The motivation behind tree felling and tree removal services differs from one client to the next. Some seek tree removal for aesthetic reasons, while others recognise the risk a tree may bring to a public space, or the hazards of leaving a tree in a specific location during ground work or renovation work.
Regardless of the reason for calling, we come across great disparity in terms of process know-how and how much clients know about the end-to-end process of removing a tree completely. Because of that, our tree surgeons in Suffolk have created a basic guide to removing a tree, so clients can work to a realistic timeline.
Step One: Preparation
If a tree is located in a privately owned garden and is not subject to any protection orders or conservation notices, then you don’t need any additional permission to fell and remove a tree. In this instance, preparation is as simple as contacting your local tree surgeons to schedule in a site inspection and the work itself.
However, once you start wandering into public spaces, rented areas, and outdoor spaces that fall under conservation and protection orders, then the process becomes more complicated.
It is illegal to fell and remove a tree if doing so will impact nesting birds. It is also illegal to fell a tree that falls under a TPO (Tree Protection Order), or that grows within a conservation area.
In these instances, you will need to apply for a proper licence and for external permissions – something that a trained tree surgeon can help to navigate on your behalf.
Step Two: Felling the Tree
There are two methods for tree felling, depending on the location of the tree you are removing and its surroundings.
Section tree felling is exactly as it sounds, with tree surgeons cutting away the height of the tree in sections so as to ensure optimum safety for structures and buildings around the tree site. Straight tree felling refers to the removal of a tree as a single unit, following thorough assessment and the confirmation that a site is suitable for the tree to fall as one.
Only trained tree surgeons should attempt either method, due to the high risks of tree felling and removal.
Step Three: Stump Removal
The third and final step of the tree felling process is stump removal, removing all evidence that the tree was there. This is done by grinding the stump using sophisticated machinery, breaking it up and making it easier to remove from the site in smaller pieces.
There are clients who want the structure of the stump to remain in place, as a feature for their garden or outside space. However, in most cases, removing the stump creates a tidier finish – resetting the garden or ground ready for other plants to thrive and grow.
All of the above services should only be carried out by a trained tree surgeon, with access to thorough risk assessment data and safety equipment. To discuss the removal of a tree on your site or in your garden, get in touch with Suffolk tree surgeons today.
