The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Tree Care ltd enjoy an excellent working relationship with both universities for both tree work and consultancy.
Pages by Nick Boden
National Trust
Sheffield Tree Care Ltd have been working with the National Trust for a number of years on projects in the North peak and more recently at Hardwick Hall and in the South peak.
Tree Work
Trees occupy a wide variety of spaces in the modern world, often in built up areas and surrounded by human activity. Living in such close proximity means trees need managing carefully if they are not to become a hazard. Good pruning is essential to help maintain the health and safety of trees, prolonging their life and enabling them to grow safely to maturity.
Pruning
Sheffield Tree Care can help determine what type of pruning is necessary to maintain or improve the health, appearance & safety of your trees. Specific types of pruning may be necessary to maintain a mature tree in a healthy, safe and attractive condition. We take pride in the quality of our tree pruning and our ability to satisfy the needs of our clients while leaving a healthy and natural looking tree.
Removal
Although tree removal is a last resort, there are circumstances when it is necessary. This tends to be when trees are causing structural damage to surrounding buildings, die and shed boughs, or are diseased and pose a risk to health and safety. Our arborists can help decide whether or not a tree should be removed, and if deemed necessary, do so with minimal environmental impact to the surrounding area. We have nearly two decades’ experience in tree dismantling, advanced lowering techniques, woodland thinning and commercial site clearance.
Emergency Tree Care
Storms may cause limbs or entire trees to fail, landing on homes, cars or other trees. The weight of storm-damaged trees is great and they can be very dangerous to remove or prune. Our arborists can assist in performing the job in a safe manner, while reducing further risk of damage to your property.
Stump Grinding
Sheffield Tree Care also offer tree stump removal. We have the necessary grinders to safely and efficiently remove any stump in any situation.
Stump and root removal may be necessary to prevent regrowth, or to allow for re-planting, landscaping or construction work. While most stumps can be mechanically ground out, in cases where this is not possible (or where removal may cause a risk of structural damage) the stump can be sprayed to prevent re-growth.
Arboricultural Consultancy
Tree Condition Survey / Tree Inspection / Tree Risk Assessment
Trees are widely appreciated and valued for the environmental, social and visual benefits they bring. They also bring surprisingly low risks. Significantly more people are injured each year by Wheelie Bins (2,200), than by falling trees or branches (55). Nevertheless, no tree is without risk.
Land owners have a legal ‘duty to take reasonable care for the safety of those who may come within the vicinity of a tree.’ In sites with large or numerous trees and valuable ‘targets’ such as buildings, vehicles or visitors it is advisable to fulfil this duty by having a tree survey completed.
Our tree survey will identify and evaluate defects, such as unstable roots, cavities, cracks, weak unions, overly extended or exposed branches, decay causing fungi, pests and diseases, or poor tree work. We will provide you with a tree report detailing the findings and making recommendations of how to control the risks presented and how urgently that work should be completed. The tree report will also advise how often the trees should be re-inspected.
In this way, a tree survey can prevent damage caused by predictable failures of trees or their branches. It can also help to extend the life of a tree by dealing with defects before they cause the tree to fail.
Depending on the requirements of the site, there are different forms of tree survey. These range from a drive-by survey to detailed individual tree inspections. Other options to consider include tree tagging and photographing. We offer a free no obligation quote, where we will be happy to discuss these requirements and find the best option for your site.
Aerial Tree Inspection
A tree survey may identify the need for a tree to be inspected at height. Our tree surveyor is also an experienced tree climber, able to undertake aerial tree inspections. This will result in a report with recommendations for remedial work, if necessary.
Advanced Decay Detection Equipment
We have access to a Resistograph drill and a PiCUS Sonic Tomograph, both of which can be used to determine the thickness of sound wood remaining in a tree cavity. This is can help decide what remedial work is necessary.
Watch our video
Our tree surgeons working on a Tree of Heaven.
Sheffield Botanical Gardens.
ARB Approved Contractor
Sheffield Tree Care Ltd are proud to be an Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor. Achieving this standard demonstrates the quality of our tree work and also shows we comply with the highest standards of health and safety.
Stump Grinding
Sheffield Tree Care also offer tree stump removal. We have the necessary grinders to safely and efficiently remove any stump in any situation.
Stump and root removal may be necessary to prevent regrowth, or to allow for re-planting, landscaping or construction work. While most stumps can be mechanically ground out, in cases where this is not possible (or where removal may cause a risk of structural damage) the stump can be sprayed to prevent re-growth.
Hardwood Logs
From May 2021 it is no longer legal to sell firewood in quantities below 2m³, unless it has been certified as ‘Ready to Burn’. Such wood is normally kiln dried and has a moisture level below 20%. Sheffield Tree Care supports these new regulations, as they will help reduce the environmental impact of home fires. However, we are not equiped to develop the processes necessary to achieve certification.
For this reason, wood will only be available for purchase as a full pick-up load of unseasoned wood; which amounts to roughly 2.5m³. This can either come split into firewood size or in manageable sized rings and cordwood.
This wood should not be used immediately. It should split to size and stacked somewhere dry and well ventilated, with protection from the rain and ideally some direct sunlight. This should be left for at least a year, and depending on the species of wood it may need longer. It is advisable to use a moisture meter which will indicate when the wood is below 20% moisture.
All our wood is locally sourced from the work we do for the council and our domestic and commercial clients. Where possible, such as in woodland settings, we always leave timber in situ where it provides ecological benefits. As such the wood we sell is only the wood that we have to take away, making good use of a waste product.
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Hardwood Split Logs
- Pick-up load – £300 + VAT @5%
Hardwood Rings and Cordwood
- Pick-up load – £150 + VAT @5%
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SLR Consultancy
Sheffield Tree Care have worked with SLR Consultancy for many years helping their ecologists on their Bat inspection work. We are experienced in climbing trees looking for Bat habitat. On SlR’s behalf we have also got involved in Dawn and dusk surveys and the placement of Bat Boxes.
Bat Work
Sheffield Tree Care has significant expertise in identifying and examining potential bat roost features; our tree surgeons are specially trained and are fully aware of and compliant with the UK and European legislation protecting all UK bat species. Working as a team with a licensed batworker (who is also a trained tree climber) our staff undertake aerial inspections, methodically searching for cavities, loose bark, rot or other features that could contain bats. To date we have helped locate three roosts in trees in Scotland, England and Wales, and confirmed the absence of bats at countless other sites.
Assistance with bat surveys has been undertaken for leading environmental consultancies, at sites across the UK including quarries, farmland, ancient woodland and residential gardens.
Soft Felling, Bat Box Installation and other Mitigation Measures
If roosts or potential roosts are located, we work collaboratively with the licensed batworker to determine the most appropriate, safe and legal way to undertake planned tree work. This may include ‘soft felling’ techniques, where the tree is carefully dismantled in sections and each section slowly lowered to the ground to leave the habitat intact. Sheffield Tree Care also supply and install bat and bird boxes, and other bespoke mitigation features such as plunge cuts, re-use of cavity containing sections and/or creation of monoliths.
