of any equipment. Unfortunately that standard is quite often not adhered to, which causes a lot of problems. “On public sites I would recommend putting down a layer of mulch or allowing the grass area around a tree to grow longer. Not only do both of these things help to prevent people walking across the area, they also help to introduce more organic matter

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into the soil and increase the number of worms, which goes a long way to making the soil as healthy as possible.” What about when the soil needs decompacting? There are some situations where it’s impossible to prevent soil from becoming compacted. When this does happen it’s not too late to act, but it is imperative to do so quickly. Mike explains how his team sets to work on a typical soil decompaction job: “It’s quite a simple task really the ﬁrst thing we’ll do is work out the area of soil that we need to decompact. We’ll do this by using the probes and checking the roots of the tree, although we usually base it on the British Standard size of the root protection area. We then set up a piece of kit called an Air Spade, breaks up the compacted soil. This can be done to a fair depth, and works on any type of soil. When the soil particles settle again, the soil porosity is far greater, allowing increased gaseous exchange and water drainage.” Terravention is a complete treatment of tree and plant root zones. As part of this process the soil is decompacted and infused with mychorrhizal fungi, often found naturally in well established woodlands. The fungi helps to unlock nutrients within the soil and make them available in the root systems. This is a system that has been used at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew to help with their soil compaction, which had built up from visitors walking across the soil for a number of years. The best way to protect a tree’s health is to look after the soil and prevent too much pressure from being put on the ground around it. However, when soil compaction is inevitable, it’s important that it’s recognised and dealt with as quickly as possible.

Photos above ©Mark Foster

“

it’s no surprise that soil compaction becomes a problem on development sites

“

Over a relatively short period of time, the roots will begin to die o and the tree will start to show signs of dieback, before becoming weakened and more prone to disease. Eventually if the soil is not dealt with or treated properly, the tree will die.”

Pro Arb | March 2017 27

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• Spreads the load to prevent soil compaction within the tree pit. • Essential oxygen, water and nutrient circulation are improved to create a natural environment. • Protects the tree’s root structure in urban settings.

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top 10 tips RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE

This has to be the mantra. Visualise the tree in 50 years’ time: is there enough rooting area and space around the canopy? Will it thrive in the local environment? Don’t burden future generations with management to control size.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Know the size and weight of the tree so that you’re properly equipped. If you’re concerned about handling a tree larger than you’re used to, or if access to the site is di cult, consider using a specialist tree planter.

UP TO STANDARD

Ensure the tree will be cared for, as per BS 0 , for ﬁve years. he tree will need assistance whilst it creates a root system that will support it. We need to get local authorities to make it a condition of planning approvals to be up to BS8545.

MULCH, MULCH, MULCH

...AND MULCH AGAIN

Mulch, as wide as you can, 3in deep with the immediate area around the trunk kept clear.

See point 4 again: it’s that important. If you go for a walk in a woodland and look down, you’ll soon realise why it’s so important.

BE THOROUGH

Provide aftercare guidelines to the client so that they’re prepared and gain a better understanding of how the tree must be looked after once your work is done.

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Top Ten Tips.indd 29

integrating nursery trees into landscapes ROBERT WILKINS, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AT RUSKINS, GIVES HIS BEST ADVICE ON TAKING TREES GROWN IN NURSERIES TO NEW LIVES IN THE LANDSCAPE

STAKE YOUR CLAIM

Use an appropriate guying/staking system for the tree. i erent si e trees may require staking to be made out of di erent material wooden staking may be suitable for smaller trees, whereas a larger tree may need an underground or overhead system.

LET IT GROW

BE SENSIBLE

TAKE PRIDE

Where possible, plant trees that will mature into large trees in preference to twee trees.

If transplanting a tree, take a sensible root system.

Enjoy the feeling of knowing you are making the world a more beautiful place, every day!

