Tree Works

This chapter explores one of the five Strategic Objectives for tree management: tree works. It sets out current priorities within this topic area and explores where action should be taken.

What is it?

Any strategy for management and enhancement of the treescape must ultimately be delivered, at least in part, through practical interventions. These include a broad range of tree surgery operations, woodland management, tree planting and aftercare.

They may also include measures to influence the space around trees, and the way people understand or interact with them.

The standard to which works are done, and decisions made during the design of operations can have a considerable influence on the outcome, especially on the range of objectives an operation might support. It is therefore important to ensure that the strategy not only identifies what interventions should be made, but that they are implemented successfully.

How does this support the vision?

Tree risk management inspections identify requirements for remedial tree works which the Council must carry out within a specified timescale.

Other Council initiatives and objectives also generate maintenance and enhancement tree works that may be less urgent, but are equally important to the overall vision. Where significant tree works are taking place in areas of public access, it is also important, where appropriate, for the Council to inform the public about what works are and why they are being done. This topic should therefore be understood to include both the planning and delivery of practical tree works as well as communication.

Carrying out remedial tree works will help to ensure that the Council retains a healthy and resilient tree population which is able to tolerate changing climatic conditions and the potential introduction of new pests and diseases. From time to time the Council may also plan enhancement and maintenance works that are not related to tree risk, such as thinning, formative pruning, new crown management regimes and works for aesthetic or habitat reasons. These are key to the delivery of environmental and biodiversity benefits and will normally involve some element of practical tree works.

Carrying out works promptly will minimise the number of trees lost to failure or disease, helping to maintain canopy cover levels and preserve the ecosystem services that urban trees provide. Having good systems in place for organising and delivering tree works can assist with timescales, also improve overall efficiency and productivity.

Poor standards of tree work can waste resources in the short term, and also create future management problems and defects that increase risk or cost in the long term.

What are the Council's strategic objectives?

These are the key deliverables for the Council in this topic area:

Table 15 - Strategic Objectives for tree works delivery

Overall approach

Under normal circumstances, the Council will undertake tree works for one of the following reasons:

(i) To manage risk

(ii) To deal with a problem reported by a member of the public

(iii) To deal with a tree that is causing a nuisance

(iv) As part of normal maintenance (e.g. clearances or formative pruning)

(v) To deliver the vision for the treescape (view the Vision for the treescape)

The Council will use its discretion to assess individual requests for works which fall outside of the reasons listed above and may undertake additional works where special circumstances apply.

The Council will avoid unnecessarily felling trees and will not normally cut a tree down on Council land unless it is dead, diseased, dying or dangerous. There will be a presumption in favour of tree retention, except where local or specific factors outweigh the broader value and benefits it would provide.

Tree works will be designed to deliver the core purpose of the intervention, whilst maximising the benefits to people, nature and the environment, and conserving or promoting canopy cover. In general terms, this means a preference for pruning over removal, and for the retention of viable trees for habitat, environmental and amenity benefits wherever possible.

Canopy cover through works decisions

When making works decisions, the Council will consider how they will affect canopy cover. Heavy crown reductions and pollarding may limit the ecosystems services or amenity provided by trees and reduce overall canopy cover, but in some situations would be a preferable alternative to tree removal.

If trees are removed as a result of the Council's tree risk management program, replacement planting will be carried out to ensure that canopy cover is maintained and increased wherever possible.

The Council will ensure that its mowing and hedge cutting practices allow canopy cover expansion through natural regeneration wherever appropriate, such as by allowing standard trees to grow in hedges, and by allowing colonisation of suitable verge spaces by pioneer tree species.

Exceptions

The Council does not carry out tree works on land that is part of the public highway (e.g. roads, streets, footpaths or grass verges). This is normally the responsibility of Lancashire County Council.

The Council does not carry out works to trees on private land, such as gardens. This is the responsibility of the landowner.

Problems caused by a tree in a neighbour's garden are the responsibility of the neighbour or individual who owns that land, and the Council will not carry out tree works in these cases.

