Pro Arb March 2015

MARCH 2015

A LOOK AT...

i-TREE ECO Modelling the urban forest AN INTERVIEW WITH

MIKE CONNICK Connick Tree Care

SANDOWN PARK NOVEMBER 17

WE KNOW SERVICES

KNOWSLEY COUNCIL’S ARB CONSULTANCY

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APPRENTICESHIPS

A TREE FOR...

Three apprentice arborists at Maydencroft give their views on their training

This month, Pro Arb takes a look at trees best suited to wet areas

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES David Brennan explains the benefits of renting your fleet

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THE POWERFUL AND SAFE CHIPPERS

ADOPT THE WS/23-75DT Convenience and safety to improve your everyday work KOHLER diesel Engine : 75 HP 4 cyl ‘SWING’ Pilot system: 3 different available speeds depending on material to be chipped Complete chipper shredder with 360° rotatable turntable 23cm max diameter Service hoods: quick and easy access to all service points Braking tandem chassis: fully galvanised, with height-adjustable drawbar with DIN towing eyes or ball head

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PRO ARB MAGAZINE 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 Production Editor – Susie Duff susie.duff@eljays44.com Subeditor – Toby Wilsdon toby.wilsdon@eljays44.com ADVERTISING Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Account Manager – Dean Lawrence dean.lawrence@eljays44.com Sales Executive – Amber Bernabe amber.bernabe@eljays44.com Horticulture Careers – Laura Harris laura.harris@eljays44.com Accounts – Lisa Woollard accounts@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Design – Kara Thomas, Amy Downes and Alan Wares Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd CIRCULATION Subscription enquiries: jessica.garrard@eljays44.com Pro Arb is published 12 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2015 subscription price is £95.00. 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.

MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson Director – Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson 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 Jessica Garrard at jessica.garrard@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

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March 2015 | Volume 2 | Issue 3

WELCOME S

o March is here and spring should be just around the corner. Days are getting longer and warmer, leading to more opportunity for work.

Pro Arb recently visited Bawden Managed Landscapes, the newly approved Arboricultural Association tree care and grounds maintenance contractor. It was a fascinating trip for me. I learnt more about the way a tree care company is managed, saw all the kit needed for a company to operate, and even spent time on the tools with a team taking down a trickily placed tree overhanging a wall and two gardens. I thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather and hats off to the guys who climb the trees and support the climbers – the tree was moving a fair bit, not sure I’d be the best up there!

Also this month we managed to catch up with Mike Connick of Connick Tree Care. Mike is very passionate about the industry and actually celebrates his 30th year in business this year.

Mike is also participating in the Tour Des Trees again in 2015. He’s looking for sponsorship, so if you can help, please do contact him. The Tour is going from Orlando to Miami, teaching children about the importance of trees, and will be doing some ceremonial tree planting along the way. You can read our interview with Mike on page 21.

Now, finding a vehicle can be a difficult task.

It’s made more difficult by having to fork out a lump sum of money, and although it’s a good investment and is a necessity in your business, there might be another way to attain your dream vehicle. Read about how Automotive Specialists Nexus may be able to help you on page 32. They explain why leasing a vehicle could be a benefit to arborists.

As well as that, we have the usual features in this issue. See page 34 for our latest products, this time focusing on personal protective equipment, page 36 for all your arb kit, and page 43 for the last word from the Woodland Trust on ancient trees.

Enjoy the read.

JOE WILKINSON

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Welcome 06 NEWS 10 ASSOCIATION NEWS

A round-up of the latest news from the Arboricultural Association

Business tips 12 REGISTER OF TREE WORK OPERATIVES

MARCH 2015

Arb businesses are set to benefit from a new online register to record and demonstrate skills

13 TREE SURVEYS

Jonathan Hazell outlines some of the questions you should ask before conducting a tree survey

21

Opinion 14 LOCAL AUTHORITY TREE OFFICERS

We get an insider’s view of the work local authority tree officers do from Rick Milsom

16 TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS

Jon Heuch warns cuts may lead to councils reducing the number of tree officers

32

Technical 18 TREE RIGGING

David Vickers finishes his series on understanding the strain you’re under

Features 21 AN INTERVIEW WITH MIKE CONNICK

This month’s interview features Mike Connick, Managing Director of Connick Tree Care in Surrey

24 APPRENTICESHIPS

This month we profile Alex, Gregory and Casey of Maydencroft Ltd

26 i-TREE

Kenton Rogers of Treeconomics explains the concept of i-Tree and how you can put a value on trees

Latest kit 32 A FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

A look at the benefits of renting over purchasing your vans

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18

34 LATEST PRODUCTS: PPE

The top products needed for ensuring safety in your job

36 ARB KIT

Regulars 41 CAREERS 42 DIARY AND COURSES 43 ANCIENT TREE COLUMN

Our monthly feature from The Ancient Tree Forum and the Woodland Trust. This month it’s the Kett’s Oak in Norfolk

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NEWS

NEWSBEAT

A roundup of all the latest arboriculture news from around the UK. For more stories visit www.proarbmagazine.com

GLENDALE AGREES £500K DEAL WITH ISUZU FOR FLEET OF 25 BESPOKE D-MAX PICKUPS National green services provider, Glendale has invested £500,000 into a new fleet from commercial motor manufacturing company, Isuzu.

In what is its biggest fleet deal to date, Isuzu will provide Glendale with 25 utility-spec double-cap D-Max pickups, which have been prepared to Glendale’s own specifications.

The investment follows Glendale’s recent £5.5m framework win to provide utility arboriculture services on behalf of Western Power Distribution (WPD).

Mark McKinnon, company engineer at Glendale said of the deal: “After winning the tender with WPD we contacted Isuzu with our requirements and a very short lead time.

The whole process has felt

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like more of a partnership from day one and everything has been delivered in the most professional way. The vehicles have been prepared to our specification at a very high standard, including corporate wrapping and decals, Chapter 8 decals and lighting, off-road wheels and tyres, PDI and road registration.

Fleet operations manager for Isuzu, Alan Able added: “It’s very gratifying that Glendale

BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS LEADS ON NEW TRAILBLAZER APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME

has chosen the D-Max for its vehicle of choice, as we know it has very high expectations when it comes to the quality, reliability and economy of its fleet. Thanks to the D-Max’s outstanding extended warranty coupled with increased fuel economy of 38.7mpg, this is one of several D-Max fleet deals secured in recent months, with many more in the pipeline.”

In 2014 the government announced changes to the apprenticeship programme delivered by colleges and training bodies with the new programme, called Trailblazer, to be employer led. Bartlett Tree Experts was asked to head up the project along with other industry partners.

Work has started on building the new way of providing structured training and qualifications on the job, introducing potential employees into the world of work.

The programme has a short timescale for delivery with an expected completion date of late 2015. Once the standards that will measure skills have been agreed, training providers will be brought into the process to ensure that any apprentice qualifications and skills can be delivered. Professional groups will consult as widely as possible within their industry to ensure there is consensus on what an apprentice will be equipped with on completion of their training.

www.glendale-services.co.uk

www.bartlett.com

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NEWS

LAKES WOMAN BECOMES FIRST REGISTERED FEMALE BRITISH TREE CLIMBER Esther Sands decided to pursue chainsaw qualifications after helping out with her boyfriend’s successful tree services company, which covers a range of work across the Lake District.

Now she has become the first British woman to qualify to operate chainsaws in trees and also to conduct aerial rescues.

“It means a huge amount to me to now have the skills and certification to be able to work up the tree,” said Esther, a 26-year-old physiotherapist.

“I know there aren’t many female arborists due to the physically strenuous nature of the work, but it’s pretty special to be

EXETER LAUNCHES TREE MAINTENANCE TRIAL BASED ON SATELLITE DATA Exeter City Council has launched a pilot scheme to carry out routine inspections more efficiently while on the move and allow residents of the city to report fallen or damaged trees, for a more effective maintenance service.

The council secured £38,000 from the UK Space Agency’s Space for Smarter Government national programme to help develop a system that will allow tree officers to pinpoint and report the exact location and details of fallen or damaged trees using satellite data.

The programme, delivered in collaboration with the Satellite Applications Catapult, aims to educate and drive take-up of space related products and services across government.

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Officers at Exeter City Council are trialling five handheld devices to identify the location of its 8,000 trees and to input relevant information onto the system using satellite positioning, navigation and timing technology able to pick up trees on a digital map.

Cllr Ollie Pearson, lead councillor for Enabling Services, said in a statement: “It’s a privilege to be at the cutting edge of new technology and trialling an application that will not only save time and money for the council but will hopefully also enable residents to be able to report trees when they come down or are damaged.”

The pilot runs until the end of March. www.ukauthority.com

the first registered female British tree climber.

“I really enjoy working outside and it’s great to be able to help the business grow. We carry out all aspects of tree work, both domestic and commercial, so the jobs vary from small tree pruning to large tree dismantles and felling.”

“I was assessed in tree climbing using rope techniques, tree climbing spikes on large trees and on the rescuing of a casualty out of the tree using both rope and tree climbing spike techniques.

“I was then assessed on climbing the tree and section felling and had to show the appropriate use of the chainsaw in the tree with a variety of different cuts.

“Now I have got the qualifications I am really keen to develop and expand my skills and experience with tree work.”

She said she would continue working as a physiotherapist but work alongside Paul when time allows. www.precisiontreeservices.co.uk

FEARS FOR WOODLANDS GROW OVER ASH DIEBACK DISEASE The number of British woods suffering from ash dieback has almost tripled in two years.

Almost 1,000 sites across the UK have been affected by the disease, first detected in 2012.

