Pro Arb Autumn 2020

PROARB

AUTUMN 2020 PROFESSIONAL TREE CARE FOR T REE SURGEONS

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INTRODUCING A NEW RANGE OF STAGE V COMPLIANT WOOD CHIPPERS timberwolf-uk.com

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Ash dieback

It’s not all doom and gloom

Apex Tree Surgeons providing services in

all aspects of Arboriculture Consultancy Woodland Management & tree root amelioration As the UK’s leading specialists in tree management Trees that we treat have been shown to be resistant to drought, massaria, honey fungus, horse chestnut leaf miner and even ash dieback (as seen on BBC Countryfile and in The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times) in thirdparty controlled trials.

www.apextreesurgeons.com For any Arboricultural advice call 0800 999 99 10

Mark Wadey MICFor

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WELCOME

PROARB

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AUT UMN 202 0 P R O F ES S I O N A L TREE FOR T REE SUR C A R E GEO NS

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AUTUMN 2020 • Volume 7 • Issue 04

INTRODUCING OF STAGE V COMP A NEW RANGE LIANT WOOD CH IPPERS timberwolf-uk.c

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w

elcome to the autumn issue, which I hope you agree has a great mix of content.

Returning to education from September was never going to be easy. A host of new restrictions, such as teaching in bubbles and the need to sterilise equipment, are just some of t e reasons w life as been difficult for tutors and students alike. But colleges up and down the UK are proving they are up to the task and are delivering arb courses to the highest standards, as the article on page 10 shows.

ALL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01903 777 570 Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA EDITORIAL Features editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com ADVERTISING Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com

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It’s also tough enough right now to make a success of a business, and so Glasgow’s Jordan Grant is someone to inspire us all – see the interview on page 13. At the age of just 24, Jordan runs an arborist and garden maintenance rm, w ic is t ri ing but be ond t is, e is also offering work opportunities to young people with mental health problems. Mental health is more in the open than ever, but while talking about it is ositi e, offering ractical help and a supportive work environment is a fantastic example for everyone in our sector.

Horticulture Careers – Phil Every phil.every@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Design – Kara Thomas Printed by Pensord Press Ltd Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd CIRCULATION Subscription enquiries: laura.harris@eljays44.com Pro Arb is published four times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2020 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be

Podcasts have become increasingly popular in recent years and if you’ve started tuning in more, then why not have a listen to Tree Lady alks On age 22, ou ll nd out w t is as plenty to interest an arborist audience. We also have excellent pieces from our regular columnists, including Dr Duncan Slater, Jonathan Hazell and Bartlett Tree Experts – and, of course, pages of highly appealing kit.

reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

MANAGEMENT Managing director – Jim Wilkinson Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson FOLLOW US ONLINE www.proarbmagazine.com Follow us on Twitter @ProArbmagazine Like us on Facebook Proarbmagazine Connect to our LinkedIn group Pro Arb UK

Every week we send out ‘Pro Arb: The Tuesday Recap’, in which we highlight the most popular news stories from the last week. If you aren’t subscribed to The Tuesday Recap but would like to be, please email Amber Bernabe at amber.bernabe@eljays44.com If you would like to send us press releases to post online and potentially feature in The Tuesday Recap, please email content@eljays44.com

For careers in arboriculture and horticulture go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

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CONTENTS

s t n e t con 0 2 0 2 N M AUTU

48 47 51 22

27

news & views

features

kit

6 > News

19 > Dr Duncan Slater’s Casebook

37 > MEET THE SUPPLIER

Updates from around the arb world

10 > News Extra – teaching during a pandemic

How arboriculture colleges have continued with courses

12 > News Extra – 30 UNDER 30 WINNERS

Three arboriculture sector workers have been selected for their potential and talent

13 > Interview – Glasgow’s finest Meet inspirational business leader Jordan Grant

Damage in icted on trees is all too common and it needs to stop

22 > Sharon DurdantHollamby talks trees Listen up and start streaming this newly launched podcast series

24 > Taking on HS2

The Woodland Trust’s campaign to save ancient woodlands from destruction

27 > Pests & Diseases – expertise from Bartlett The ins and outs of oak leaf blisters

29 > Opinion – Jonathan Hazell How coronavirus has changed the world of work

32 > Business Zone – annual leave

37

Alan Price advises on managing holiday time during these disrupted times

Q&A with Matt Wilson of AriensCo, distributor of ECHO Tools

39 > PPE – time to upgrade

Essential personal protection buys

41 > Timberwolf – the power pack

The inside story on one of the leading chippers among pros

44 > Skid steers – bring on the Bobcats Introducing the new T450 and T590 Stage V compliant compact track loaders

47 > Product DNA

Spotlight on Forst’s 8D wood chipper series

48 > Clothing – wear it well ook good bot at work and off dut

49 > GreenMech – keeps on evolving Moving forward – the range expands after EVO 165

51 > New way to pay

Discover a wooden debit card that supports tree planting

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NEWS & VIEWS

news ROUNDUP

MANCHESTER CELEBRATES TREE MONTH

November saw Greater Manchester celebrate its tree stock in a special ‘Tree Month’ organised by community initiative, City of Trees.

