Elm Felling

I don't like felling trees, but two elms had to come down because they were too close to the client’s property and started to do damage to the guttering as their diameter increased as they grew. Also, the client’s insurance stipulates that trees can’t be any more than 5 meters from the property.

The first thing I did before felling was to investigate and see if there were any Tree Preservation Orders placed on the trees or any other restrictions which legally prevent felling. I generally use Defra's mapping service, Magic https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx to see if there is any statutory designation in the area. In this particular case, the property was in a Conservation Area, so I submitted a planning application to Cornwall Council to fell the two trees. In the application, I added the reasons why I needed to fell, a habitat mitigation plan and my qualifications. The mitigation plan included plans to reestablish a hedgerow, use the timber to make habitats stacks, use brash for a dead hedge, install a pond and turn the garden into a biodiversity haven for wildlife. The application was swiftly approved.

Felling trees always needs to be done with care and attention to detail. Because the trees were so close to the property, I had to be extra careful, especially because one of the trees was leaning back towards the property. An additional challenge was a fence in the way. To make sure the tree missed the fence when felled, I measured a distance from the felling cut to the fence. This would ensure the hinge would hold the tree shy of the fence rail and prevent any damage.

All was achieved with great success.