Government ministers are now focusing on slowing the spread of the disease and developing

varieties of ash that are resistant to the fungus.

Experts believe ash dieback is unstoppable and will ultimately spread across the entire country.

Dr Richard Buggs of Queen Mary University of London said the situation was “very serious”. www.eastbourneherald.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF A Manchester golf club is under investigation after it cut down more than 30 mature oak trees. Northenden Golf Club bosses said they had “inadvertently overstepped” the Forestry Commission quota. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk More than 1,000 trees have been planted on the shores of Ennerdale Water as part of a community initiative. Conservationists teamed up with water workers to plant the new woodland next to Ennerdale Views lakeshore path. www.newsandstar.co.uk

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NEWS

FUNDING SECURED FOR NEW WALKWAY

The Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum are delighted to have secured the £1.9m needed for a treetop walkway after a twoyear-long fundraising campaign.

The walkway will transport visitors 13m high and give them a unique view of the trees. Work will begin on the project in late spring. www.westonbirtproject.co.uk

PLANTING AIMS TO REINTRODUCE ELMS TO BATH’S LANDSCAPE Five elm saplings have been planted in Bath as part of a project to increase the number of trees growing in the city.

Mature elms are a rare sight in England and it is hoped the saplings will help change this.

More than 20m elms were lost after the introduction of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1960s.

The new saplings will be monitored to see whether they

survive the disease, which usually strikes once elm trees have reached 15 years or older.

Experts at the Conservation Foundation have identified a few mature trees that appear to have survived. It is hoped that sapling clones from these trees will grow up to be resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, or will be unattractive to the beetles which carry it. www.bathchronicle.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF A huge 45-year-old Blue Atlas tree has been planted at the entrance of a 3,600 home development in Chelmsford. The 11m tree at Chelmsford Beaulieu Park has a girth of 90cm and its canopy has a spread of 6m. www.essexchronicle.co.uk GreenMech is to host an open house at its factory in Alcester, Warwickshire. On Tuesday 21 April 2015 GreenMech’s customers will have the opportunity to find out what goes into the making of its awardwinning wood chippers. www.greenmech.co.uk

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EARLY BIRD TICKETS RELEASED FOR ICF TREE HEALTH CONFERENCE The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) has announced that tickets for the 2015 ICF National Conference: Tree Health, Resilience and Sustainability are now on general sale. With tickets selling fast, it is encouraging those interested to secure their place as soon as possible.

The event, exploring tree health challenges currently facing UK forestry and arboricultural professionals, will take place 22-23 April at The Angel Hotel, Cardiff.

Carl Sargeant AM, Minister for Natural Resources in the Welsh government, will open the conference, followed by a

prestigious lineup of UK and international expert speakers on tree health, including Prof Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer; Prof Mike Wingfield, President of IUFRO; and Martin Ward, Director General of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO).

Topics under discussion include the Tree Health and Biosecurity Initiative, experience from crop diseases, future pest threats such as the emerald ash borer (USA) and the mountain pine beetle (Canada), and managing risk. www.charteredforesters.org/ conference2015

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN LAUNCHES BRISTOL TREE-PLANTING PROJECT Bristol’s 36,000 primary school pupils will get the chance to plant at least one tree as part of a global initiative launched by the pop star and actor Olivia Newton-John.

Bristol is the first city in the world to roll out the One Tree Per Child initiative, which will also involve experts going into schools and talking to youngsters about the environment.

The city council will cover the cost of the trees and tools. If a school does not have spare land to plant trees, the authority will find a plot for them.

Newton-John said: “I believe that society benefits when young children get out, get their hands in the earth and plant trees. It’s so exciting for us that Bristol will

be the first city in the world to roll out the One Tree Per Child project. In years to come, the children who plant a tree will be able to look back and say ‘That was my tree!’” www.theguardian.com

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NEWS

ASSOCIATION NEWS A round up of what’s happening at the Arboricultural Association Based at its headquarters in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, the Arboricultural Association currently has 2,500 members and offers a wide range of services, courses and publications to its members.

Here it highlights a few items each month to give you a flavour of what’s happening at the Association and how to access its services

MEMBERSHIP The first three months of the year are the time when our membership staff concentrate on renewals and bringing new members into the Association. 2015 has got off to a flying start with 90 new members already registered.

Nearly 2,500 contractors, companies and public sector arborists now appreciate the benefits of Association membership. In a survey our members felt that being a member really helped to provide a professional profile to their business and they identified discounts, the ARB magazine and access to the Association’s accreditation schemes as just some of the reasons for joining.

For more information go to the AA membership pages at www trees.org.uk

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TRAINING

2015 will see significant growth in the training course programme provided by the AA. We will be doubling the number of training courses over the year.

Popular courses now have extra dates and we are introducing a number of new titles such as ‘Arboriculture and Climate Change’.

Don’t forget that all AA training courses are open to non-members and you can book online at www.trees.org.uk/ training-events/Training.

Its worth remembering that AA

members benefit from generous discounts on course fees.

As a Pro Arb reader you may well be particularly interested in ‘Arboricultural Knowledge’, ‘Professional Tree Inspection’ (or the one-day refresher if you’ve already done the original course). We’re also running a two-day residential course on ‘Arboricultural Consultancy’ in May and ‘Arb Business Management’ in June, plus courses on BS 5837, and BS 3998 – check out the details on the AA website.

ICoP FOR TREE WORK AT HEIGHT The Association has announced the launch of a new Industry Code of Practice for Tree Work at Height, the development of which has been sponsored by STIHL and the C&G NPTC Fund.

The aim of the document is to provide consistent and safe methods for managing resources,

personnel and equipment to ensure safe and efficient working practices when working at height.

Download a FREE copy of the ICoP at www.trees.org.uk/ Help-becoming-an-ArbAC#icop Limited printed hard copies will be available for sale for £5 – please check the AA website.

EVENTS

Sponsored by STIHL the 2015 ARB Show will be held on Friday 5 June and Saturday 6 June at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum in Gloucestershire, and this year’s show will undoubtedly be breaking new ground.

Alongside the regular events such as the 3ATC climbing competitions, there will be discounted entry from the show into the Westonbirt Arboretum and for the first time interested members of the public, particularly members of the Friends of Westonbirt, will be coming to the event.

Information about all events is regularly updated on the AA website at www trees.org.uk

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05/03/2015 10:14

BUSINESS TIPS

HERE'S AN IDEA THAT WILL RUFFLE SOME FEATHERS...

PUT YOUR PRICES UP! O

Raising your prices may not have the effect you think. Steve Clark makes a counterintuitive argument for taking a leap of faith and charging what you're worth

K – we see all and sundry going on sale. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day Sales, January Sales, It’s never ending. But I dare you to be different. The majority of people don’t just buy on price.

If you want to see an increase in profits, put your prices up. No, really! I spoke at FutureScape 2014 last November, delivering a talk on how to boost your sales and profits called ‘Champagne results on a beer budget’. I shared low cost and no cost ideas with the audience that they could take back to their businesses and implement.

Now you can use them too.

One of the tips I shared on the day was to put your prices up. I walked the show chatting with exhibitors before my talk. One of the first exhibitors I chatted with was Ken. He proudly told me about his product (a specialist wood treatment) and how it was better than any of the other well-known brands. I casually asked: “So, how’s business, Ken?” “Great,” he replied with a big smile. “Fantastic, then put your prices up,” I said

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thinking he’d respond negatively and we’d have a debate about market pressures that would also serve as a warm up for me before taking to the stage. “We increased our prices a few months ago, by almost 25%.” “Wow, well done and what happened to sales?” I asked.

“Sales are up over 200%,” he said with an even bigger grin.

If your products or services are really somewhere between good and great people will pay the right price for them. Have faith. There’s always going to be someone offering something similar at a lower price, but not your products, your service or your expertise. There’s always someone who will offer a cut-price deal, but will they end up with a happy customer?

Will you lose a few customers when you put prices up? Possibly.

But guess what? They’ll be the pain in the backside ones you don’t want to deal with anyway, the troublesome ones

who take up too much of your time, quibble over everything and probably pay late too.

Charge what you’re worth

Last year, I was in the central business district of Sydney, Australia amidst the hectic shopping scene with buskers merrily plying their trade. There were some stand out musicians and one in particular grabbed my attention. Yet even the best were busking for change. Quite a few had CDs for sale too, all at $10 a time. I listened to this one guy for ages. He was brilliant.

When he finished his set I went over and thanked him. I also made a

polite suggestion.

“You’re so good, put up your prices Tom,”

(Yep, I just can’t help myself, even when I’m meant to be on holiday).

“You’re worth it,” I said

and I meant it. He laughed at first, then said “but look, it’s what all the other guys are charging, $10 a CD.” He was comparing himself to ‘similar’ musicians. It was what he believed to be his market pressure.

“But they’re not playing your guitar, they don’t play like you, they’re not you. Charge what you’re worth.”

“OK, what have I got to lose?" He scribbled a fresh sign – "$20 each or two for $30" I went about my shopping and he went back to pleasing the crowds. When I stopped by an hour later he was one happy busker. He had more than doubled his takings from the previous set.

Are you charging what you’re worth? I guarantee most of you could put your prices up. He laughed at first too.

ABOUT STEVE CLARKE An exceptional sales mentor and sought after motivational business speaker who built his last UK business to £30m in annual sales in just eight years, sold out and retired at 45. Now he helps businesses around the world generate more leads, more sales and more profits. www.eurekasales.co.uk

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BUSINESS TIPS

R2: PROFESSIONALISING THE ARBORICULTURAL INDUSTRY

committee involving the Arboricultural Association, International Society of Arboriculture UK and Ireland Chapter, Glendale Countryside, Bartlett Tree Experts, A M Lane Ltd, Landex Colleges, Western Power Distribution and Lantra.