ABOUT Ruskins has been supplying, planting and moving large trees, shrubs and hedges since 1986. 01277 849 990 mail@ruskins.co.uk www.ruskins.co.uk

Pro Arb | March 2017 29

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PEST & DISEASE

NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

Pro Arb | March 2017

Bartlett Tree experts.indd 30

Sweet Chestnut

LUKE HAILEY OF BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS INFORMS ON THREATS TO SWEET CHESTNUT WHICH HAVE SEEN OUTBREAKS OVER THE PAST YEAR healthy young bark. n general the cankers appear as sunken areas with orange to brown pustules, around the size of a pinhead. They may also crack. range mycelium

“

he past year has seen fresh outbreaks of two serious health threats to sweet chestnut. These are the oriental chestnut gall wasp and chestnut blight. Both can a ect many true chestnut species, Castanea, but not the unrelated horse chestnut. Chestnut blight is a fungal pathogen originating in sia, where it attacks native chestnuts but doesn’t cause severe damage. n merica it had a huge impact on the native chestnut population. t has been present in Europe since the hirties, having caused lesser but still signiﬁcant losses. he lower impact is thought to be due to the presence of a virus which weakens the fungus. Chestnut blight was found in the UK in 2011. he fungus forms cankers which girdle branches and trunks, killing the bark and cambium beneath. Dead and yellowing branches may be visible from afar cankers on young stems are orange to brown, contrasting with green

the wasp was found in 2015 and has spread in the south of england

may be found below bark cankers. They’re often found radiating from a branch union or near graft areas. nfection is associated with wounding, such as that caused by insects, but the fungus can also be spread by rain. There are currently no approved treatments. n interesting organic method has been used to treat individual cankers on speciﬁc trees wet soil is packed over cankers and sealed there under plastic for two months. uring this time friendly’ bacteria and fungi in the soil have been reported to greatly reduce infection. nvasive insects like oriental chestnut gall wasp spread into new areas. n their native range the chestnuts are tolerant to them and there are other insects which feed on them this stops them from becoming a problem. ere the wasp can exploit our unsuspecting sweet chestnuts, easily reaching high populations. riental chestnut gall wasps are all female, laying fertile eggs into buds with no need for a male, hastening their spread.

They cause swollen galls on sweet chestnut twigs and leaves, inside which their larvae feed and mature. he galls disfigure the tree, supress growth and reduce canopy area, weakening it. Unfortunately attacks by the wasp have also been linked to chestnut blight infections from increased wounding. he wasp was first found in 0 and has since spread in the south of ngland despite control e orts, which so far has been based on felling infested trees. n merica, pruning infested buds and netting healthy ones is used for highly valued trees. Chemical controls for galling insects are hard to implement as larvae are protected inside the plant. Specialist parasitoid wasps that prey on the pest have been released in Japan, orth merica and urope, showing good levels of success. opefully, this will be approved for use in the UK as fast as possible. Both pests are notifiable and should be reported to the Forestry Commission if found. www.bartletttree.co.uk

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ALL FSI AND BALFOR PRODUCTS ALL FSI AND BALFOR PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ALL FSI ANDFROM: BALFOR PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM: AVAILABLE FROM:  7 TONNE LOG SPLITTERS  7 TONNE LOG SPLITTERS  FIREWOOD PROCESSOR 7 TONNE LOG SPLITTERS  FIREWOOD PROCESSOR MACHINES MACHINES  FIREWOOD PROCESSOR  PEDESTRAIN MACHINES AND TRACKED  PEDESTRAIN AND TRACKED STUMP GRINDERS STUMP GRINDERS  PEDESTRAIN AND TRACKED STUMP GRINDERS

● Eliet Green Waste Shredder ● Toro Stumpgrinder ● Timberwolf Chippers ● Supplier of Husqvarna, Arbortec, Treehog, Marlow, Silky Saws, Stein, Petzl ● Chain and chipper blade sharpening ● Sales, service, spares for all makes and manufacturers

