Hi-Line Consultancy are able to provide a wide range of inspections, reports and surveys including:-

• Tree Risk inspections & surveys for insurance companies and building societies in connection with mortgages.

• Tree safety inspections & surveys.

• Tree disease inspections.

• Tree inventory surveys & reports.

• Tree valuations

• Advice and management on tree problems where trees are in Conservation Area or are subject to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) - liaising with relevant Authorities as necessary.

For more information please visit our dedicated website at Hi-Line Consultancy.

Crown Raising involves the pruning of a tree’s lower branches to increase the clearance between the ground and the lowest retained branches. The extent of this raising needs careful consideration to achieve a balance between the client’s requirements and the long term health of the tree. In order to leave a tree well balanced, both in appearance and stress distribution, the crown should be raised equally all round. Crown Raising is usually carried out to:-

• Improve or allow access under the tree for vehicles, pedestrians and property.
• Improve light intensity below the crown.
• Remove the temptation for a tree to be climbed.

Crown Reductions usually involve a general reduction in the overall shape of the tree canopy. However, trees with asymmetrically shaped crowns can benefit from partial or localised reductions to create a more aesthetically pleasing form. The size of a tree may be effectively maintained if the tree is first pruned as it approaches it’s desired or acceptable size. Ideally, each branch should be reduced such that the diameter of it is a minimum of 33% of the diameter of it’s parent branch and continues to grow in a flowing form that leaves an aesthetically pleasing shape. The final shape is however dictated to some extent by the existing structure of the tree in question. Crown Reductions are carried out where:-

• Trees obstruct buildings or other property.
• The tree, or branches of the tree, are dangerous.
• For aesthetic reasons.

Crown Thinning involves the thinning out of branches within the structure of the tree itself such that the overall outline size and shape of the tree remains the same. Typically, dead and diseased branches are removed first, followed by crossing and rubbing branches and then, if necessary, further branches are removed to achieve the maximum desired effect. The extent to which a tree can be thinned is determined in part by the species and also by the nature of branch structure to be thinned. The generally recognised limit of crown thinning is approximately 25% of the tree’s foliage. If the crown is thinned further, it often promotes a stress response from the tree which encourages an abundance of new growth thereby reversing the benefit of the thinning. Crown Thinning is usually carried out to:-

• Improve light conditions.
• Lessen wind resistance strain on the tree.
• Improve the health of the tree.
• Improve the form and “balance” of the tree.

Hi-Line are on call 24 Hours a Day in order to provide emergency tree cutting services in the South West.

Most emergencies we attend to are as a result of storm damage where trees or branches have fallen across roads, over property or are otherwise causing an obstruction or problem.

Please phone our 24 Hour number in the Contact Us section if you require this service.

Felling involves the complete removal of a tree down to ground level. The techniques employed to fell a tree depend entirely upon the characteristics of each site.

Felling the entire tree in "one go" is occasionally possible but usually involves dismantling - ie the careful cutting and lowering of sections to avoid damage to surrounding properties. structures, plants etc.

Occasionally mobile cranes are used to assist with dismantling which improves safety and is significantly more efficient leading to cost savings.

Formative Pruning involves the careful pruning of young and newly planted trees. This is done to remove any defects, deadwood etc and will encourage the tree to develop a good, sound and well-shaped structure for the future.

Trees may be deemed as "hazardous" where a failure of one or more parts of a tree is likely and could result in damage to property and/or personal injury.

Hi-Line is able to conduct assessments of trees suspected of being hazardous and to take remedial action to render the tree safe.

It should be noted that the Occupiers Liability Acts (1957 and 1984) state that "the occupier of a site has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent or minimise the risk of personal injury or damage to property arising from the presence of any tree on the site, or from it's breakage or uprooting".

Hi-Line are able to both advise on and attend to the cutting of any hedge.

We are particularly experienced in, and equipped to deal with, difficult, massive or high hedges which require either climbing and/or the use of a Lift Platform to cut efficiently and effectively.

The legal implications of hedge maintenance (particularly vis-à-vis neighbours) have taken on a higher profile in recent years and clients may be interested in followingthis link to learn more.

Hi-Line have extensive experience and are well equipped to provide High Access Services using Lift Platforms or climbing techniques.

Whilst these are normally applied to deal with our usual range of tree surgery activities, we are able to provide trained staff and Lift Platforms (up to 20metres vertical reach) to deal with a variety of other situations where access is required at height.

This may include anything from assisting with a construction problem to clearing a blocked chimney pot or even rescuing a cat!

Overhanging Branches are removed where the growth of the tree has resulted in branches causing an obstruction and where it is not acceptable or possible or desirable to fell the tree. Overhanging Branches are removed where:-

• Branches obstruct or overhang buildings.
• Branches overhang neighbouring properties.

Pollarding is an ancient form of tree management that may only be applied to certain species.

True pollarding is first undertaken when the tree is quite young and has reached the desired size; from then on, branches are pruned back to the same point every 1 – 3 years.

Mature trees that have not previously been pollarded are not usually suitable for such drastic treatment as the large wounds render a tree susceptible to pathogenic attack resulting in partial or total failure of the tree.

Power Line Clearance involves the pruning back of growth - principally from power cables but also from poles and other electrical apparatus.

This includes work on High Voltage [HV] Lines (11kv, 33kv, 132kv) and on Low Voltage [LV] Lines (240v).

Both HV and LV work is usually carried out as part of a systematic programme of preventative cutting designed to keep the cables clear of growth for up to 5 years following cutting. However we also perform reactive cutting in response to instances where tree growth is rubbing on cables or has otherwise given our power company client a problem - such as fallen trees/branches following a storm.

All such Power Line work is performed by our highly trained and qualified cutting staff using a variety of cutting techniques including climbing, the use of pole saws and utilising Lift Platforms. Work is usually carried out while the circuit is "live" but, on occasions where the cutting required is very close to HV Lines or is dangerous for other reasons, cutting will be undertaken once the power company client has arranged a "shutdown" of the circuit.

Felling a tree will result in a residual stump at or near ground level.

Stump Grinding involves the mechanical grinding of the stump to a specified depth to allow the ground to be re-seeded, turfed, built on etc.

The type of stump grinder employed will depend on the nature of the tree(s) stumps requiring grinding and the access characteristics of the site concerned.

Telecom Line Clearance involves the pruning back of growth - principally from BT cables running between telegraph poles or from "dropwires" which run from poles to private properties.

The standard objective is to achieve a 1metre radius clearance around the cable whilst minimising the impact on the trees concerned to the satisfaction of the respective tree owners.

The work also involves clearing growth, usually ivy, from the telegraph poles themselves in order to allow telecom engineers to climb the poles safely and to access the telecom equipment and cable terminations on the poles.

This service is not only provided by Hi-Line in the South West but also throughout England, Wales and Scotland as is more fully explained in our National Services section.

We are able to supply and plant a wide selection of tree species ranging from individual trees to a larger planting projects.

We do this for both Domestic and Commercial clients and we are able to provide associated support (eg bracing systems), irrigation and ongoing maintenance where required.

The provision of Tree Protection Fencing usually involves the provision of a scaffold frame driven into the ground to which weldmesh fencing panels are attached.

This is conducted in accordance with BS 5837 and is designed to temporarily protect trees in readiness for demolition, development or other work taking place on site where there would otherwise be a risk of damaging trees.

Hi-Line are fully conversant with the provisions of BS 5837 and are experienced in the erection of this fencing and in related services such as protecting root areas which fall outside the bounds of any Tree Protection Fencing.