We cover the process behind deadwooding, and how it can be used to improve conservation efforts as well as being important for good tree care.

How does deadwooding work?

Deadwooding is the removal of dead wood from a living tree. Dead parts of a tree are often produced naturally, as a tree diverts energy to other parts, or it receives sunlight from only one angle. Much like how humans shed skin particles, trees shed parts of themselves that are dead in order to make way for new growth.

However, in commercial settings and outside of forests, falling deadwood can cause serious damage to humans, property, and even cause disruption to roads. This is where arborists and tree surgeons come in. They are able to detect which branches will need cutting off before they fall, and can identify the best course of action for each tree.

Discovering deadwood

In an initial survey, a tree surgeon will be able to identify the deadwood that poses a risk, and at which order it should be chopped down. A tree survey is carried out at this stage to help discover what any problems are, and also how the deadwood has been formed.

Deadwood can be formed, largely, through two processes:

• Decay from the inside out, through fungi or beetles.
• Decay from the outside in, where storms, disease or drought cause decay

Creating a plan

Deadwood can be removed in a number of ways and, depending on the scale, some may need more planning than others. For example, a veteran tree with deadwood in the crown (top branches) and a decaying core, may need a different care plan than a younger tree that has been damaged due to a storm.

Once the plan of how the tree will be deadwooded is in place, a plan of what to do with that deadwood is also needed.

Deciding on use for the deadwood

Deadwood is of great ecological importance across all landscapes. Depending on the type of wood, and the location of the tree, the wood may be used for a variety of purposes.

• Near water deadwood. Deadwood has been shown to be of great importance in bodies of water, from providing key habitats for invertebrates, to providing benefits for fish populations.
• Deadwood for food sources. A number of woodland species depend on deadwood for food, and fungal growth can contribute to this. Often these species are protected as they are rare, in part due to the reduction in deadwood.
• Deadwood habitats. Plants such as bryophytes rely on deadwood for habitats, as do a lot of hibernating plants. Oak jewel beetles and cardinal beetles also rely on deadwood.

Removing the deadwood

While anyone could remove deadwood, it’s best for a specialist arborist to do so, as these experts can identify issues, and have the correct training and insurance to remove deadwood safely. An expert will also understand tree duty of care and how this can affect the work required.

Grounds Care Group provides deadwooding services to safely remove the necessary branches before they dangerously break off.

The Benefit of Managing Deadwood on Commercial Properties

Commercial properties can hugely benefit from deadwooding. Not only does it increase the potential profitability from the sale of the logs that are alive, it also creates a healthy environment for trees.

When managed continuously by a tree surgeon, commercial tree deadwood can provide benefits such as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) to a company and create an ecologically diverse workspace.

If you think your commercial property has deadwood, or is even at risk from deadwood damage, get in touch with the expert team at Grounds Care Group now.

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In short, the meaning of tree surgery is ‘the pruning and treating of old or damaged trees in order to preserve them’.

Tree surgery is often thought of as a one-off remedy when a tree is at risk of damaging humans or property, or when it already has.

Tree surgery involves a variety of techniques to care for and keep your trees healthy, such as pollarding, pruning, and stump removal to prevent the spread of disease. These tree surgery techniques all form part of a tree maintenance plan and help the landowner to maintain their tree duty of care.

What Is a Tree Surgeon?

A tree surgeon, also sometimes known as a tree climber or an arborist, is a professional who specialises in the care and maintenance of trees.

Tree surgeons often work at height and use specialised equipment, so their job requires significant training, knowledge of tree biology, and a strong emphasis on safety.

What Does a Tree Surgeon Do?

A tree surgeon will provide an expert opinion on the way to deal with trees. A good tree surgeon will also be able to advise you on ways to make your trees more aesthetically pleasing and allow growth on the floor below them.

Part of tree surgery is also about preventing future accidents. Thanks to expert training, tree surgeons can identify dead, infected or at-risk parts of a tree, and remove them before they become a hazard. This is part of the the tree duty of care that property owners are required to fulfil.

When Should a Tree Surgeon Visit?

In reality, a tree surgeon should regularly visit your site as they can not only advise on prevention but can ensure your trees are protected, safe, and benefit your environment.

Making tree surgery a regular part of your grounds maintenance plan will not only benefit you but also generations to come.

When Is It Time To Prune a Tree?

There are many times when pruning a tree may be apt. It can help to create long-lasting cover, ensure the safety of a building or person and improve its appearance.

Density

If a tree is getting very dense, it will be time to prune a tree. As well as increasing light let through, removing density increases the safety of a tree by ensuring no branch is too heavily laden.

Dead Sections

“Hanging like dead wood” is a famous idiom, but in tree surgery, it’s a literal problem!

Dead parts of a tree are liable to fall at any point. They could have also died due to infection or invasive animals like caterpillars, which could mean long-term problems. Therefore, removing dead parts of a tree is important to keep it alive.

Dangerously Placed Branches

If a tree is growing too near a telephone wire or building, then it’s time to prune it back to guarantee safety.

Why Is Using a Tree Surgeon Important?

Tree surgeons don’t just remove dead tree parts, they are paramount to ensuring a tree grows and also benefits the biological landscape you’re trying to cultivate.

Careful and strategically planned decisions about how a tree is cared for can also improve the quality of the stems and cultivate an attractive appearance of a tree. Choosing which stems are staying and which are going will also improve the light below the tree, all of which can be used to create a biodiverse environment.

Tree Surgery Techniques

Tree surgeons have a number of expert techniques at their disposal to help keep trees healthy and under control. Below we have listed the most common and effective methods used:

Tree Pollarding and Pruning

Pollarding is a traditional term in tree management, but in recent years, pruning has evolved to mean the same thing.