Trees on tenanted land, including social housing gardens, may be the responsibility of the landowner or the tenant, depending on the details of any agreement between them.

Requests and reports from the public

The Council regularly receives queries and requests regarding the management of trees under its ownership. This is a valued source of information and feedback. Tree work requests relating to any of the reasons for works listed above will be carried out by the Council. Tree works requests for any other reason, or which run contrary to the vision and strategic objectives of the Council will not be done.

The Council sometimes receives requests for tree works that are outside the scope of works outlined in this Strategy. These include, but are not limited to, issues relating to the following:

• Shading/light
• Views
• Signal reception
• Telephone wires
• Leaf/fruit/flower drop
• Bird droppings
• Aphid excretion
• Growth associated with shading (algae/moss/lichen)
• Germinating seedlings
• Personal preferences/aesthetics
• Perceived risk

This strategy seeks to promote the wider benefits of tree cover, which outweigh minor or seasonal inconveniences. The Council will not generally undertake tree works for these reasons. Works to mitigate these issues are typically beyond the scope of the Council's legal duties, such as relating to tree safety, which the Council will prioritise. However, all requests will be assessed on an individual basis and the Council may carry out works in exceptional circumstances.

Reporting a problem

Members of the public can report a tree problem through the Council's website.

Where the problem reported is covered by the reasons for work listed within this Strategy, the Council will inspect the tree at the earliest opportunity and prioritise any works accordingly.

Problems with trees on the public highway, should be reported to Lancashire County Council.

To report a tree problem on private land, you will need to contact the landowner.

The Council will encourage and work towards the exclusive use of the online tree report system for members of the public to submit enquiries. If a member of the public calls or emails the contact centre with a query relating to trees, they will be directed to the web page reporting form. If they are unable to access the webpage, alternative provision system will be made for their report to be issued to the relevant department via the contact centre.

The Council will process reports or requests that have been received and pass the information on to the relevant departments and staff.

This may involve triaging enquiries. Works which are not required by this Strategy will be filtered out as appropriate and may not be considered by a member of the arboriculture team.

Normal maintenance

As part of the ongoing maintenance and management of the existing tree population, the Council carries out regular maintenance of its trees and hedges. This may include works such as hedge cutting and clearances above paths, parking, vehicular routes, signs and lights.

Delivery model

All tree works orders will be generated by the Council's arboriculture team, according to this strategy. No tree works will be undertaken on Council land by any other team except as part of approved schemes of development.

In-house staff or external contractors may undertake tree works, according to availability, capacity, and the requirements of the operation.

In order to manage the risk posed by trees, the Council will undertake safety related tree works within defined timescales. All other works will be programmed to ensure that critical safety works can be completed on time. Where applicable, all other works will be planned to be undertaken at the optimum season to minimise harm to tree health, wildlife and ground conditions.

The Council will maintain a register of tree works competencies that sets out the operations that it may undertake using the staff and equipment that it has. This will be periodically updated. Council staff will not undertake operations that are not on this register.

All tree works orders, whether internally or externally will include standard information to ensure consistency and clear understanding of the brief. This will comprise:

• Tree location
• Description of tree (typically tree species and dimensions)
• Specification for works (the operation to perform)
• Particulars (additional details such as photographs or dimensions)
• Information about access and the working area
• Intended disposal of arisings
• Timescale for completion

The Council will monitor and report on compliance with timescales for completion in relation to all risk-related tree works.

Standards and specifications

All tree works undertaken by the Council or external contractors will be in accordance with relevant British Standards, particularly BS3998.

To ensure a consistent approach to tree works, the Council will maintain a Tree Works Specification which will be used by both Council employees and external contractors.

This will provide a definition of all tree work operations that might be instructed to give clarity when instructing tree works. The specification will set out what information will be provided when instructing each operation and in what format this will be.

Equipment

The Council will ensure that adequate equipment is provided to all employees to be able to carry out their work safely and to a high standard.