The group is chaired by Jaime Bray of Treetop Arboriculture.

With 21 years of industry experience, Jaime Bray has first-hand experience of the many challenges that the new tool is hoping to overcome. “The very nature of the job means it is

“R2's objective is to encourage highly trained, flexible and skilled individuals”

Arboricultural operatives, tree care businesses and clients are set to benefit from a new online register to record and demonstrate skills, experience and training

T

his spring, an innovative online tool will be launched to enable arborists to demonstrate the level of their skill and experience and to help businesses identify which operatives have the required skills to undertake varying types of tree work.

The Register of Tree Work Operatives, known as R2, has a progressive structure of graded job titles. For each job, there are pre-defined criteria.

These include qualifications and training, measures of task specific experience and time served within the industry. To progress to the next grade, all the criteria must be met and the relevant time served. R2 will be quality assured

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so that if a worker states that they have acquired a particular grade, employers and clients can be confident that the worker will be at the required standard.

The R2 scheme’s key objective is to encourage highly trained, flexible and skilled individuals and workforces who possess the relevant skills, training and resources to undertake the many different aspects of arboricultural work in a safe and efficient manner. R2 intends to unite the arboricultural industry through a transparent and consistent skills and career progression framework that will also benefit individuals from an employment perspective.

The project is being coordinated by a management

imperative to check and record the continued competence and capabilities of industry operatives,” he explained.

“Historically, there has been a ticket mentality within the sector, driven by the need to demonstrate competence.

“This scheme will not only enable individuals to show that they have the appropriate certificates of competence to carry out the work they are set, but also enable them to demonstrate their experience and show how capable they are of carrying out the multitude of tasks required of them throughout their career. As a consequence, this should make it easier for businesses to ensure that staff have the right skills for the job.”

The R2 Management Committee is delighted to be working with Makita UK, the platinum sponsor for R2. Kevin Brannigan, marketing manager

at Makita, commented, “We have been working with arborists and tree workers for a number of years and are delighted to support the Register of Tree Work Operatives. R2 is a pioneering project that recognises the skills of tree workers and businesses and is a great way to support the industry by creating and retaining highly trained individuals and flexible, skilled workforces.”

R2 has recently been piloted by a variety of businesses and self employed tree workers who have given valuable feedback about the system. Of those who commented, 75% said R2 was extremely useful for determining career paths, enabling the users to understand the skills they need to further their career. Feedback from the pilot has enabled the R2 team to identify what works well and to implement necessary refinements in order to perfect the user’s experience.

The scheme is the realisation of an idea that has prevailed within the sector for many years. It will help to improve the recognition of the profession generally as well as provide greater confidence to employers and customers when securing the services of registered tree workers.

ABOUT R2

For further information about the R2 project, please visit www.r2register.co.uk or follow R2 on Twitter @R2_Online

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BUSINESS TIPS

THE RIGHT TIME FOR TREE SURVEYS Jonathan Hazell outlines some of the questions you should ask before conducting a tree survey and examines possible outcomes

T

ime to stick my head above the parapet again and share my experience and understanding of tree surveying.

I should also refer the reader to the HSE online publication Management of the Risk from Falling Trees or Branches SIM 01/2007/05 (www.hse.gov. uk/foi/internalops/sims/ag_ food/010705.htm) and to the tree safety management method of Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (www.qtra.co.uk/cms).

What’s the point?

This is the first thing to consider if you are asked to commission or deliver a survey, picking up on the phrasing in my last piece ‘define the need’.

For a survey to be worthwhile there must be a need for information upon which to make an informed decision about something, otherwise what’s the point? Why spend the money?

I have often felt that buyers for enterprise-wide surveys have done a cost-benefit analysis and decided that a standard five-year cyclical survey is enough to satisfy their liabilities and responsibilities as a tree manager or owner, without actually having to invest too much thought into why the survey was being carried out at all. “We have already had one survey, so let there be another.”

If that’s right, the data collection requirement was process driven,

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not evidence led, and so an inefficient use of resources.

The range of expectations from a tree survey is wide. You may need to advise a domestic client on the condition of the one tree in their garden; there could be an obligation for a tree survey as part of a planning application on a development site; there might be a requirement for an enterprise-wide assessment of some aspect of tree health or tree management for a large landowner or land manager.

The range of outputs, or

“For a survey to be worthwhile there must be a need for information upon which to make an informed decision” deliverables, is equally wide. Will you simply list trees as assets for a site manager or owner and make suggestions for remedial work or do you provide a narrative to accompany the data? Is the

buyer’s need more sophisticated, requiring location as well as tree data with post-processing to plan future spending or the timing of operations to reduce hazard and prevent risk? If the buyer needs to know when it will be most cost effective to prune a tree adjacent to a structure, they will need to know the tree’s radial growth increment, which can most easily be measured by sampling in successive annual surveys.

Similarly, if a decision to replace all the trees in a particular street is to be taken, will the data set that has been gathered allow an analysis of when trip hazards are reported?

Are you adding to existing knowledge?

If so, the scope of the survey may already be evident from the data collection forms. If it’s a new survey then you will need to design the schema to meet your brief and there are a huge number of considerations to weigh up, not least of which is how will you marry the data in the report with the tree – GIS (Geographic Information System), or numbered tags?

Who is going to manage the data?

And assume the liabilities and responsibilities? If it’s the buyer, the supplier has to transfer enough information for the buyer to discharge their duty of care.

Whatever it may be, define the need before you start.

ABOUT JONATHAN HAZELL Jonathan Hazell’s career began on the tools with the Ealing tree gang in 1980. Senior roles in the public, charity and commercial sectors followed and in October 2011 Jonathan established his own arboricultural consultancy practice. www.jhazell.com

The tree’s radial growth increment can be measured by successive annual surveys

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05/03/2015 10:16

OPINION HEALTH & SAFETY

LOCAL AUTHORITY TREE OFFICERS

AN INSIDER’S LOOK

As an arboricultural officer for Southend-on-Sea, Rick Milsom is perfectly placed to cast light on the work of tree officers working for local authorities

I

t has occurred to me that many people in our industry may never be involved in anything like my role as an arboricultural officer for a local authority and consequently will not really know what we do day-to-day.

I do have an idea what some people think we do though, as they have told me. I ended up in this role mainly because I was rather hopeless at climbing and in the end preferred to keep my feet on the ‘old terracotta’ as Del Boy once said.

Most arboricultural officers, or tree officers, are either employed by the council's planning department, highways department or parks department.

They can have a specific role for one of these departments or may

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work for all of them, as we do here at Southend-on-Sea. I would assume most tree surgeons deal mainly with the planning department due to the fact that it administers Tree Preservation Orders and deals with Conservation Area Notifications.

Councils may be responsible for the inspection and maintenance of many thousands of trees. These are often spread across many diverse sites such as streets, parks and schools to name a few. The responsibility for the inspection and maintenance of all these trees can be a daunting

tree locations to our database and working on our woodlands.

The beauty of knowing what you have gives you the ability to demonstrate what you need to maintain it and improve on it if necessary, however getting these resources is a challenge in itself.

The inspection of woodlands offers a bit more of a challenge.

Where do you start? Obviously it is not feasible to inspect every tree so the answer has to be risk zoning and setting the frequency and type of inspection according to visitor use.

What we must not forget is that managing a large stock inevitably involves tree removal. Although this can be unpopular it gives a great opportunity to improve what you have and if the reasons are

“I was hopeless at climbing and preferred to keep my feet on the ‘old terracotta’” prospect and very difficult, especially if under resourced, whether financially or in terms of staff employed to carry out the inspections necessary to comply with our duty of care.

The computerised tree management systems now available are a massive boon in tree management. Our highway trees are recorded on the system and their locations plotted in most cases. We are currently adding more of our smaller parks and

explained, it is usually accepted.

So to preserve the diversity of the age and species of our trees, we need to plant.

Another great help is having a long term contractor in place to carry out the vast majority of work on a schedule of rates. This saves time putting works out to tender as we simply generate a work order through Ezytreev.

There are always going to be times when a certain amount of reactive management is required

though, especially at the peaks of basal and epicormic season when many of our recently pollarded limes look like woolly green candelabras. Although we have many trees we refer to as pollards, this is quite an inaccurate description in some cases. Many of these were harshly pruned when they were quite large trees.

The tree stock we maintain is highly diverse. We have many young street trees and still plant annually. The choice of species now available enables us to experiment a bit and even plant a few of the more tender species inasmuch as our Essex climate allows, although the county can be rather dry.

Hopefully the picture I'm painting doesn't suggest this is all a walk in the park. We’re still pushed for time as not only do we have to proactively inspect our trees, we have to deal with enquiries from residents and carry out inspections for our planning officers with regard to TPOs and other planning applications. There are also numerous miscellaneous projects that come up which eat into the time available.

ABOUT RICK MILSOM Starting out as an apprentice, Rick has worked in horticulture and arboriculture for 30 years, and is currently an arboricultural officer at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council.

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05/03/2015 10:16

OPINION

I GET KNOCKED DOWN...

BUT I GET UP AGAIN Forget education, skills, experience and what the current government is doing. Jamie Saunders says there's one simple secret to a start-up business's success...