The event, which launched on 1 November, encouraged people to learn about trees and woodlands in the area and their bene ts. t included a range of topics such as trees and bees, building a bug hotel and the best places to visit in addition to content in the form of videos and blogs on social media using #GMTreeMonth.

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The aim of City of Trees is to re-invigorate Greater Manchester’s landscape by restoring underused woodland and planting a tree for every person that lives in the region wit in a generation. t as also teamed up with partners such as Discover the Wild and Rhiane Fatinikun, from Black Girls Hike, who has created a series of videos showing some of the best walks in the region that are close to urban areas. www.cityoftrees.org.uk

A ROUNDUP OF ALL THE LATEST ARBORICULTURE NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK. FOR MORE STORIES VISIT WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

GROWING ANGER AT HS2 AS TREE FELLING EXPANDS Experts in the natural world, organised protestors and locals are speaking out against the loss of ancient woodland as the HS2 train project gets underway.

There is criticism of current work by HS2 to move woodland soils to other locations. The developer has said moving ancient woodland from ‘donor sites’ where trees are felled and soil dug up to ‘receiver’ sites is for conservation and a way of creating the same habitat – this could include new trees being planned and bat boxes and other homes for wildlife being installed. However, there is little evidence that this will ro e an effecti e strateg .

According to David Coomes, professor of forest ecology and conservation at the University of Cambridge, translocation is not t e answer. t s like tearing u a Turner masterpiece and tossing little bits of it into a new art installation and hoping people don t notice t e difference.

He added that the ancient woodlands are complicated networks: “They take a long time to come together – hundreds of years – particularly the threedimensional structure of the forest, the trees which have hollows for bats, the homes for lots of different fungi and lots of different insects.

Dr Mark Everard, from the University of the West of England, added translocation

was “essentially a smokescreen for destruction and recreation.

You can’t create ancient, you can’t instantly create ecosystems. t asn t got t e same microbiology or hydrology. t is treated as a anacea and it is most de nitel not. t best, it is gardening. Ot er rotestors include HS2 Rebellion, an alliance of two other pressure groups, Stop HS2 and Extinction Rebellion.

Activists are also targeting numerous sites – around 20 protests have been set up – where trees are being felled, including in rural areas, and a camp has also been established in London’s Euston Square Gardens, where trees are also due to be cut down.

The group has successfully obtained crowdfunding and is demanding “that the UK government ditch the destructive rail project and switch to funding sustainable infrastructure and the . egal rofessionals a e also banded together as Lawyers for Nature to protest against the project and, in particular, the fact that work is being carried out in a Buckinghamshire wood, allegedly without licences in place, despite this being required.

The Woodland Trust has also been vocal in its campaigning and has said HS2 is “a grave threat to the UK’s ancient woods, with 108 at risk of loss or damage.

Read about The Woodland Trust’s ongoing campaign on page 24. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

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ASH DIEBACK SET TO COST LOCAL AUTHORITIES ‘BILLIONS OF POUNDS’ Councils are facing huge bills, potentially for billions of pounds, to remo e trees wit as dieback that are in unsafe locations such as near roads.

A report from the Tree Council called on the government to allocate funding in the forthcoming Spending Review because local authorities do not have the money to spend on trees. Tree Council director on tokes sa s e a e a number of local authorities’ costings, and they range from m to 0m u until about £80m. Aggregated from road and rail toget er we are talking about bn to 5bn t at needs to be spent over the next 0 ears making as safe in transport corridors. o tr and get control of the processes with ash dieback, t ere is a ealt and safet taskforce, set u b Defra and other organisations, dealing

with highways and railways. e a e come toget er to tr and form a national plan to deal wit t e rocess.

Dieback increases t e risk of trees falling onto cars and edestrians. r tokes said the best estimates suggest there are somew ere between 27 million and 0 million large ash trees in the countryside outside woodlands. e estimate is t at somew ere between 75 and 0 of t ose trees are likel to die, and most will die in the next 10 to 15-year period. In some

laces like ere on t e sout coast t at is alread taking effect and we are getting large numbers of dead trees b t e ig wa s.