• SALES • SPARES • REPAIRS

Tel 0115 9615431 Tel: 01963 370752 ● Fax: 01963 373915 ● www.landpoweruk.com Tel: 01963 01963 370752 370752 ● ● Fax: Fax: 01963 01963 373915 373915 ● ● www.landpoweruk.com www.landpoweruk.com Tel: Tel:Common 01963 370752 ● Fax: 01963 373915 ● www.landpoweruk.com Lane, Yenston, Templecombe, Somerset, BA8 0NB Common Lane, Lane, Yenston, Yenston, Templecombe, Templecombe, Somerset, Somerset, BA8 BA8 0NB 0NB Common Common Lane, Yenston, Templecombe, Somerset, BA8 0NB

Paul Vidgen Forest Machines Ltd

Email info@psmmowers.co.uk

WWW.PSMMOWERS.CO.UK

TREES, PEOPLE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 3 5–6 April 2017 University of Birmingham, UK

International Urban Trees Research Conference

Day 1 | Roads to Place – A Focus on Trees and Transport Day 2 | The Health Crisis – A Focus on Trees and Health “Case studies from the conference will help attendees develop projects or tools to analyse the urban forest, share and explore its benefits, and create partnerships” Ian Hanou, Plan it Geo, USA Speaker, Session 4

Forest Keep, Watersplash Lane, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7QP Tel: 01344 873499 Email: info@pvfm.co.uk Web: www.pvfm.com

For Forestry Machines - Used and New “Using experience and expertise to supply and support your forestry machine requirements”

Sole UK importer and dealer for AHWI Prinoth, Naturatec Tree Shears, FTG Timber Trailers.

Advert template March17.indd 38

Who should attend? Aboriculturists • Landscape professionals • Urban foresters Health officials • Civil engineers • Planners • Developers Designers • Utilities providers • Ecologists • Policy makers Outstanding programme | Respected keynotes | Expert opinions Theory | Practice | Policy | CPD | Networking

Programme/Booking at www.charteredforesters.org/tpbe3 Hosted by:

Headline Sponsors:

Media Partners:

Sponsors: Forest Research/Forestry Commission England, Wharton Tree & Ecology Consultants, Lockhart Garratt Supporters: Respected relevant professional Conference Partnership organisations

07/03/2017 09:21

ROPE

KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

CONSTRUCTION IS KEY

study from the Arboriculture Association shows that around 16% of arb accidents involve falling from height. One way in which this danger is mitigated is the use of ropes with appropriate construction methods, each providing a range of properties which make them suitable for their intended task. he way in which rope ﬁbres are composed has a signiﬁcant impact on their capabilities, the two prototypical methods being

the kernmantle and double braid. The kernmantle is comprised of a braided jacket and unidirectional core, making it di cult yet still possible to splice and creating a ﬁrmer construction, bestowing the rope with high durability. At the other end of the spectrum is the double braid method, where the rope incorporates a braided core with a cover, giving it a softer feel and a tendency to atten out. his superior e ibility gives rope systems the ability to hold knots more securely in commonly used climbing apparatus.

MARLOW ROPES

Venom Climbing Rope • 11.8mm arborist climbing line • Termination options: spliced or sewn 25m, 35m and 45m available • Construction: multiple twisted polyamide (nylon) cores cellent energy absorption for safety, good abrasion resistance

The rope’s strand count is a primary safety aspect to be taken into account, as there are a wide array available on the market, commonly supplied in 16 and 24 strand lines. The latter of these is growing in popularity as the greater strand quantity, which combined with the modern, lighter hybrid materials including polyester and nylon reduces weight signiﬁcantly. Paul Dyer, technical manager at Marlow Ropes, says: “In order to meet drop and impact force requirements of the EN 1891

TEUFELBERGER Yale Blue Tongue

nti attening design Slick te ture to work with mechanical devices • Easy to splice • Less than 3% elongation • 11.5mm diameter allows for less hand fatigue

Price: POA

Price: €3.20 per 1m

www.marlowropes.com

www.teufelberger.com

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“

The way in which rope fibres are composed has a significant impact on their capabilities

“

PRO ARB FINDS OUT FROM PAUL DYER AT MARLOW ROPES THE BEST MATERIAL FOR THE SAFEST USE OF CLIMBING ROPES

standard, the core of the rope has to be a high elongation material, commonly nylon, as this material has an unsurpassed ability to elongate and absorb the dynamic energy of a fall.”