T

his Valentine’s Day marked the 15th anniversary of my being in business and in that time I have often noted how much other contractors moan and worry about small firms starting up and competing with them. While I recognise that as a group, start-ups are always taking a certain slice of a given marketplace, I don’t worry about them because I know the reality of running a small contracting business in this industry is much tougher than it may appear and statistics show the majority fail within five years. They will be replaced by others and so it goes on, but their market share remains fairly constant and has to be accepted.

I have often thought about what separates those firms that stay the course and those that don’t, whether or not there is one main secret, skill set or habit that

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ProArb Mar15 P15 Jamie Saunders.indd 15

is key to longevity and success in business. After 15 years and a major recession I believe I am qualified enough to talk about what I believe it is and for the benefit of those small or start-up firms who may be struggling at this lean time of year I’ll share it with you, though be warned it may not be what you want to hear!

First though, I’d like to mention a few things it’s not and I’ll start with formal education. While it’s better to have it than not, it will not help

external factor.

If there is one thing above all others that ultimately separates those that survive and thrive in business from those that don’t, it’s an emotionally based response to getting knocked down, which is to consistently choose to get back up and carry on, every single time no matter how hard or how often it’s happened before. A very simple choice but a difficult one you will have to make over and over

“For startup businesses, being the best climber, having great arb skills or years of experience will not help one jot when the pressure is on” you get through the tough times in business and the world is full of educated people earning a basic wage from less educated people.

It’s not innate intelligence although assuming you have what it takes to survive in business, it can affect how high you go, but that’s not what I’m discussing here. Being the best climber, having great arb skills or years of experience will not help one jot when the pressure is on, neither will high birth, lady luck, the government or any other

again, because in business there is no magical sunlit upland where everything becomes easy and you coast off into the sunset. As you grow and develop so do your problems and setbacks. Most people that 'fail' never actually reach the point of complete and irredeemable failure with absolutely no option to carry on in some form or another, but in response to another setback, decide they have reached their limit and choose to quit. They say

enough is enough, it’s not worth it, it’s not fair on my family, I’d be better off doing X, Y or Z. That may be the best decision they ever make, or the worst.

Business is not for everyone and there is no right or wrong here.

Years of sacrifice, financial loss, a wounded pride or feelings of injustice are irrelevant as there is nothing else to do but make this simple decision: continue or stop.

You alone will be responsible for the consequences, as that is life and that is business whether we like it or not. But in my experience, good times follow bad times, and those who can tough out the bad times are around to take advantage of the good.

ABOUT JAMIE SAUNDERS Jamie Saunders completed an ND (Arb) before establishing Trojan Tree Care at age 19. The company, now in its 15th year, is based in Sevenoaks, Kent and provides a quality arboricultural service to commercial and residential clients across the South East. Follow him @trojantreecare or read his blog at www.trojantreecare.co.uk/our-blog

Pro Arb | March 2015 15

05/03/2015 10:17

OPINION HEALTH & SAFETY

TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS WITHOUT TREE OFFICERS

Government cuts may lead to councils reducing the number of specialist tree officers they employ in-house, warns arboricultural consultant Jon Heuch

I

t is a classic dilemma in running a bureaucracy – is it better to employ generalists or specialists to run the organisation? Generalists are flexible, know the rules of the organisation and can fill the shoes of those needed elsewhere or who retire, fall sick or are on holiday.

They are, however, unlikely to know much about the specialist detail of what they are responsible for, especially if new in post. Specialists, on the other hand, know a great deal about their area. But they may have little knowledge of or interest in other specialisms and may be lacking skills to undertake work of another specialist.

Arboriculture is a specialty; it requires a variety of skills and experience to know how trees are appropriately managed. In some roles it requires knowledge of

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legislation and government policies.

The Department of Communities and Local Government used to employ one full-time arboricultural specialist but since May 2011 they ceased to do so – government reorganisation favoured the generalists over the specialists.

Local government reorganisation proceeds at a pace. We are told that further cutbacks are due and even with a general election coming in May 2015 it seems unlikely that any new government will suddenly find resources to stop such cuts happening.

One of the possible outcomes is

council relies on specialist skills provided by a contracted company or ad hoc consultants.

However, it takes some knowledge to know what sort of specialist skill is required, choose the right source and to negotiate an appropriate contract.

If you have ever tried to pin an IT specialist down on what a non-routine contract will cost you may appreciate the problem – you don’t have the skills to engage them on your terms: you are

“Relatively few councils have no tree officer at all, but many have slimmed down to one” that councils will favour generalists who can do several jobs over specialists who can do only one.

Some councils may decide that they can do without any specialist tree officer positions in-house, either in their planning departments or in managing their own trees.

At the moment there appear to be relatively few councils with no tree officer at all, but many have slimmed down to one alone.

Having no tree officer may not be the end of the world if the

reliant on the specialist to define what they will do!

Operationally, much work is now contracted out and luckily it is not possible to manage large trees without some form of tree surgery and other tree operations, but if the council has no one in-house with experience of tree surgery it becomes more difficult for them to plan and manage appropriately.

Local planning authorities have a duty under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to ensure that

adequate provision is made for the preservation or planting of trees.

The Blue Book – a guide to the law and good practice of TPOs – prior to 2012 was a concise 64 pages with another 20 pages of Annexes.

The government had great hopes of cutting red tape but only managed to condense the equivalent Planning Practice Guidance to a mere 53 pages. Its length reflects the knowledge and experience required to implement the law.

Having put in tree work applications to over 30 councils in recent years I see errors more often than I would like.

Replacing arboricultural specialists with generalists or merging responsibilities is likely to lead to greater errors emerging and poorer management of the country’s trees. Opportunities may arise from crises and some may lead to improvements but there is no guarantee of this.

ABOUT JON HEUCH Jon Heuch is Principal Arboricultural Consultant at Duramen Consulting www.duramen.co.uk He has worked as a Tree Officer for and as a consultant to several Councils in South East England.

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05/03/2015 10:18

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05/03/2015 10:31

TECHNICAL

UNDERSTANDING THE STRAIN YOU’RE UNDER

In the final article of his three-part series, Dave Vickers from Drivelink Training takes a closer look at HSE Research Report RR668 to find a more accurate method of assessing branch weight when dismantling a tree

Over the last couple of issues we’ve been looking at calculating the peak loads that can be encountered during rigging, based on the information in the HSE Research Report RR668, and hopefully this has been of help to those about to undertake a Level 3 Award in Aerial Tree Rigging assessment.

We’ve used the log mass charts to provide an estimate of the timber’s mass based on green oak, and used a species correction factor to further refine that figure. That value was then multiplied by two where the pulley was above the load, or by 11 if the pulley was underneath the load.

In the final part of this series we’ll examine whether there is a more accurate method of assessing the weight by delving a bit deeper into RR668.

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The report suggests a subtly different set of steps to further estimate the branch weight (para 6.5, p152), which includes estimating the length of the section to be cut away, calculating

“The report cites form factors from 0.35 to 1, a huge variation, and one entirely dependent on tree species – poplar, beech and sycamore all exhibit different factors” the average diameter and then, by using the log mass chart, finding the reference mass.

We can then apply the species correction factor to it. So far we’ve largely used the same technique

as previously. However this is where things change, with the application of a form factor.

The report cites form factors from 0.35 to 1, a huge variation, and one entirely dependent on tree species – poplar exhibits form factors of between 0.35 and 0.4, beech from 0.5 to 0.65 and sycamore between 0.55 and 1 (p152). The report also cites a form factor of 0.8 being used in one formula and another formula being more accurate with a form factor of 0.75.

It’s clear that there are differences depending on the species, formula used, the state of the wood (decay, rot, moisture content, etc) but the conclusion given on page 152 was that “a form factor of 0.8 is therefore recommended, as a standard”.

There are also reduction

factors for timbers that have a central cavity, but these will not be covered in detail here. As the report says on page 148: “To be on the safe side, only small reduction factors for decay of unknown extent should be applied (up to 20%).”

So where does this leave us? For chogging down the central stem, we can safely cross-reference the log mass charts and apply a species correction factor. For limbs and branches we can go one step further and apply a form factor of 0.8 to that calculation.

Of course this only covers the calculation for the weight of the timber but there are other factors that must be included to arrive at a safe working figure. The report suggests a safety factor of 1.3 (para 1.1, p351), and this is how we arrive at the formula shown in the City & Guilds NPTC qualification guidance.

For systems using the pulley above the load: Peak load = Log mass x species correction factor x 1.3 x 2 For systems using the pulley below the load: Peak load = Log mass x species correction factor x 1.3 x 11 ABOUT DAVE VICKERS Drivelink Training provides City & Guilds NPTC forestry and arboriculture short courses. Founded

by Dave Vickers, a City & Guilds NPTC approved trainer and assessor, qualified teacher with a BA(Hons).

Ed and QTLS. Drivelink Training provides training from basic maintenance to dealing with windblown trees, from basic tree climbing to rigging/dismantling.

Visit www.facebook.com/ drivelink to see what they’re up to.

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05/03/2015 10:32

Features 21

AN INTERVIEW WITH... MIKE CONNICK

24

APPRENTICESHIPS – MAYDENCROFT

26

iTREE – MODELLING URBAN FORESTRY

28

KNOWSLEY COUNCIL’S ARB CONSULTANCY SERVICES

30

A TREE FOR... WET AREAS

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ProArb Mar15 P19 Features Cover.indd 19

Pro Arb | March 2015 19

05/03/2015 10:33

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05/03/2015 11:21

05/03/2015 11:22

FEATURES

An interview with

MIKE CONNICK Mike Connick, Managing Director of Connick Tree Care, has been providing tree services in the UK for the past 30 years. He tells us about the day-to-day running of his business and shares insights on the industry as a whole

How long have you been in the arboriculture industry?