The Tree Council has worked wit t e local aut orit in De on, w ic estimated t e number of potential ash trees in t e ig wa at 7,000, wit 0 at risk. eanw ile, t e local aut orit in orfolk said expected unhealthy ash trees to outnumber healthy ones by 2022. ince its arri al in 20 2, as dieback as s read to all parts of the UK.

National Trust hit by dieback cases Meanwhile, The National Trust has experienced its worst year on record for as dieback on its estates. The charity said that O D and t e driest s ring on record ad created a erfect storm’ for the disease to spread and that it will have to spend some 2m on felling infected trees this year – four times more than its average bill for felling.

Tree and woodland adviser uke arle said ockdown has meant we were not able to undertake regular conser ation work and man of our rangers who have returned are now forced to spend time felling to manage safety. Vital conservation work, suc as tree lanting and im ortant maintenance work is having to go on hold as a result. s dieback is a catastro e for nature. www.treecouncil.org.uk

STIHL POWERS UP WITH LAUNCH OF MS 881 STIHL has launched the new MS 881, which it says is the world’s most powerful series-produced chainsaw and ideally suited professional heavy-duty felling, logging and mobile saw mills. e model offers 2 . cc of dis lacement and . . k output and the MS 881 is 19% more powerful than the heavy dut and t e onl saw in t e line u to dri e a 0. 0 itc c ain. it standard bar lengt s u to and able to acce t guide bars u to 5 .

The MS 881 features STIHL’s 2 engine that ensures

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the machine is the only chainsaw in its performance class that meets the requirements of the European Euro-5 (EU5) exhaust emission standard. It also bene ts from good ower to weight ratio, new construction of c linders and slimmer s rocket covers, and the development of lightweight components have resulted in a weight-toower ratio of .55kg k , w ile maintaining robustness and durabilit . t also offers o erator comfort through a one-touch stop

button, ensuring the chainsaw is ready to start at any time, whenever it is warm.

Other design features include captive nuts on the optimised chain s rocket co er t at offer additional con enience when changing the chain, as well as a new oil pump that regulates oil ow rate according to demand, guaranteeing optimum oil ow at all times.

Ease of maintenance has been improved through the use of a new D2 air lter

with a radial seal that provides e cellent rotection against ne dust often created w en lanking and in sawmill environments. The introduction of a diagnostic socket means that specialist dealers can uickl identif a fault and eliminate it uickl . www.stihl.co.uk

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NEW DIRECTOR FOR ATO – PETER HOWSON e ssociation of ree Officers (ATO) has appointed a new director, Peter Howson, who is rinci al tree officer at i er ool City Council. Peter studied arboriculture at Reaseheath, Cheshire College of Agriculture in

, w ile working for se eral local arborist rms. e oined t e local aut orit in as one of t ree forest officers and progressed to become tree woodland and ranger manager and has been principal tree officer e er since.

He has also lectured on arboriculture on a part-time basis at las an wlc in nowdonia and Myerscough College and has

been chair of the Core Cities Tree Benchmarking Group.

Peter commented: “You cannot simply be taught how to become a tree officer. t is somet ing ou learn through experience on top of prior learning. Membership of the Association of Tree Officers s ows ow information, knowledge and experience can be s ared for mutual bene t. www.ato.org.uk

HUSQVARNA’S TOP WINTER TIPS FOR CHAINSAW USERS Working with chainsaws (both electric and petrol) can be challenging during winter.

Therefore, world leading expert in forestry equipment, Husqvarna®, has pulled together a guide on its top tips to help chainsaw users stay safe and productive throughout the winter months.

Felling trees When the temperature drops below zero, ensure to take extra care when felling trees; even the softer tree types such as pine, spruce and leafy tree species turn hard and brittle.

Along with this, chainsaw operators should take extra precaution when felling a tree if it is covered with snow. snow ea crown can affect the centre of gravity of a tree so make sure a large hinge is left – plus, always try to fell in the direction of a tree’s natural lean.

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in the chainsaw’s engine; plus, a winter air lter will re ent a c ainsaw s lter from getting clogged up with ice.

Filing During the winter months, o erators mig t need to le a chainsaw’s chain more often as a result of the hard and frozen wood on trees. By using Husqvarna® s ling gauge, tree workers will not have to worry about the angle of the cutting teeth to ensure superior results. e ling gauge comes wit two different settings for soft wood and H for frozen and hard wood – so it’s easy to get the de t gauges led o timall for winter sawing.

Useful chainsaw parts Two parts that are handy for chainsaw users during the winter is a cover for the starter housing and a winter air lter. en using a winter cover, operators can reduce the risk of getting snow

Keeping warm Husqvarna® personal protective equipment helps arborists and forestry workers stay protected during winter.

