ARBORICULTURAL CONSULTANCY & SURVEYS
IN WILTSHIRE, BERKSHIRE HAMPSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE

As qualified and experienced arboricultural consultants, Naturally Trees are qualified to assess and provide advice on tree management, tree safety, population surveys and pest and disease control.

We can provide surveys, reports and management plans to both the private and public sector – from private households to construction and development industries and land owners.

Tree Condition and Safety Survey

Various statutes and regulations have been established to ensure that owners of land containing trees have a duty of care to ensure damage does not occur due to tree failure. If you are concerned about the health or safety of a tree then a tree condition survey will identify defects such as weak branch junctions, disease or decay. Furthermore, a tree condition survey will enable you to understand the structural integrity of each affected tree. Our tree report will explain our findings and recommendations so you can reduce your liability and risk.

Tree Surveys for Planning

When building near trees, Local Authorities insist on a professional tree survey BS 5837: (2012). Regardless of whether the development is for residential or commercial use, a tree report from a trained arboricultural consultant will be required where trees are present on, or adjacent to, a construction site. Our tree reports will advise how to maximise the development potential of your site whilst providing your local Planning Department and Tree Officer with all of the required information.

The types of tree reports that Local Authorities may request are:

Tree Constraints Plan

A Tree Constraints Plan assists the development of a site plan by maximising the available space whilst also taking into account the constraints caused by trees. Furthermore, the report identifies the quality of the trees and where the canopies and roots of the trees extend to. The report also indicates where development can take place without impacting on amenity trees and highlights the trees that could be removed and should be retained.

Arboricultural Impact Assessment

An Arboricultural Impact Assessment may be required as part of the planning application and this report would be in addition to the BS 5837:(2012) report. This assessment will identify the trees’ health as well as the individual arboricultural, landscape and cultural or ecological value. Additionally, the report will highlight the potential impact a construction project may have on the surrounding trees and any impact the trees will have when the development is complete. Our assessment will also detail any potential conflicts that may arise with the Local Authority planning department and offer solutions in order to increase your chance of a successful planning application.

Arboricultural Method Statement

An Arboricultural Method Statement is often required once proposals have been finalised and prior to planning permission being granted. This report outlines the tree protection measures that need to be implemented during the construction process to ensure contractors do not accidentally damage any trees.

Pre-Purchase Tree Survey & Report

Mortgage lenders and insurance providers may require a Pre-Purchase Tree Survey and Report prior to completing the purchase on a property. These reports are to offer reassurance to the organisation that any trees within or nearby to your potential new property are not going to pose a threat to the structure of the dwelling or harm anyone in your home or on your land.

Subsidence and Heave Tree Survey and Report

Subsidence surveys will examine in great detail if trees pose a potential threat of damage to properties. This will include the direct mechanical damage that trees and their roots can cause for example lifting a wall or paving slabs. It also examines the indirect damage that can be caused by the uptake of large amounts of water from clay based soils that the property sits on. If water is being removed from clay soil faster than it is being replaced the soil will shrink an can potentially result in subsidence.

Ground heave occurs when the ground beneath a building moves upwards, i.e. the opposite of subsidence. Heave is caused by the expansion of the ground, and is usually associated with clay soils which swell when they get wet. The most common cause of ground heave is associated with trees which have died or been removed. As the root network no longer draws water from the subsoil, water accumulates in the ground, resulting in swelling that can move building structures upwards.

Naturally Trees are well placed to offer expert advice on subsidence caused by trees and provide practicable remedial and long term vegetation management solutions to tree related subsidence damage and risk. Our experience, combined with technical expertise gives us an invaluable insight into the practicalities and technical demands of delivering a consistent, high quality and client focused service. Our subsidence tree reports include an appraisal of supporting technical information and reports and provide concise and clear recommendations for vegetation management to ensure long-term solutions.

Management Plans

The information from the arboricultural survey will be used to produce a management plan based on urgency and risks as well as client objectives. The scope of the management plan will depend on a number of factors, including the needs of the clients and the site, and also if there are any imminent risks revealed by the tree survey

We work closely with our clients to develop aims and objectives for the plan that will ensure that the needs of our clients and any other interested parties in the site are met. We then develop a schedule of work that is carefully managed through our management system and schedule the necessary work at times which best suit the client.

We provide proactive and proven strategies to:

• Reduce the risks posed by trees to people, property and infrastructure
• Reduce the potential liability associated with tree failure
• Reduce the costs of long term tree maintenance
• Maintain veteran and ancient trees as an important heritage, habitat resource and promote biological diversity
• Provide unbiased and defensible support for tree removal/retention decisions

No matter which service you require, the arboricultural consultants at Naturally Trees are sure to deliver a reliable, friendly and professional service.