FR JONES AND SON Tachyon Fiber Rope

• 11.7mm rope, one splice • Premium grade polyester • 24 strand climbing line • Highly vibrant colour guarantees e ceptional visibility • Available in lengths of 37m, 45m and 60m Price: from £144 per 37m

www.frjonesandson.co.uk

Pro Arb | March 2017 33

07/03/2017 09:31

STUMP GRINDERS NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

BACK TO THE GRIND

PRO ARB LOOKS AT STUMP GRINDER MAINTENANCE AND GETS TIPS FROM TODD ROORDA OF VERMEER MANUFACTURING

Pro Arb | March 2017

Stumpgrinders.indd 34

process is carried out depends largely on usage rate, however a number of factors should be considered before grinding to determine the level of distress the grinder’s teeth can withstand before a service is required. Todd oorda, solutions specialist at

“

Stump grinder teeth, commonly made from carbide, are a focal point when it comes to their maintenance

“

eplacing stump grinders once they reach the end of their lifespan is something many arboriculture ﬁrms are reluctant to do, as this piece of equipment represents a sizable investment. In order to prolong the high performance of stump grinders, arborists are using the latest methods and products to preserve the inner components of these machines. Stump grinder teeth, commonly made from carbide, are a focal point when it comes to their maintenance. As replacing the teeth is not a viable option to some arborists due to its great e pense, sharpening can be the best alternative, with a range of products available for arborists to do this themselves. A popular variety of sharpening products are diamond disk cutters. Constructed from highly compacted carbon, these disks can be used in collaboration with a bench grinder to sharpen the grinder’s teeth. An economical bonus of this method is that both sides of each disk can be utilised for sharpening, halving the investment costs and diminishing downtime of the machinery. nother ma or beneﬁt to the sharpening approach is that the grinder’s teeth do not always need detaching, further saving downtime. When this sharpening

ermeer Manufacturing, advises operators: “Carry out a pre-cut inspection as older, drier stumps create more wear on the teeth.” The bearings and pivot points of stump grinders often collect moisture when left outside, leading to premature deterioration. One way to combat this is to apply grease throughout the day, and once before being stored in order to prevent rust from forming and ensuring that optimum e ciency can be achieved. Looking after a stump grinder is an integral part of arboriculture maintenance and as machinery longevity is of paramount importance, it must be done to a high standard.

TRACMASTER

CAMON SG30 Stump Grinder • Petrol powered Honda GX390 Banks engine • Net power 11.7hp • Working height of 56cm • Working depth of 33cm • Eight Greenteeth • Weight of 135kg Price: £3,594

www.tracmaster.co.uk

GLOBAL RECYCLING

Bandit 2650 Tracked Grinder • Kohler 74hp diesel engine • Cutting depth 18.5in • Cutting height 33in • Greenteeth or revolution wheel • 69in side to side cutter swin • Beltless hydrostatic direct drive • Rubber debris curtain Price: POA

www.banditchippers.com

PVFM

SF900 Stump Grinder • PTO drive for tractors from 80 to 180hp • Double boom arrangement for extended grinding area • 900mm cutter wheel is heavy duty and uses special teeth and wear plate • PTO shaft runs high up to avoid damage from obstructions Price: £27,876

www.paulvidgenforestmachines.co.uk

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

07/03/2017 09:28

KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

LATEST PRODUCTS

URBAN PLANTING GREENBLUE URBAN Arborsystem • Comprises of both tree grilles and guards • Incorporates a root management system with structural soil support • Designed with consideration to tree irrigation and aeration • Includes Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

SURESET

PLANT WORKS UK Rootgrow Professional (RGpro) • Mycorrhizal fungi for landscaping and tree planting Gpro contains a reﬁned mi ture of optimised AMF and ECMF • One treatment is permenant • Reduced mortality (less than 2% in bare root transplants)