The garments are warm and assist with body temperatures being regulated. During cold weat er, us arna offers underwear, eece ackets and vests to ensure tree care workers are kept warm when working long hours.

Furthermore, Husqvarna offers c ainsaw features and accessories that are extremely handy to use in the cold. For example, Husqvarna’s XP®G chainsaw range has heated handles that keep hands warm and dry whilst maintaining good blood circulation. The heating on the XP®G chainsaws is controlled by a thermostat which switches heat on and off at a certain tem erature. www.husqvarna.com/uk

MARLOW ROPES STRIVES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

British manufacturer Marlow Ropes is looking to ensure it operates an efficient and et ical lant, re iewing the energy it uses, the materials it sources and the waste it produces.

The ropemaker is bringing together its sustainability actions and eco-conscious products it is developing under the one BLUE OCEAN® brand. ince 20 , arlow o es as been developing products using sustainabl sourced bres in all of its standard synthetic rope ranges. ost signi cantl , it is reducing reliance on fossil fuels by using bres eit er manufactured from waste plastic or natural sources, many of which have launched this year in the Leisure Marine and Arboriculture markets.

Managing director Jon Mitchell says: “Marlow has worked hard over the last couple of years to eliminate as much waste and singleuse plastic from our rope ranges and continue to look at bio-based materials to help us achieve our sustainability goals.”

Marlow Ropes says the introduction of the BLUE OCEAN® brand is its mark of sustainability and assures its customers, end users, suppliers and employees of its ongoing commitment to conducting all its operations within an environmentally conscious and measured framework. marlowropes.com/blue-ocean

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©Polly A Baldwin

NEWS & VIEWS

Askham Bryan College

extra

Returning to

LEARNING I

n this time of COVID-19, colleges providing arboriculture courses have shown great resilience and determination to provide a quality education for their students both during the initial lockdown and when establishments reopened.

From 23 March, further and higher education colleges closed, which meant students had to rely on home learning and then in July, the government announced there would be a return in September.

This meant only a few weeks to ensure classrooms were as safe as possible with new rules imposed such as restrictions on sharing equipment and limiting handling of paperwork, encouraging handwashing and having sanitiser available and improving cleaning.

Andy Pinder is a lecturer in arboriculture at Merrist Wood, near Guildford in Surrey. e college offers a range of courses at all levels, including full-time, part-time, short and apprenticeships. He explains

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those courses which involved the most practical training proved most challenging because of the use of equipment and social distancing. “The isolation of all climbing equipment for 72 hours meant that we had to have sufficient uantities to allow for da to da usage b different students and it was the same with chainsaws.”

Merrist Wood College

Transport matters He added there were also challenges in transporting students to their work sites – new rules around social distancing meant that a 16-seater minibus would now onl seat e. re iousl , a eet of minibuses, s and utilit vehicles has proved adequate, but

AS THE UK ENTERS A SECOND LOCKDOWN, THOSE WORKING IN EDUCATION CONTINUE TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARBORISTS. PRO ARB SPOKE TO LECTURERS IN ARBORICULTURE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE OF THIS MOST UNUSUAL YEAR restrictions on numbers meant that additional vehicles had to be used, which also meant more drivers had to be found.

Another testing issue was how to manage practical instruction.

“Tree climbing had to be reinvented to allow social distancing, but the most awkward proved to be the training and assessing of aerial rescue, as this involves physical contact between parties.”

The solution was in ‘rescue dummies , four differentl weighted and suitably attired gures, w ic were oisted into trees from which they were then rescued. “It was not ideal as since they were inanimate, they were a dead weight, but these are unprecedented times.”

Once the exercise was over, all equipment had to be placed in an isolation bay before it could be used again.

Academic work Unsurprisingly, many students were not overly excited by the prospect of online teaching and

would have preferred being about to come into college. “Many school, colleges and universities have now embraced new online teaching techniques, but for land-based activities, it’s not ideal.” e sa s staff ad to ret ink delivery techniques such as voice over powerpoint, video conferencing, walk about recordings, online submissions and electronic marking. “This may be the norm in some sectors but teaching arborists in front of a screen for more than 30 minutes is difficult for e en t e most engaging topics. Certain subjects such as tree rigging, tree inspections, tree identi cations in 2D , biomec anics and plant physiology are genuinely hard to explain and understand without getting up and personal with a tree.”

There were also problems for students who were also working, namely those who had opted for part-time courses or apprentices.

