Approach to tree management
4.1 How we work
The Council will have documented processes and procedures, that support this policy.
It will employ competent arboriculturists to exercise professional judgement on its behalf. They will be expected to give independent and objective advice and seek further information as necessary.
Information to support tree management will be taken from a range of sources. The reliability of information that does not come from a regulated or reliable source will be tested before the Council acts on it.
All decisions about the management of trees will be taken by arboriculturists, following an evidence-led approach and best practice.
Decisions about other things that affect trees will be informed by arboricultural advice (e.g. construction and maintenance works).
The Council’s arboriculturists will determine whether to do anything to a tree according to this policy. There will be a presumption against intervention unless it is clearly justified.
After a justification has been established, a range of options will be considered to identify the solution that is most suitable. This will be decided by the Council according to the principles set out in this policy.
The Council will try to balance individual and collective needs and benefits, and to understand what type of management would be welcome. It may consult to understand this better. Personal and individual views and preferences regarding how trees should be managed may be outweighed by collective benefits.
Records of all tree management will be kept, and outcomes will be monitored. These will be used to identify opportunities for improvement.
The Council will engage and cooperate with others, including by information sharing and collaboration.
4.2 When we will act
This Policy sets out the circumstances in which the Council will undertake tree pruning or removal in Section 6.0 and other activities in Section 7.0. It describes what would fall within each of these definitions, including what conditions would trigger works. Wherever the Council becomes aware that these conditions are met or exist, it will take action.
The Council may also engage in other activities to increase, enhance, promote, or understand the treescape. These are proactive steps which may be taken as opportunities and resources permit, in accordance with other Strategies and duties:
- Tree planting
- Woodland management
- Community engagement
- Advisory services
- Research, studies and analysis
- Production of information and guidance
In addition, some situations may require a specific response from the Council, such as a claim of damage by a tree, a request or report, a policy or strategy commitment, or a legal requirement.
4.3 Setting priorities
The Council will allocate resources to the most urgent activities first, and to where they will have the greatest impact.
The Council’s programme of tree management changes all the time. Demand, capacity, duties, the activities of third parties, and new information all vary over time, which can influence what will be done next. Priorities are also influenced by the purpose of each activity. This may mean that it is not possible to fix a specific date for certain types of operation, and that planned works may be changed at short notice by other factors.
Some works include a deadline, for example a timescale that is generated by a risk assessment or part of a legal requirement. Delivering such works on time will be regarded as an essential part of the activity and these timescales will not be changed.
In all other cases, and as possible within those timescales, activities will be organised to maximise efficiency, and to reduce environmental impacts. For example, by waiting to deliver a number of small pruning operations in one area consecutively, or by doing work when it is less likely to disturb protected animals.
Work that must be done to satisfy a legal duty, including for safety reasons will be prioritised. The Council will forecast typical requirements where possible, but this can be affected by events such as major storms.
Where the Council has contractual obligations that it must meet, it will ensure that it has sufficient capacity to do so. It will consider this when entering into any such agreement that includes tree management, for example with a school.
Improvements and enhancements that would be made in accordance with this policy will be done where resources and capacity permit. Those that can be achieved will be prioritised according to the public benefits they would deliver.
Activities that would achieve limited or temporary benefits, including meeting individual preferences, or which do not have an essential timescale, will not be done if this would reduce the Council’s capacity to deliver essential works, or if there are other interventions that would deliver greater public benefits.