Equipment will be controlled, maintained, used and inspected as per the relevant regulations, including Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.

Where the Council does not have the appropriate equipment to undertake an operation safely or to a high standard, it will engage a specialist or procure the necessary equipment and any associated training.

People

It is vital that all Council staff carrying out tree works are appropriately qualified for the work they are undertaking. This will help to ensure the safety of staff, and also that works are correctly performed to minimise damage to existing trees which can make them more vulnerable to pests and diseases.

The Council will maintain a register of competencies that it has in-house, including qualifications and accreditations held by its staff. This will include any licences or limitations on what equipment, vehicles and plant can be used by each individual.

For performing tree pruning, felling and chainsaw work, appropriate qualification normally means holding a Licence to Practice via qualification in the relevant National Occupational Standards.

National Proficiency Test Council 'CS units' are common but are being replaced by equivalent RQF Level 2 and Level 3 Awards.

Works may be carried out by Council employees or external contractors. Where contractors are used, the Council will ensure that they are competent to carry out the required works; they will be appropriately qualified, carry the correct level insurance and their work will be in line with relevant legislation and guidance.

The Council will develop an approach to procurement that embeds defined standards to allow efficient use of contractors where necessary. This could include developing a database of approved contractors which meet the Council's required standards.

The Council will require approved contractors to submit up to date insurance documents and training information on a yearly basis.

Arisings

Arisings which occur as a result of tree works range from large diameter timber to leaves and mixed organic matter. Wherever possible, the processing and transport of arisings will be minimised or avoided to reduce environmental impacts.

Where possible, material will be left intact or in large pieces, such as by leaving the main part of a felled tree in a park for habitat or as a play feature. Where opportunities exist for safe and responsible deposit of material close to the site of production they will be used, such as by the creation of habitat piles or the use of woodchip in landscaping. Where material must be removed from a site, it will be transported directly to a final use wherever possible, such as an allotment.

Where alternatives have been exhausted, all other material will be returned to the Council depot or an authorised third party where it may be further processed or stored prior to use.

Wood chip from tree works will primarily be used where it is produced or in Council parks but may also be available for sale to the public if excess quantities are produced.

Timber collected as a result of tree works may be stored at a Council's depot or transferred to another site for drying prior to sale as firewood once it is certified as 'Ready to Burn' in accordance with the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) Regulations.

Material produced during tree works may be sold for biomass fuel production.

No organic material produced by tree works will be sent to landfill except where this is required for reasons of contamination or biosecurity.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity measures are essential for limiting the spread of pests and diseases within a tree population.

The Council will follow the principles set out in the Arboricultural Association Application of Biosecurity in Arboriculture Guidance Note 2 when carrying out all tree works. External contractors will also be required to follow this advice.

A number of significant pests and diseases already affect the treescape in the area.

The Council currently undertakes works to deal with existing issues such as Chalara ash dieback, Phytophthora species, Dutch elm disease, and horse chestnut bleeding canker but the range and significance of pathogens is constantly evolving and influenced by factors such as tree stress and climate.

Robust tree risk management practices provide the backbone of the Council's strategy for management of pests and diseases within the existing tree population.

In addition, it will consider emerging threats and modify practices where necessary, such as by targeted surveys of particular tree species or at a specific time of year.

All contractors will follow biosecurity measures when moving between tree populations and sites. These will include limitations on the movement of potentially infectious material; basic sanitation measures for boots, equipment, plant and vehicles as appropriate; and increased sanitation measures such as disinfection when working near to trees with known or suspected pathogens.

A significant source of new pests and diseases to the UK comes from the importation of live plant material.

The Government has strict policies for the importation and movement including the requirement for plant passports to move regulated plant material in Great Britain and phytosanitary certificates to ensure that imported consignments meet required plant health standards.

The Council will only use suppliers who follow the relevant biosecurity protocols and will use domestic and local suppliers by preference wherever possible.