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On this page, we’ve looked to answer a handful of questions that our Wakefield-based tree surgeons often receive from prospective clients. While they cover areas including stump grinding, hedge cutting and other areas of tree surgery we offer, it may be that you have a different question that isn’t answered below. If this is the case, we urge you to get in touch with the friendly team at Hart Services. Just call 01924 860 062 or 07866 047 522.
Here, we look at:
Tree surgery isn’t something that should be attempted by an unqualified, unexperienced or incompetent person. Those undertaking tree work need to know what they’re doing to ensure they don’t kill off beloved and cherished local and personal amenities. Also, while the skill required for different aspects of tree care can often differ, for example a quality crown reduction is harder than stump grinding or the average hedge cutting job, all can be dangerous when conducted by underqualified or amateur tree surgeons.
All our tree surgeons have completed NPTC City & Guilds courses. These cover important aspects of tree surgery like identifying trees and shrubs, tree health checks, the science behind forestry, disease and pests – all aspects of arboriculture you can imagine. This makes them reliable and trustworthy specialists that can handle anything they come across while doing the day-to-day rounds around Yorkshire.
TPO stands for Tree Preservation Order. This is a written order issued by a local authority, like Wakefield Council, which makes it a legal offence to fell, top/lop, uproot or purposefully damage a tree. Its aim is to protect trees that are deemed to be a significant local amenity. But unlike its name suggests, a TPO doesn’t solely apply to trees. It can also be issued to protect hedges, shrubs and bushes.
Any species can be subject to a TPO, but no species is automatically subject to one. However, if you are looking to fell a tree in a designated Preservation Area, you must apply to do so. It’s always worth contacting the council to find out if it is protected by a TPO or falls within a preservation area. Otherwise, you could be subject to an unlimited fine.
Please bear in mind that protected trees can still undergo the majority of tree surgery procedures, as most look to maintain and keep species healthy. So if you have a protected tree on your property that is unkempt and overgrown, don’t be put off contacting our Wakefield-based tree surgeons. We can perform careful and methodical pruning to ensure the tree stays healthy, looks great and doesn’t become a nuisance.
Yes. On the flipside of the TPO, a local authority can order hedge cutting if it is deemed to be a “high hedge”. Strangely, this falls under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act. A high hedge is deemed to be one that is over 2m high, a line of two or more evergreen trees or shrubs, and having an impact on a residential property. Before the council deals with the complaint, it requires the hedge owner and complainant to attempt to solve the issue by negotiation (either verbally or by letter).
If negotiations fail, then the complainant can file an “application for investigation”. Then the council will conduct its own negotiations, and should it side with the complainant, it will issue a remedial notice that requires the owner to cut their hedge within a certain period of time. It may also require regular hedge pruning to ensure the hedge doesn’t encroach in the future.
There are a number of reasons why the council might rule that a high hedge doesn’t require cutting – e.g if birds or bats are found to be living in it. If you do indeed require hedge cutting, or any other aspect of tree surgery, don’t hesitate to give our tree surgeons a call to handle it for you.
It’s not uncommon to see ugly, long-neglected tree stumps in public and private spaces around Wakefield. However, tree stumps can cause a range of problems, including:
While one form of stump removal involves pulling a stump out of the ground, along with all the roots attached to it (which may be spread far and wide), this is rarely convenient. This process can destroy your turf, grass, nearby plants and trees that may sit over a stump, for example. An easy and cheap alternative is stump grinding.
Using a powerful stump grinding machine, our experts can take the stump to or below ground level, leaving it out of sight and mind. This will keep your lawn or outside space unharmed and intact. A cheap and efficient way of dealing with a problematic tree stump, stump grinding can also leave you with a quality mulch that can be used to fertilise your plants and flowerbeds.