Price: POA

www.greenblue.com

www.rootgrow.co.uk

GREEN-TECH

ENGLISH WOODLANDS

Permeable Paving Tree Pit TradePack

ArborRaft System

Steel Tree Rings

• High permeability allows water to reach the roots of the tree • 40L bucket and paddle whisk attachment rovides a su cient quantity of aggregate and resin to install a 10m² area at a depth of 40mm

• Combines nutrient-rich ArborRaft Soil with strong geocellular units • Retained open structure • Prevents soil compaction in the tree pit • Essential oxygen, water and nutrient circulation is improved to create a natural environment for the tree

• Edging dimensions 100mm height x 2mm steel thickness, with 0 mm ﬁ ing stakes • Available (once installed) in diameters 680mm, 900mm, 1,200mm, 1,500mm and 1,800mm • 100% recyclable

Price: from £870

Price: POA

Price: from £33.60

www.sureset.co.uk

www.green-tech.co.uk

www.englishwoodlands.com

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NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

PLATIPUS

Rootball Fixing System Plati-Mat • Stakes concealed below ground • Can secure trees up to 20m in height • Suitable for a range of rootballed, airpot and containerised stock Secure ﬁ ing creating better establishment • System breaks down three to ﬁve years after installation

Price: POA

www.platipus-anchors.com

FR JONES AND SON Meindl Airstream Rock chainsaw boots (class 2)

TEUPEN UK Leo31T

• 31m working height • 14.7m horizontal reach with 250kg basket capacity • 17.7m horizontal reach with 80kg basket capacity • Radio remote control • Hydraulic adjustable tracks • Battery emergency lowering Price: £131,900

urther development of the proven Airstream features • Memory foam system (MFS) for added comfort • Light toe cap made of aluminium Gore e lining • Gripping, self-cleaning ‘Multigrip ock’ proﬁle with metal particles • Pronounced heel for skid resistance Cu closure against dirt and wood chippings from above Price: £260

www.frjonesandson.co.uk

www.teupen.com

CE UK

Root Assassin Shovel • 16 double edged sharp serrated teeth on each side • Commercial grade carbon steel construction • Durable comfort D grip rubber handle • Ridged step for secure foot placement eight . kg • Length 1.2m

MAKITA UK

Price: £59.99

DUC353Z Twin 18v brushless chainsaw

Ma output 00 • Bar length 350mm • Chain pitch 3/8in • Chain gauge 0.043in

www.CEuk-intl.com

• Chain speed 0-20 m/s • Oil tank capacity 200ml • Net weight 5.2kg

Price: £327.60

www.makitauk.com

Pro Arb | March 2017

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ARB

KIT A roundup of the latest products

KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

GREENMECH Arborist 130

0mm chipping capacity • 23hp Honda petrol engine protected with insulated steel panels to provide robustness and lower noise emissions win vertical hydraulic rollers itted as standard with GreenMech’s patented disc blade chipping technology arking brake and fully road legal braking system hree year warranty as standard Price: £12,360

www.greenmech.co.uk

DMM

RPM Shackle Assembly

ery short compressed length suits applications with restricted headroom • Friction cord that provides grab function and lowering ability Bespoke eye to eye friction hitch cord is matched to side plates • Low elongation at 10mm PES cord and ball bearings in sheaves • Prusik can be installed top and bottom of a system Backed up trolley systems with lifting and lowering capacity

COBRA CS420-18

• 18in petrol powered chainsaw • Features 52cc Cobra petrol engine • Two stroke eninge • Oregon bar and chain Safety kickback and safety chain brake Price: £189.99