I started from school. I went to Merrist Wood College in 1975 and completed a two week introduction to landscaping, nursery work and tree work. Tree surgery appealed to me and I focused myself on a career.

I worked in the industry for several years, working for different companies. I worked my way up to management level and then decided I’d have a go at running my own business. I was in the industry for nearly ten years before I started Connick Tree Care, and this is my 30th year in business.

Did you get your qualifications at Merrist Wood?

Yes. I went out into the industry before going back to college to do an NCH in arboriculture which was great. I’ve also done various courses throughout my career, but my grounding was at Merrist Wood. I also worked in Germany for a while.

Why did you start your own business?

I didn’t necessarily want to run my own business, but I progressed as far as I could working for other people and thought I’d give it a go!

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ProArb Mar15 P21-23 Interview Mike Connick.indd 21

Does it cost a lot of money to set up your own arboricultural business?

It wasn’t a huge barrier to entry. You have to have a truck, and these days you need a brushwood chipper. When I first started, I didn’t need the chipper but I did need somewhere to dispose of the debris and that was the key to getting started.

How many staff do you employ?

We have 50 staff in all.

And how many teams are there?

It’s about 14 teams. It varies depending on the size of the gang, some of our teams go out with six on site, and others take two.

Has that gradually grown?

I had 100 employees at one time, when we had a lot of local authority work. We had 12 scheduled rates contracts, but we weren’t delivering the quality that I wanted. We had to price work cheaper and cheaper and the quality was disappearing. We took a management decision that we still wanted to be a quality contractor, and not lower our standards, therefore our prices reflected quality and we didn’t win as many local authority contracts. I think that is part of the problem with the industry at the moment.

The larger term contracts are all focused on the cost, and the quality is suffering as a result.

How do you structure your team?

I have a key management team, two lead managers running our depots, and then sub managers looking at work, organising and preparing work and making sure the staff are all set up safely.

Who goes out and wins your contracts?

Within the management team there are estimators who go out and look at the work, to size and price up the jobs every day. I get involved in some of the larger tender procurement exercises.

Pro Arb | March 2015 21

05/03/2015 12:23

FEATURES

“I feel we are ahead of many other industries in the processes we have formulated to ensure we have safe sites with the correct paperwork” Are these stressful for you?

Tendering contracts is more frustrating to me than stressful. You put so much work and effort into them and then you don’t win, which is frustrating and disheartening.

Are the cheap prices coming from one man and his saw or from big companies trying to feed their teams with work?

Both. We go through a range of tender exercises. For small jobs we compete against the guy down the road with a saw, but on bigger jobs we are competing with some of the larger entities who maybe sometimes take the view that they want to win this contract at any price.

What is the most profitable work for you?

We apply our pricing model to the scope of work. Our estimators look to complete works in the most efficient way, using our extensive equipment and skills resource. We want to give a fair price for the job, which does include a small margin.

What about training for your staff?

We have training programmes and also run apprenticeship schemes. We take a lot of people straight from college, encourage them through their training and look to develop them within the company. We have an appraisal system which looks at all

members of staff and evaluates where they are, where they are going and what their needs may be in terms of training.

How do you see the industry in terms of legislation? Is there a lot of red tape?

It’s a complex business, method statements and risk assessments are at the forefront of our process. I feel we are ahead of many other industries in the processes we have formulated to ensure we have safe sites with the correct paperwork but taking minimal time to achieve. We’ve got some robust systems where we teach our staff how to do their own risk assessments. It will be the team leader’s decisions on what they do each day. He has his own site specific risk assessment which he will fill in, he’ll then go through that with his team, and they will sign that off every day so they all know their roles and responsibilities.

Is it easy to find good quality staff?

It’s difficult. The marketplace is not buoyant with qualified staff and I think that is an area that needs looking at by the colleges to help us get more skilled staff.

Do you think graduates are where they should be in terms of knowledge when they leave?

They are always lacking in industry

experience. They can get the qualifications, but still need to learn the industry. People need to learn from experts in the field how to do the job properly and safely.

Should the Arb Association be involved in this and the promotion of the industry?

Yes I think they should. I think the association does a good job and is also getting better at doing that job. I don’t think there are any failings there but I think we all need to work together, there needs to be better collaboration between entities like The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI).

Do you find that landscapers subcontract their tree work out through you?

Yes, we do quite a lot of work for landscapers.

Other than staffing, what are some of the issues for you this year?

There is a lot of tree pruning work undertaken that is not in line with BS:3998 and the industry as a whole should be looking to prune to those standards.

Do you think the industry is coming to the end of the period of cuts, cuts, cuts?

I don’t think so. Commercially it’s not too bad. You have a lot of large entities that require all of the right paperwork, qualifications and method statements, which we deliver. I think the local authority area is still very cut-throat and too cheap.

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ProArb Mar15 P21-23 Interview Mike Connick.indd 22

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05/03/2015 12:23

FEATURES

Do you get involved with tree planting?

We do planting programmes. We don’t grow our own trees; but we do buy trees specifically for a job. Depending on the clients requirements, we buy from several different suppliers. First we would put a specification together which suggests suitable trees, the client would then choose which option and we'd supply and plant.

Do you move trees?

I don't think we do that much tree moving in this country. It’s not necessary. You can do a lot of damage to a tree by moving it and it also requires big machinery and plenty of time. The nurseries are producing such great stock, you are much better off with a tree that has grown in a container,

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ProArb Mar15 P21-23 Interview Mike Connick.indd 23

ready to move. It will become established so much quicker than the tree you’re trying to move because you are losing so much of its roots therefore setting it miles back.

Are you a member of the Arboricultural Association?

We are Arboricultural Association approved contractors and we have always been a member. Karen Martin is good for our industry. She puts the effort in and joins in with the events.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

One of my big passions is cycling so I’m going to do the Tour Des Trees this year.

That’s 560 miles from Orlando to Miami raising money for the International Tree Foundation. It’s a great event full of passionate tree professionals. That’s in October 2015 so I’m looking for sponsorship!

To sponsor Mike please visit: http://stihltourdestrees.org/2015-rider-gallery/ CONTACT Mike Connick Managing Director, Connick Tree Care New Pond Farm, Woodhatch Road Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7QH

Tel: 0800 975 4535 Email: info@connicktreecare.co.uk www.connicktreecare.co.uk

Pro Arb | March 2015 23

05/03/2015 12:26

FEATURE ASSOCIATION APPRENTICESHIPS INWITH

MAYDENCROFT LTD Pro Arb is keen to highlight the great youngsters who are currently plying their trade in our industry. This month, we speak to three apprentice tree surgeons at AA approved Maydencroft Ltd in Hertfordshire

What are your roles within Maydencroft?

Alex Stacey, 17

Gregory Coppenhall, 21

Casey Hughes, 28

Alex Stacey: My roles at Maydencroft involve helping out the climber by refuelling, minding ropes and dragging brush. I also play a key role on the ground using chippers and chainsaws to clean and clear the work zone.

Gregory Coppenhall: I assist the climber, including snedding and chipping arisings; sending up saws via marlinspike hitch and clearing work zones. I'm also being trained as an arborist, felling trees, climbing them and everything in between.

Casey Hughes: The work we carry out varies day to day.

Assisting climbers, climbing myself – most tree work, really.

I'm fortunate to work with an experienced team who let me carry out work and develop my skills.

24 Pro Arb | March 2015

ProArb Mar15 P24-25 Apprenticeships.indd 24

Why did you choose arboriculture?

GC: I’d always been interested and the Maydencroft’s ad was the first apprenticeship I saw advertised. I keep active playing sports and enjoy the outdoors, and arboriculture allows me to do both as my job. I love the fact I'm never in the same place doing the same thing for too long, every job is challenging in a new way.

CH: At first it was simply because I can climb trees and use a chainsaw! It's a varied, challenging job, and I thought 'that's for me'. It also has good career prospects.

AS: I enjoy being outside. I also enjoy being involved in the team.

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05/03/2015 10:37

FEATURE

Did you go to college?

GC: I went to Bedford Sixth Form to get my A levels.

CH: Years ago I did my A levels at Wilmslow Sixth Form College and I am now at Shuttleworth College doing the Work-based Trees and Timber Apprenticeship which I hope to finish before Christmas.

AS: I am going to Shuttleworth College at the moment and this is my first time in further education.

What is your favourite part of your current role?

GC: Learning to climb. Climbing always offers a fresh new challenge as no two trees are ever the same.

It's a lot of fun, too.

CH: For me it definitely has to be the climbing.

AS: Currently my favourite parts are both – climbing trees and working on the ground.

SAM EAGLING FERNANDEZ, CONTRACTS MANAGER...

“The apprentices are taking to the industry very quickly. They each have their own strengths and have been a subtle blessing to our arb division. We encourage our apprentices to make their own career with us and their ambition is constantly being demonstrated through their efforts.”

What is your favourite piece of equipment to use?

GC: My favourite piece of equipment would have to be the Unimogs. Not only are they a real head turner but they are versatile and really helpful – they can literally go anywhere!

CH: At the moment it has to be the TreeMotion climbing harness – I only got it last week. Much better than the Butterfly!

AS: For me it's the PTO driven chipper mounted on the back of our Unimogs. Makes my job ten times easier.

Is there a structured development plan at Maydencroft Ltd for you?

GC: Yes, I’m on a day release scheme with Shuttleworth College, achieving my level 2 Trees and Timber and my chainsaw tickets.

CH: Maydencroft has supported me through my training at Shuttleworth College and has put me through my chainsaw tickets.

There is a development plan in place for me.