Pollarding is an important and historical part of tree care, having been around since the Roman times, pollarding involves trimming the crown of the tree.

Pollarding is only suitable for certain types of trees, mainly deciduous broad-leaved trees, although some conifers can be suitable. The key aspect to pollarding is that the tree must be able to produce epicormic growth, or water shoots (fast-growing tree shoots).

How Can Pollarding a Tree Help?

Pruning and pollarding involves removing all excess branches aside from the main limbs and the trunk of the tree itself. Then, as the tree grows back, it looks maintained and orderly. There is also the added benefit of the tree only growing from live branches, with all dead wood removed.

Tree Crown Reduction 

The crown is the top part of the tree, starting from when the trunk beings sprouting.

Tree crown reduction involves pruning individual branches or removing dead wood. Tree surgeons may also remove overlapping branches in order to give every branch an equal opportunity to be exposed to light, and therefore promote healthy growth.

Tree Crown Lifting

Similarly to crown reduction, crown lifting involves removing excess branches. However, lifting removes only the lower branches to allow the tree to gain height, and increase the amount of light that leaks through onto the floor.

Stump Grinding and Removal

Where a tree has been felled, the stump and roots can sometimes be left awkwardly or messily. Stump grinding will remove the top of the stump before the roots are removed separately.

Both of these techniques can be especially important if the tree was diseased or carrying pests, as this will prevent trees in other areas from being infected.

Felling Trees

There are some circumstances, such as a diseased tree or trees too close together, where felling is the only solution. Felling involves chopping down the tree in stages in the safest way possible.

Factors such as space to fell, existing habitats in or around the trees, and proximity to properties and roads, must all be considered to ensure a fell is successful.

Dead Wooding and Branch Removal 

Parts of trees will naturally die, but if not carefully maintained, these limbs and branches become dangerous as they are likely to fall. Regular maintenance is key here to ensure the safety of your trees and site. Removing dead wood and branches will keep your trees growing well and your grounds safe.

Why Choose Grounds Care Group to Carry Out Tree Surgery and Regular Maintenance?

Not only does our live reporting system allow you to see the progress of jobs, but our expert tree surgeons come with the same guarantee that the rest of our work does.

Get in touch today for help getting your trees under control.

The post A Guide to Tree Surgery appeared first on Grounds Care Group.

With one pothole filled every 19 seconds, it’s a regular sight on our roads to see a corner marked off and being repaired. But who is arranging this, and who should you contact if you find a pothole? Particularly surrounding commercial properties, there is often a question regarding who this  responsibility lies with.

Who Is Responsible for Fixing Potholes?

Usually, it is a public body such as Highways England or a local council, that is responsible for fixing potholes. However, this does depend on the road in question, as the answer will vary, especially around London.

If you see a pothole and you’re unsure of who is responsible, you can contact Highways England who will be able to inform you. The below can be used for a rough guide on who is responsible for fixing potholes.

You can also easily report any potholes on FixMyStreet.com, a site that alerts the local, relevant authority on the issue immediately.

Who Is Responsible for The Upkeep of A Private Road?

When a road isn’t owned by a local authority or traffic board, who is responsible for fixing the potholes? According to the Occupiers Liability Act of 1984, the occupier of any premises is required to abide by “the common duty of care” which applies in England and Wales, and similar acts apply in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The common duty of care essentially reads that the person occupying the land must endeavour to ‘not allow injury to come to any visitors’ of said land. This is commonly taken to mean that this includes potholes, and therefore it is often the landlord or tenant, depending on agreement in a contract, who must fix the potholes.

For example, a business park owner may ask the company who has the most vehicles accessing the site to take primary responsibility for the road condition leading to their lot. However, they may also ask each user of a lot to maintain their car parks, and any roads that only they use.

What methods can be used to fix potholes?

Within pothole repair, there are five key methods for  fixing a pothole, some of which are more permanent than others. These are:

• Throw and roll
• Semi-permanent
• Spray-injection
• Edge seal
• Full depth replacement

Throw and Roll Pothole Repair

The most common form of pothole repair, throw and roll is as basic as it sounds. Simply throw the asphalt mix into the pothole, and roll over it with a heavy vehicle to pack it in. This could be a bulldozer or a roller – any heavy vehicle can be used. This is a temporary solution, and one that never works permanently.

Semi-permanent Repair

This method is preferred for potholes that can have more time dedicated to them. To begin with, the pothole is cleared of water and debris, before being cut around the edges and finally filled with patch material before being compacted. It lasts a long time and is second on the list of successful methods, below completely replacing the road.

Spray-injection Method

Spray injection requires specialist equipment but, as such, it can be done much quicker and to greater effect than other methods. A specialist machine is used to remove water and debris, before a binder is sprayed inside the pothole. Then the asphalt/aggregate mix is injected in, before covering it with a layer of fresh tarmac. This method is popular with commercial clients who need a quick and professional service.

Edge Seal Pothole Repair

This method begins with the ‘throw and roll’ method, before placing a ring of tack (a sticky asphalt-based material) along the edge to seal in the pothole, and then coating the ring to stop tyres tracking it. This makes it more durable than the ‘throw and roll’ method.

Full Depth Replacement

This is the most effective, yet longest and most disruptive method. The old road is stripped back to a flat layer, before being re-tarmacked.

Grounds Care Group Qualified Pothole Repair Contractors

Grounds Care Group has a variety of qualified pothole repair contractors who are able to assist with patch repairs across a range of sectors, without affecting your day. We can do both one-off repairs and regular maintenance to keep your private roads up to scratch.

Get in touch with us to find out more.

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