Price: from £504

www.cobragarden.co.uk

www.dmmprofessional.com

STIHL

X-FLEX chainsaw protective trousers • Made with ultralight, breathable Avertic pro lite cut protection material Light, water resistant, e ible and breathable material in areas around the upper legs, rear and waist • Stretch material in the crotch enables e ibility when climbing • Tough, reinforced areas around the knees, with stretch material o ering e ibility • Dirt repellent, thorn protection and moisture protection in lower leg area Price: from £200

www.stihl.co.uk WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

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06/03/2017 16:20

NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

TOOLBOX

PRO ARB PAYS A VISIT TO GREENBELT TREE SURGERY IN BOGNOR REGIS TO FIND OUT ABOUT ITS PREFERRED KIT, TOOLS AND MACHINERY CHIPPERS

We run a Kwikchip which has all of the basic fundamentals we need, with few electronic components that have the potential to malfunction. We’re looking at upgrading to a 6in Jensen due to their greater power. Accessibility is a high priority for us, so we won’t be opting for any tracked models.

CLIMBING EQUIPMENT

STUMP GRINDERS

We use Beal Bonsai rope as it’s hard wearing and has a slick texture, making it well suited to being used in a Prusik system. We also use Tree Austria 3 harnesses due to their immense comfort.

We have a small 2100 grinder at present, but are looking to purchase a more powerful stump grinder. However, as we need our machines to be very manoeuvrable for residential work, we prefer using smaller machines.

HEDGE CUTTERS

We only use Stihl products for hedge work as they provide light machinery with far greater balance than other brands we’ve tried.

Pro Arb | March 2017

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06/03/2017 15:51

KIT | FEATURES | NEWS COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

We run a Ford Transit Crew Cab Tipper with a 3.5t capacity. It’s very spacious, enabling us to fit all of the equipment we need into one vehicle. We’re looking to expand and acquire another one of these as they’ve been so useful, opting for a high sided model to make it more suited to being used with chippers.

PPE

We use Arbortec Breatheflex trousers as they’re very durable, incorporating four layers of stitching which makes them less prone to splitting like others we’ve tried. We always use Stein helmets as they’re comfortable and lightweight.

CHAINSAWS

When climbing we use Stihl MS150 saws as they’re compact and light. We have two Husqvarna 272s which we use when appropriate, but the MS150 is our preferred. Stihl offers the best power to weight ratio in our opinion. We also use a Kombisystem which can reach up to 4m when we work from the ground.

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

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06/03/2017 15:51

IT’S A CAREER, NOT JUST A JOB

unfogable mesh eye protection

Check out all the excellent career opportunities AT www.meshsafetyglasses.com 0845 2222 039

H or ticulture CAREERS It’s easy to use ● Register at www.horticulturecareers.co.uk ● Upload your CV (easy to follow instructions) ● Create a professional profile ● Find the right career in your area

Secateurs, hedgeshears and the world’s finest pruning saws in superb, tempered Japanese steel KST 230

KST 217

If you have a vacancy to fill, please contact Liam Colclough 01903 777 574 hortcareers@eljays44.com www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

Silky Fox Saws

KST 103

Foxley Estate Office, Mansel Lacy, Hereford HR4 7HQ

Hayauchi 490

Tel: 01981 590224 Fax: 01981 590355

Pocketboy 170

enquiries@silkyfox.co.uk

Visit silkyfox.co.uk to find your local stockist

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07/03/2017 09:58

Download the FREE Pro Arb app today

AN INTERVIEW WITH

1 Go to the App Store

TOP TEN TIPS

2 Search ‘Pro Arb’ 3 Download the free app 4 Choose and download your issue HalfpageAppPA.indd 1

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FEBRUARY 2017

DUNCAN ARMSTRONG ASPEN TREE CARE

BUYER’S GUIDE

CHAINSAW CHAINS VARIETY SHOW WHY TOWER HAMLETS IS PUSHING DIVERSITY FEBRUARY 2017

AN INTERVIEW WITH

DEALING WITH

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ARB HEALTH HAND ARM VIBRATION SYNDROME

FEB 17 cover FINAL.indd 1

TOP TEN TIPS

WHY TOWER HAMLETS IS PUSHING DIVERSITY

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02/02/2017 11:50FINAL.indd

1 02/02/2017 11:50

07/03/2017 09:08

07/03/2017 10:36

The

ANCIENT TREE

column

SPECIAL BRANCH

Each month we feature an ancient British tree. This month the Ancient Tree Forum introduces us to...