AS: I had already completed my CS30 course before my employment, however I will be

supported through my CS31, 38 and 39 chainsaw tickets.

Maydencroft are giving me weekly day release for my Level 2 Trees and Timber.

What are your future ambitions within the industry?

GC: Eventually I'd like to study for a degree in arboriculture, which could take me down various routes in the industry. But for now my focus is building my skills to become a competent arborist.

CH: At some point university perhaps. I'm a mature apprentice so will be an even more mature uni student! For now I am focused on improving my skills as an arborist and becoming more consistent with climbing and felling.

AS: My ambition is to first become a team leader at Maydencroft then move up the ladder.

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05/03/2015 10:38

FEATURES

i-TREE ECO: MODELLING THE LUNGS OF OUR CITIES Trees are often referred to as the lungs of our cities but it has been hard to quantify just how much good they do. Kenton Rogers explains how the value of trees can be modelled using the i-Tree Eco software package Most of us are already aware that trees offer many significant benefits. These include providing shade, evaporative cooling, the capture of aerosols and particulates, interception and filtration of rainfall, carbon sequestration and storage not to mention noise reduction, soil conservation, biodiversity and the indirect benefits to human health and wellbeing.

26 Pro Arb | March 2015

ProArb Mar15 P26-27 iTree TW.indd 26

These benefits are even more pronounced in urban areas, helping make our towns and cities better places to live. Moreover these benefits are provided at the same time and at very little cost. Arguably this makes trees the single most important component of green infrastructure.

With rising urban populations and climatic events increasing in frequency and intensity,

the trees that make up our urban forest are likely to become an increasingly important resource for future communities.

The number of people in the UK living in urban areas is currently estimated at around 44 million or 80% of the population. Globally, over 50% of the world’s population now lives in cities and this is expected to rise to 60% by 2030.

Yet trees in urban areas are often under great pressure from factors such as increased summer temperatures, pollution, compacted soil, salt contamination, development and vandalism to name a few.

Consequently, urban tree numbers in the UK have been steadily declining. How can we reverse this trend?

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05/03/2015 10:56

FEATURES

What is i-Tree?

The benefits of trees need to be made tangible or they will continue to be overlooked and undervalued. In 2011 a project was commissioned by Torbay Council to pilot a tree benefits model called i-Tree Eco. The subsequent report expressed the benefits of the urban forest in economic terms as well as providing a comprehensive analysis of Torbay’s tree stock.

The results showed that Torbay’s urban forest stored around £5.1m worth of carbon, filtered 50 tonnes of pollutants every year (a service worth £1.4m annually) and would cost £280m to replace.

The publication of the Torbay report meant that for the first time in the UK there was a comprehensive evaluation of the urban forest (both publicly and privately owned), directly related to benefits that were quantified and expressed in monetary terms.

Since then other i-Tree Eco projects have been completed in towns and cities across the UK including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Swansea. And, last year the Forestry Commission led the London i-Tree Eco project with the Re:Leaf Partnership.

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ProArb Mar15 P26-27 iTree TW.indd 27

“The benefits of trees need to be made tangible or they will continue to be overlooked” Three hundred volunteers surveyed 724 plots across London to gather information on the structure and composition of the urban forest. To date, this is the largest urban forest citizen science project in the world.

The results are currently being analysed and when released this spring will provide detailed, comprehensive and valuable information on this important resource.

By identifying and articulating the role of trees as economic assets or as a biotechnology to improve the places where we live and work, we can finally put them on the asset register and have the evidence to justify further investment, improve our canopy cover and make better places to live.

Having introduced the subject this month, Pro Arb will be taking a closer look at the London project, its delivery and aspirations in the next issue.

i-Tree is a peer-reviewed software suite developed by the US Forest Service and the Davey Tree Expert Company. i-Tree has been used to quantify urban forest structure, function and values in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Randomly generated plots stratified by land use type combined with local pollution and meteorological data can quantify the ecological benefits provided by trees and shrubs.

By understanding the tangible, local ecological benefits trees provide, i-Tree users can link urban forest management activities with environmental quality and community livability. i-Tree provides the baseline data that can demonstrate value and set priorities for more effective decision-making. More information is available at: www.itreetools.org ABOUT KENTON ROGERS Kenton Rogers is a Chartered Forester and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is also co-founder of Treeconomics, a social enterprise with a mission to work with communities, businesses and public bodies to highlight the value of trees.

For further details of i-Tree studies in the UK please contact Kenton Rogers at kenton@treeconomics.co.uk

Pro Arb | March 2015 27

05/03/2015 10:56

FEATURES

KNOWSLEY KNOWHOW Knowsley Council is running a successful separate arboricultural consultancy service. Pro Arb takes a look...

Knowsley Council does things differently to most, if not all, other councils when it comes to its arboricultural duties. It not only has an in-house arboricultural team to look after the region’s greenery, it also has a separate consultancy, We Know Services, that works alongside existing teams. Pro Arb caught up with Colin Ness, arboriculture officer at Knowsley Council, who explained its unique set-up.

“Knowsley Council has always provided a development team approach to residents and developers within the borough. Allied to strong professional working relationships with key landowners, developers and businesses, this led to further requests for arboricultural, ecological and mapping/GIS (Geographic Information Services). We Know Services evolved from this in support

of the council’s planning and building control functions.”

We Know Services was set up by the council in April 2013, in order to generate income to sustain its full range of arboricultural, ecological and mapping/GIS

“The business is now completely self-sufficient, aiding in the delivery of tree care to council-owned tree stock” services. A consultancy arm was developed using the existing knowledge and experience of the team. This contributed to the cost of sustaining the capacity and level of expertise of a busy arboriculture function,

ensuring the continuity of a cost neutral service to residents.

Due to the nature of the work and the existing staff, startup costs were minimal.

Momentum continued to build through word of mouth and the business is now completely self-sufficient, aiding in the delivery of tree care to council-owned tree stock, as well as providing services to external clients.

The current goals of We Know Services are to continue to provide a quality service to customers, to provide a cost neutral service to residents of Knowsley Council and to have the capacity and flexibility to respond to customer demands and promote the council as a proactive and business friendly local authority.

The consultancy is currently working on a number of projects, including several McDonald’s drive-thru improvement schemes throughout the UK; a scheme in north Wales to help a client to mitigate a large roost of lesser horseshoe bats; great crested newts and reptile mitigation in West Lancashire; lots of BS 5837 surveys for a range of clients throughout the UK, and tree health and safety surveys for various housing groups and trusts.

Due to the nature of the work, it is a requirement to keep a clear delineation between the services the tree team provides for the council and those for We Know Services, ensuring transparency for Knowsley Council members and residents.

ABOUT WE KNOW SERVICES For more information about We Know Services, contact Colin Ness on 0151 443 2666 or email info@weknowservices.co.uk Or find us online at www.weknowservices.co.uk

The We Know Services consultancy team

28 Pro Arb | March 2015

ProArb Mar15 P28 Knowsley TW.indd 28

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TREES

A TREE FOR WET AREAS Pro Arb asks the UK's tree nurseries which tree in their stock would suit a specific use. This month it's trees for wet areas

Alnus glutinosa and incana

Taxodium ascendens 'Nutans'

One family of trees that immediately comes to mind when thinking of wet conditions is Alnus, particularly Alnus glutinosa and incana.

Both are ideally suited to sit in close proximity to water and have a proven ability to thrive with wet feet. Each variant offers interest throughout the year with glutinosa, a bushy medium-sized tree, displaying yellow catkins through March and incana, a very hardy large tree, showing off its characteristic grey tone to the underside of the leaves, along with yellow-brown catkins that appear in late winter, turning green as the weather warms. www.colesnurseries.co.uk

If you are looking for a specimen tree that will grow well in a wet area then look no further than Taxodium ascendens 'Nutans' pond cypress. This is a very distinctive and extremely interesting tree. Like the better known swamp cypress, it’s a deciduous conifer which will grow well in wet ground.

It is relatively slow growing with a conical form and will ultimately reach a height of approximately 10m. The most striking thing about this tree is the graceful, thin, awl-shaped leaves, arranged in whorls on the branches. The leaves are bright green but turn a stunning bronze in autumn. www.deepdale-trees.co.uk

Myrtus luma Myrtus luma (Orangebark Myrtle) is native of Chile and Argentina and has many different names.

In its native environment it can reach heady heights. In colder, drier climates expect little more than 4.5m. It is almost impossible to over-water this tree. In fact, the more it rains the better it looks. In South America you'll frequently find it growing in bogs. The distinctive orange bark develops after around five years and is lovely and soft to the touch. Foliage is evergreen and white flowers appear in late summer.

Propagation is easy from seed or cuttings. www.architecturalplants.com

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Mespilus germanica ‘Nottingham’ Mespilus germanica, otherwise known as medlar or mulberry, was exceedingly popular with the Victorians and has recently seen an upsurge in popularity. The tree is a great choice for a focal point in a damp or wet area. Best planted as a standard tree which over time should be left to form a spreading crown. In May to June large single white flowers are produced which are followed by the speckled brown fruit later in the autumn.

The leaves are dark green, large

and hairy to the touch. Mespilus germanica ‘Nottingham’ is a cultivated variety that is widely available with the fruit having an apple-pear like flavour. www.provendernurseries.co.uk

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05/03/2015 10:58

Latest Kit 32

FOCUS ON: COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

34

LATEST PRODUCTS: PPE

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ARB KIT

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Pro Arb | March 2015 31

05/03/2015 10:59

LATEST KIT

FOCUS ON

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES David Brennan explains why vehicle rental makes a more flexible, efficient and environmentally friendly solution to fulfilling your fleet needs Unpredictable conditions, specialist equipment and seasonal demand can make the life of an arborist or tree surgeon unpredictable and put a strain on resources.

