Tree Surgery
Safe & Controlled Tree Felling
Tree felling involves the removal of a tree in a controlled way. I assess each tree individually, considering its size, condition, location, and surrounding structures. Where space allows, trees are felled in one piece; in tighter spaces, I dismantle the tree in sections to ensure maximum safety and minimal impact.
Dismantling
Dismantling allows large or awkward trees to be removed safely in small, manageable pieces. This approach reduces the risk of damage to gardens, buildings, or other nearby structures.
Pollarding
Pollarding is a specialist pruning technique that involves the careful removal of upper branches to encourage the growth of a dense head of new shoots.
Traditionally, pollarding was used to produce fodder for livestock or to harvest flexible young wood for uses such as fencing, basketry, and garden structures.
When carried out correctly and maintained on a regular cycle, pollarding can help extend the life of certain tree species by reducing weight, wind resistance, and stress on the main stem.
Older pollarded trees may develop hollow centres, which can make them difficult to age accurately. Growth following pollarding is typically slower and denser, particularly in the years immediately after cutting. Pollarding should only be carried out on suitable species and with long-term management in mind.
Crown Thinning
Crown thinning reduces the density of the tree’s canopy without altering its overall shape or size. This allows more light to pass through the crown and reduces wind resistance, while maintaining the tree’s natural form.
Crown Lifting
Crown lifting, or raising, removes selected lower branches to increase clearance beneath the tree. This may be required to improve access, visibility, or clearance over footpaths, roads, or gardens. A target clearance height can be specified where required.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction reduces the overall size of a tree by shortening selected branches while maintaining a balanced and natural shape. Reductions are carried out around the outer canopy and do not normally involve cutting through the main stem.
Deadwooding
Deadwooding involves the removal of dead, dying, or damaged branches from within the crown. While some deadwood can be ecologically beneficial, larger dead limbs are often removed where safety is a concern.