The Marton Oak, Cheshire

ot far from the chapel is a very ﬁne oak, which although but little known, is believed to be the largest in England,” From Magna Britannia by Daniel & Samuel Lysons, 1810

Britain is renowned for its many great, ancient oaks which can be found, often in isolation, across the country. The largest girthed and possibly oldest living example is a sessile oak (Quercus petraea), measuring 14.4m (47.25ft) in girth. It stands in the garden of a private house in the village of Marton in Cheshire, and a’s according to recent estimates may have done so for some , 00 years, when

bloodthirsty reign as Saxon King of Mercia was drawing to an end and the Viking age was dawning. Impossible to date accurately due to an absence of heartwood which has long since decayed, the fragmented trunk grows as four separate stems, leading some to believe that it is four di erent trees. his fragmentation is quite normal for ancient oaks however, and a common root system conﬁrms that it is one

giant tree. Illustrative and photographic records reveal little change in appearance over three centuries. Local legend has villagers dancing around the tree on May Day, hanging the bark in their houses as a good luck charm and using it to cure skin ailments, including the removal of warts. In the 19th century, the hollow trunk was used to tether a bull and keep pigs when it was still a part of Marton arm, fenced in an open ﬁeld. ow the tree has a secluded garden feel and is lovingly tended by its custodians. In 2012, showing signs of decline, a program including light crown reduction and clearance of scrub around the bole helped revitalise the old oak. On my visit in 2013 it had a glorious crown and was brimming with acorns, which until recently were collected by local school children who sold them for 0p each in aid of Marton’s timber framed church that dates to 1343; 550 years or so younger than the great oak. Text and photos by Julian Hight, author of Britain’s Tree Story and World Tree Story; www.worldtreestory.co.uk The Ancient Tree Forum champions the biological, cultural and heritage value of Britain’s ancient and veteran trees, and provides advice on their value and management at www.ancienttreeforum.co.uk

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06/03/2017 14:36

NEWS | FEATURES | KIT

MEET THE

Simon Hewitt

Head of Marketing, Stihl GB

development. The launch of Stihl’s cordless range of tools is testament to this.

Can you tell us a little about Stihl? Stihl is one of the largest petrol chainsaw brands worldwide, renowned for its range of outdoor power equipment. A family-owned business based in Germany, Stihl employs more than k sta worldwide and sells products in more than 160 countries globally. Stihl is the only petrol chainsaw manufacturer of all three key chainsaw elements – the engine, bar and chain. What are the main products you supply? At the heart of our business is the manufacturing of advanced chainsaws, designed speciﬁcally to meet the high demands of professionals in the forestry and arboriculture industries. In addition to this, we also have an extensive range of equipment ideal for use in groundscare, landscaping, construction and farming applications. This includes KombiSystems, MultiSystems, brushcutters and grass trimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers, pressure washers, cut o saws and other construction equipment, as well as all the fuels, oils and accessories to keep them running at their best.

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Meet the Supplier.indd 42

How do you provide support to end users in the UK? In the UK we market our products through a network of over 700 specialist approved dealers, who can provide technical advice and professional maintenance service. Which product ranges do you plan on developing? n 0 Stihl introduced its ﬁrst cordless power tools, and this is an area we will continue to develop heavily as cordless technology becomes more mainstream. Key arb related cordless models include the MSA 200 and MSA 160 T chainsaws. What has given Stihl the market edge? The key to Stihl’s high position in the marketplace is its ongoing commitment to extensive research and development into product innovation. Stihl’s 90-year heritage ensures the manufacturer understands the needs and requirements of its customers and this forms the basis of future product

What’s the next step for Stihl? The broadening of our cordless tools will be a key focus going