Having the right equipment at the right time in order to deliver on projects is important for any business. Anyone working in the arboriculture sector will know that projects require a diverse range of tools, resources and vehicles with little time to wait around for them.

While often viewed as a stopgap solution in case of a breakdown, vehicle rental can be the ideal way to optimise your operations.

Securing greater flexibility Tree surgeons and arborists are regularly challenged by the need to remain flexible, with a variety of project scales and distances between locations a common occurrence. Rather than purchasing a vehicle, which will spend most of its life sitting unused and losing value, renting means you’ll only ever have a vehicle you need.

Renting vehicles eliminates a substantial cost up-front, frees you from any contractual commitment and doesn’t limit the vehicles you can access. You may require a cherry picker for a one off job but then not need it for another few weeks.

32 Pro Arb | March 2015

ProArb Mar15 P32 Focus On CVs TW.indd 32

Some businesses use rental to augment their regular fleet, while others operate rental vehicles only.

In businesses where time is a factor, having a quality assured vehicle readily available when you need it can make a real difference and give everybody peace of mind. Nexus monitors suppliers’ performance to ensure rental customers are guaranteed high service levels.

Creating re-investment opportunities Shifting away from outright purchase to rental is an effective way of controlling and reducing fleet costs, allowing them to become a manageable, monthly operating expense with credit lines kept clear. With this released capital there is cash to be reinvested into the core of the business, supporting growth.

Longer term daily rental, unlike

leasing, doesn’t require up-front payments and is far more flexible and there are no long term commitments or maintenance costs as these will all be covered by the rental company. In the short term, it avoids the major capital investment necessary to fund a fleet of company vehicles.

Challenges for reducing CO2 Businesses are facing ever increasing pressures to both record and reduce CO2 emissions and with DEFRA proposing ever stricter policies in the near future, it is something that cannot be ignored. Fleets are understandably a key area for concern when monitoring carbon emissions and having a number of

vehicles of varying ages, models and engine sizes makes this an admin heavy task.

Once again, rental provides a good solution as newer models will have lower emissions and environmental impact. With newer vehicles typically delivering greater fuel efficiency, this benefits your budget as well.

Rental booking systems like our Intelligent Rental Information System (IRIS) may have a module that allows the fleet manager to restrict the type of vehicles available to book and allows you to easily produce reports detailing the emissions of each vehicle, satisfying environmental regulations and reducing your the admin time.

Reviewing your fleet management strategy and switching to rental for some or all of your vehicle needs could mean increased efficiency, flexibility and deliver cost savings for your business. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to rethink rental.

ABOUT DAVID BRENNAN David Brennan is one of the most experienced members of the UK fleet sector. He has a formidable track record, having held several positions at Mazda UK, Rover Group and Leaseplan before joining Nexus Vehicle Rental as CEO last year. www.nexusrental.co.uk

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05/03/2015 11:01

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We have an on line shop and a large retail outlet near Horsham catering to the needs of commercial tree surgeons in and around the south east area. Our on site workshop covers repairs and warranty for everything we sell.

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Promax Access Ltd Avoids costly hire charges 01226 716657 Unit 8, Acorn Phase 3, Cost effective High Street, Grimethorpe, 01226 716658 investment Barnsley, South Yorkshire S72 7BD solutions / low cost of ownership Tel: 01226 716657 Email: sales@promaxaccess.com A full range of compact vehicle mounted access platforms which can be quickly set up on a standard driveway or Web: www.promaxaccess.com Fax:Insulated 01226 716658 single lane carriageway. cage options available.

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05/03/2015 11:01

LATEST KIT

PPEducts

latest pro

Eisenhower Premium trousers Available from 30 March, the Eisenhower Premium Trousers are made from Amortex, a nylon blend reinforced with Kevlar. While lightweight, these trousers are incredibly durable and tear-proof, making them useful when working with garden machinery.

Thanks to their Teflon coating, they also repel oil and water. In accordance with PPE standards, the trousers have high-performance Cordura knee pad pockets and hem guards to ensure your safety and avoid snags. Useful extras include a Dickies carabiner, Cordura crafted pockets and a hammer loop, so you’ll be prepared for all situations. Comfortable and strong, these work trousers will offer you the best possible protection.

Arbortec AT800 chainsaw glove The Arbortec AT800 Class 0 standard chainsaw glove is ideal for everyday use with a chainsaw. Arbortec’s standards are very high, offering 16m/s protection along with comfort and breathability. This pair of gloves features chainsaw protection in the left hand, high quality leather palms and fingers, water resistant polyester backing, a reinforced palm strip and comfortable knit wrist.

www.dickiestore.co.uk

www.arbortecforestwear.com

Stihl X-Fit jacket The smart, modern X-Fit jacket from Stihl is suitable for those who want to look their best while working. The high-tech jacket is made from water-repellent 3XDRY fabric with special surface treatment to transport moisture away quickly. The jacket also features Keprotec reinforced elbow patches, four pockets and additional underarm ventilation.

Treemme Safety Boots

Petzl Vertex Vent

Treemme Aqua Stop Waterproof Chainsaw Safety Boots from Severnside Safety Supplies conform to EN345 S3 HRO Class 2 Chainsaw Protection 24 m/s. Water resistant full-grain leather with an Aqua Stop lining make these chainsaw boots waterproof and breathable. The Treemme Aqua Stop boots feature a steel toecap, Kevlar midsole, scuff cap, antistatic leather insole and oil, heat, wear and slip resistant rubber ‘Hiker’ cemented soles.

The Petzl Vertex Vent is a very strong and durable hardshell helmet, popular with outdoor professionals and tree surgeons.

Built to industrial standards, the hard shell design of the Vertex Vent is a more durable and impact resistant alternative to the lightweight, hybrid ABS shell/ expanded polystyrene foam helmets that have become the norm in recent years. The helmet is designed for daily, hard use and will suit professionals, groups and those who are hard on their gear. www.frjonesandson.co.uk

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www.stihl.co.uk

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ARB KIT

STEIN Arbor-Trolley Designed by Reg Coates this multi-functional handling system is designed to take the hard work out of transporting brash and logs. Capable of carrying up to 500kg in weight, it can transport the equivalent of five-plus man-loads of loose brash in one. At only 75cm wide it is perfect for transporting material from back gardens with narrow access. Not only will it speed up the transportation of brash and logs it will help reduce the debris left by dragging brash along paths. This multi-function handling system has many applications and uses to help reduce transport time and ultimately speed up the job safely. www.frjonesandson.co.uk

WOLF Garten’s Bypass Tree Loppers WOLF-Garten’s range of products for tree care without a ladder now includes the RR200 and RR400T Bypass Tree Loppers.

The RR200 measures 2m in length, while the RR400T extends from 2m to 4m. Both loppers benefit from bypass technology with non-stick coated blades and are recommended for cutting branches with 35mm diameters. The 180º adjustable head is simple and fast locking, making the loppers easy to use. www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk

ARB KIT

A look at the latest products available Toro STX tree stumper The TX-style control system on the Toro STX has two simple levers that are simple to master and use, combined with tracks and transport speeds exceeding 4mph for maximum productivity. The Intelli-Sweep feature automatically slows the sweep speed of the cutting head based on the load of the wheel, so heavy cutting loads won’t bog down the engine. The tracks travel easily over muddy areas, and the low centre of gravity adds side hill stability.

www.toro.com/dingo

Husqvarna T540 XP chainsaw The Husqvarna T540 XP chainsaw for arborists is a professional low-weight chainsaw that is user friendly with first-class ergonomics, combined with optimal power-to-weight ratio. The X-Torq engine makes it more powerful than ever in relation to the weight of the machine. At the same time, fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 20% and emissions have been decreased by up to 75%. www.husqvarna.com/uk/forest

36 Pro Arb | March 2015

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ARB KIT Cobra CS420 petrol chainsaw New for the 2015 season, Cobra is introducing four brand new petrol chainsaws.

Available in four lengths (16in, 18in, 20in and 22in) and powered by a 42cc Cobra petrol engine, they are ideal for both domestic and professional tasks. Each model is powered by a two-stroke, air-cooled 42cc Cobra engine and is fitted with a carburettor from Walbro, one of the world’s major manufacturers of carburettors and ignition systems. Couple with this a bar and chain supplied by Oregon and the brand new Cobra chainsaws can take on any job.

DMM Durolock gate mechanism Designed to minimise the chance of roll-out and maximize security, the Durolock is our most secure autolocking gate mechanism. An evolution of the Locksafe design, the addition of a free floating outer barrel introduces a fourth action to the gate-opening process. This minimises the chance of roll-out, a vital consideration in complex rigging scenarios with moving ropes or for those working from a single attachment point. An easily identifiable symbol on the inner barrel tells you at a glance if the gate is locked, ensuring that despite its complexities, the Durolock forms an efficient part of any safety system. www.dmmprofessional.com

www.cobragarden.co.uk

GreenMech QuadTrak 160 chipper The GreenMech QuadTrak 160 is a tracked 160mm chipper that features a unique 270˚ turntable and tilt bed system, offering stability when working on slopes up to 30˚. Powered by a 34hp Kubota turbo-charged diesel engine, this workhorse offers exceptional crushing of difficult branches and woody brash, provided by twin vertical feed rollers and a large 160mm x

230mm letterbox opening. Its high ground clearance of 240mm ensures easy clearance over unknown terrain.