“

Stihl is the only petrol chainsaw manufacturer of the engine, bar and chain

“

SUPPLIER

forward. The technology is becoming more sought after and our team is working to adapt it to the best machinery possible. We’re also committed to long term environmental protection and energy e ciency, and as such we will be focusing on enhancing our range of petrol driven machinery to o er better e ciencies. he advancement of our robotic mower range will also be another key focus of ours in the future. For more information, please visit: www.stihl.co.uk

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07/03/2017 09:36

KIT | FEATURES | NEWS

For full details on all jobs, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

Call 01903 777 574 or email liam.colclough@eljays44.com with your vacancy

LEAD CLIMBER

CLIMBERS

Our client is an established horticultural and arboricultural contractor, maintaining prestigious commercial and residential grounds and gardens throughout Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London. They are known for providing an exceptionally high level of service, and our teams work hard to maintain this reputation. They are looking to recruit a permanent, full time experienced tree surgeon to work as a lead climber, leading a team of three to four qualiﬁed climbers/groundsmen. The work would involve a large amount of climbing and so would be a great opportunity for someone with between ﬁve to 10 years’ climbing experience. The ideal candidate will be a hard-working and diligent climber with experience leading a small team.

Bartlett Tree Experts was founded in 1907 by Francis A. Bartlett and is the world’s leading scientific tree and shrub care company. From its nearly 100 offices worldwide, Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees. We have developed a staff of highly skilled individuals to provide our clients with the service they deserve. Bartlett Tree Experts is recruiting climbers for our offices across the UK and Ireland. Applicants must have all relevant NPTC qualifications (minimum of CS30, CS31, CS38, CS39), a full UK driving licence (ideally with C1+E), a proven track record in all aspects of tree work and the ability to demonstrate excellent climbing and tree surgery skills.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

ARBORIST REPRESENTATIVES

ARBORISTS REQUIRED

Bartlett Tree Experts was founded in 1907 by Francis A. Bartlett and is the world’s leading scientific tree and shrub care company. From its nearly 100 offices worldwide, Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees. We have developed a staff of highly skilled individuals to provide our clients with the service they deserve. Bartlett Tree Experts is recruiting arborist representatives for our offices across the UK and Ireland. Applicants must have a depth of experience in a commercial arboriculture environment, technical and tree work competencies/certification, experience of staff management and excellent customer care, good IT skills and a full driving licence.

The Tree Company is a well established Arboricultural Association approved contractor with current termed contracts with The Royal Parks specialising in veteran tree management. We currently require a hiab driver for our tree surgery grab lorry, preferably with arboricultural experience, but would consider all applicants. We also require further climbers/ground staff for our long standing client base. CS30, CS31, CS38 and CS39 preferred.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

DEPUTY ARBORICULTURAL OPERATIVE

TRAINEE CLIMBERS

Our client runs a successful landscape and grounds maintenance business which carries out work for a variety of clients including housing developers, housing associations, local authorities and construction companies, as well as undertaking works for the Highways Agency. An opportunity has become available for a deputy arboricultural operative to join the AA Approved Contractor arboricultural team. The team is responsible for achieving high standards of tree work to both commercial and domestic customers. Candidates should have relevant qualiﬁcations up to a minimum of NPTC CS38. Additional qualiﬁcations such as CS39, CS41, woodchipper etc. will be an advantage. The ideal candidate would have a minimum of two years’ experience working in an arb environment.

Bartlett Tree Experts was founded in 1907 by Francis A. Bartlett and is the world’s leading scientific tree and shrub care company. From its nearly 100 offices worldwide, Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees. We have developed a staff of highly skilled individuals to provide our clients with the service they deserve. Bartlett Tree Experts is recruiting trainee climbers for our offices across the UK and Ireland. If you are hardworking, enthusiastic and looking to develop a career in arboriculture, Bartlett Tree Experts can offer you in-house and industry based training. We will provide all equipment and PPE and offer a competitive basic salary with additional incentive schemes and company pension scheme.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

HERTFORDSHIRE

NATIONWIDE

NORFOLK

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NATIONWIDE

WEST LONDON

NATIONWIDE

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