It comes with the option of a bespoke trailer, on which the QuadTrak 160 can be used whilst still mounted, giving the benefits of a tracked and trailed machine in one package. www.greenmech.co.uk

R-Top stump remover R-Top is an attachment on an excavator so it has many advantages. Apart from getting to difficult to reach stumps, (for example near a wall or pond) you also have the advantage of being able to operate the equipment at an angle, for example on a railway bank, small river or ford. Generally wherever you can get the excavator, you can remove a stump.

Because of the slow drill speed of the R-Top, there is no requirement to screen off. You can also recover the shavings for biomass, with the added bonus of effecting a stump removal in minutes. www.stumpdrillers.co.uk

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05/03/2015 11:09

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ARB KIT Dolmar chainsaws Dolmar has seven saws available for the UK market through certain dedicated Makita garden machinery distributors, including the 31cc top-handle PS310TH with 30cm bar; the PS32CTLC 35cm bar lightweight, entry level saw; the PS350SC and the 34.7cc and PS420SC,

42.4cc semi-professional specification saws with 35cm and 45cm bar lengths respectively. The 50cc PS500C model is known as the ‘farmers’ saw, an economic model with full professional specification.

Finally, the PS6100 saw does the job of a felling saw and debranching saw in just one machine. www.makitauk.com

Pellenc Selion polesaws The fixed pole and telescopic Pellenc Selion polesaws are powerful, easy to handle and simple to use. Available in four different models to suit every requirement, these hand-held chainsaws are the lightest in the world weighing in at just 2kg and less than 1.7kg depending on which model you choose.

Renowned for cutting cleanly and with precision, the Pellenc polesaw has an innovative chain guide which enables it to twist flexibly and prevent breakages in the case of accidental catching. www.etesia.co.uk

Eliet Super Prof shredder The launch of the new Super Prof from PSD Groundscare builds on the existing key features from the previous model, making it even more user friendly. One of the key additions is the air-blown chip removal via a 360˚ rotatable discharge chute that will blow the chips to a height of 2m. Over the years the Super Prof has earned a well-deserved reputation of being capable of processing almost any kind of green waste. Building on this, Eliet has developed the ‘AxeleroTM’ discharge system which is available in the new generation model. www.psdgroundscare.com

Echo CS-390SX chainsaws With a lightweight, strong and durable magnesium body, Echo’s new CS-390ESX rear handle chainsaw weighs just 4.5kg and has outstanding power-to-weight ratio – the 38.4cc engine produces 1.9kW. Featuring an advanced anti-icing system which channels warm air from the engine to the carburettor, the CS-390ESX will continue to perform in even freezing conditions. It comes with a 33cm or 38cm professional Sugihara guide bar as standard. All Echo power tools come with a two-year warranty in professional use. www.echo-tools.co.uk

XTC IMORI cord With XTC IMORI, meaning ‘Good Forest’ in Japanese, Yale Cordage has incorporated a new type of textured fibre into the rope structure which provides bulk, and therefore an enhanced grip for better ergonomics. A 100% solution-dyed filament polyester is blended into the fibre. This unique blend allows the fibres to be exposed on both the outer and inner sheath, providing more friction to the inner core which helps minimise excessive elongation while providing superior unsurpassed grip for the climber. www.yalecordage.com

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05/03/2015 11:10

CAREERS

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

Call 01903 777 570 or email hortcareers@eljays44.com with your vacancy

SKILLED CLIMBER KENT

Bartlett Tree Experts is recruiting a skilled climber for its Sevenoaks office.

Bartlett Tree Experts is a privately owned arboricultural company in the UK and Ireland and a leader in the tree care industry.

Applicants should have all relevant NPTC qualifications (CS30, 31,38, 39), a full UK driving licence and the ability to demonstrate safe and competent climbing and working practices.

In return Bartlett Tree Experts offers a competitive basic salary (according to qualifications and skills), in-house and industry based training, all equipment and PPE with additional incentive schemes and company pension scheme.

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

ARBORICULTURAL MANAGER SOUTH EAST

The company is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic individual into the newly created role of arboricultural manager, reporting directly to the managing director. The role will be based in the south east with a successful and long-established brand that is looking to improve the overall quality of its arboricultural offering.

The company’s tree business currently runs three directly employed three-man teams with an annual turnover in excess of £350k.

The work is predominantly ad-hoc and comes from a number of sources, for example extra/additional work from current grounds maintenance term contracts; work following tree surveys; term contract work (circa £100k per annum); tree surveys and tree clearance prior to commercial landscape work.

The arboricultural manager will take overall responsibility for the success of tree business within the company. In broad terms, this will include managing the day-to-day operation; ensuring compliance with training and certification requirements; having budget responsibility for the tree business; overseeing work teams; ensuring health and safety compliance; planning resources and pricing; developing good working relationships with customers; owning the tree survey work; monitoring financial performance through the company’s financial and reporting procedures and achieving Arboricultural Association ARB Approved Contractor accreditation, all within agreed financial targets Job Requirements: The successful candidate must have a strong qualification combined with experience and commercial acumen; be able to demonstrate considerable arboricultural awareness; motivate the work teams to deliver the required level of service within the times available; create strong client relationships; be aspirational and enthusiastic and be committed to raising the company’s profile by becoming their named manager under the Arboricultural Association ARB Approved Contractor scheme.

The candidate will hold a good arboricultural qualification and a full, clean driving licence is an essential requirement for this role. The successful candidate will have evidence of arboricultural proficiency such as the Certificate of Competence issued by City & Guilds NPTC and will have a track record of arboricultural service delivery, whether in the public or private sector.

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

QUALIFIED ARBORIST LONDON

A London-based company is currently looking for qualified arborists to join its tree department. You will be operating from its base in Chobham, working mainly in the London area and will require a full driving licence.

All relevant NPTC qualifications are required. You will receive a competitive salary based on qualifications and experience, 20 days paid leave plus bank holidays, all PPE, climbing equipment and chainsaws. Only candidates with the relevant qualifications will be considered.

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

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05/03/2015 11:13

ARE YOU GOING?

COURSES March 17 20 23 23 23 26 26 30 30

Dismantling (three-day course), Kingswood Training, Shipbourne, Kent £595 MEWP, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £195

Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross-Cutting and Felling of Small Trees (five-day course A), Kingswood Training, Shipbourne, Kent £975.25 Pesticides PA1 & PA6, Arb For Training, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £350

Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross-Cutting and Felling of Small Trees (five-day course B), Kingswood Training, Shipbourne, Kent £975.25 UA1 – Basic Electrical Knowledge, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £246 Aerial Tree Pruning, Arb For Training, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £320

UA1 Assessment, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £147

First Aid at Work plus Forestry, Arb For Training, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £210

April 2 6 8 8 9 13

Emergency First Aid at Work plus Forestry, Arb For Training, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £75 Lantra Training Skills for Instructors, Arb For Training, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £580

Manual Handling, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £50

Aerial Rescue Refresher, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £50 EFAW, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £65

Brushcutter/Strimmer ITA, BTS Group, Needham Market, Suffolk £220

EVENTS November 17

FutureArb (Eljays44) Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. Free

42 Pro Arb | March 2015

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05/03/2015 11:14

The

ANCIENT TREE

ANCIENT TREE COLUMN

column

This month, the Woodland Trust introduces us to…

Kett’s Oak, Norfolk Kett’s Oak is a rather unassuming tree which sits alongside the B1172 road in the heart of the East Anglian countryside. Those who travel past on their commute to and from Hethersett may not be aware of the rich history associated with the tree, which is hundreds of years old.

It is named after Robert Kett, a yeoman farmer who led a revolt in defiance of new enclosure laws during the reign of Edward VI in the 16th century. Kett led over 16,000 rebels from across Norfolk, beginning in the town of Wymondham on 8 July 1549. The tree was used by Kett as a

meeting point for the rebels as they marched towards Norwich a day later.

Despite temporarily capturing Norwich, Kett’s rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful and he was hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle on 7 December 1549.

The tree has since been preserved by Norfolk County Council and even has a plaque alongside, which was unveiled in 2006. Another oak tree associated with the rebellion known as the ‘Oak of Reformation’ stood on

Photo courtesy of David Woodcock. Map from Google Maps

Mousehold Heath just outside Norwich but has sadly been lost since.

Said to be over 500 years old, Kett’s Oak has been subjected to a number of preservation techniques over its lifetime, including having concrete poured into its hollow trunk and two metal bands attached too.

More recently two flexible cables were attached to support the branches and a wooden ‘A’ frame sits underneath the tree’s main branch which

points towards a field.

The tree recently made the shortlist for the England Tree of the Year competition organised by the Woodland Trust, finishing eighth with just over 1,000 votes.

The Woodland Trust is also looking to establish a national register which lists trees of special interest like Kett’s Oak. Current planning guidance in England states that ‘ancient woodland and veteran trees must be protected’. An ancient woodland inventory (AWI) already exists and is freely available for planners to consult. However, no equivalent exists centrally that lists or maps individual nationally important trees.

A national register would enable developers to locate special trees when preparing planning applications and plan to retain and appropriately protect them within the landscape. It could also help owners of the trees to access support such as specialist advice and grants, to help them care for these trees.

Share your support at www.woodlandtrust .org.uk/vitrees

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An 18th-century depiction of Robert Kett and his followers under the ‘Oak of Reformation’ on Mousehold Heath Pro Arb | January 2015 43

05/03/2015 11:15

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Take a look at the Toro Stump Grinder range at: www.toro.com or call 01279 603020 to locate your nearest dealer ProArb Mar15 P44 Toro Ad.indd 44

05/03/2015 11:15