“Attempting to study, while trying to keep a business running with all that entails, suc as wit furloug , staff,

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NEWS & VIEWS

working arrangements, equipment, clients and family, etc. – all required going above and beyond and occasionally something must give.” eac ing staff took t is on board. “We did not hassle students too much for assignment work as there may be underlining problems or issues with home working arrangements or health worries.”

Back onsite With the return of students in September, Andy says teaching is now in a different as nc ronous and synchronous method – or i o as it s often called to reduce the numbers of students attending college at any one time.”

This meant those teaching arboricultural programmes had to “constantly rethink activities, even the simplest ones. However, the arb industry wants and needs trained and skilled operatives and so we will continue no matter what the uncertainties and tribulations.”

Steve Bassford is a lecturer at Askham Bryan College in York and apart from being an educator, he also has extensive knowledge of the practicalities of working as an arborist, having formerly been o erations manager for a rm in Northampton. He says that on hearing colleges could reopen in September, there was a great deal of positivity and everyone rallied to ensure buildings were ready and there was also a determination to make up lost ground.

He says that although online teaching has its uses, and this took place via Teams, many students would have lost out on learning over around three months or so of lockdown. There was also disruption with work experience, since full-time courses and apprentices often combine this with college learning. This is meant to be a joined-up practice, but it

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Merrist Wood College

became far harder for all parties to remain in close contact and maintain progress records.

Once students did return to college, Steve says their attitude was “brilliant” when it came to complying with new regulations. ”Everyone was so eager to return and they have really worked hard to adapt. There were also additional demands with having to teach the revised Industry Code of Practice on two-rope working.” is as resulted in a signi cant change for many arborists, in having to use two independently anchored ropes in most cases, to meet HSE safety requirements and meet the Working at Height regulations. Although on a few occasions students ended up in a “spaghetti mess”, overall, progress was made. “Having to teach and transport students in smaller groups, deal with quarantining equipment and the constant focus on wiping all common touch points has been a learning curve, but one we e managed and we ll continue to do so.”

James Colville and Richard Swift are lecturers at Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester, Dorset – James teaches arb apprentices and Richard teaches Level 2 arboriculture. Once lockdown was imposed in March, both started thinking about they would manage to keep teaching

and stri ed to nd solutions.

They were able to deliver essential MEWP and chainsaw tickets and ensured students attended for some theory work onsite, as it was felt if would have been a struggle for some to upload their work remotely.

Both lecturers went into college once a week, where they delivered some theory via Teams, however, most was done on paper. Only three sectors were gi en t e go a ead to return to practical sessions to be delivered in the college and these were arboriculture, equine and agriculture.

For this to take place, detailed risk assessments were drawn up to ensure students were kept as safe as possible. Each student was to have separate PPE and

have traditionally practised on each other, but head of apprenticeships, Dee Vickers, came u wit t e idea of stuffing overalls with woodchip to make life-like dummies to use instead.

James and Richard say working together meant they could achieve success when delivering the rogramme, and offering t e students the practical sessions supplied the momentum needed to complete the course.

They point out that while some students were self-reliant, others needed motivation. It was also found that some students with additional learning needs were quite happy to use their phones but did not use laptops at home – going into college gave them the structure to learn.

In this time of COVID-19, colleges providing arboriculture courses have shown great resilience and determination to provide a quality education for their students equipment and to stick to social distancing guidelines.

James taught students Tools and Machinery and Plant Science modules, while Richard taught Introduction to Industry, ree denti cation, Dendrolog , Woodland Management, and Industry and Rural Areas.

Students also attended a Climbing and Aerial Rescue session, where students would

Richard says that all worked together throughout lockdown, sharing practical, intelligent ideas with one another.

James agrees, and adds that while the easy option would have been to say sessions could not be delivered because of health and safety, there was, instead, a determination to come up with solutions to provide the best results in the safest way possible.

Merrist Wood College

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NEWS & VIEWS

Winners announced

news extra

for this year’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation

P

ro Landscaper has announced its 2020 winners of the Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation initiative.

The initiative, sponsored by Green-tech, is now in its sixth year, and aims to recognise, reward, and promote the rising stars in the UK’s landscaping industry.

Pro Landscaper’s managing director Jim Wilkinson comments: “Firstly, massive congratulations to all of this year’s winners. What a year to win, with all that the world has thrown at us, and to see so many brilliant entries reall re ects ama ingl on this sector.

“During these extremely tough and unpredictable times, the performance of this year’s winners should not go unnoticed. It’s really important that we continue to recognise, reward, and promote the next generation as they will drive our sector forwards.

“The judges commented that the understanding and engagement of the value green space has on our environment shone through in the entries.”

Sustainability and climate change were high on the agenda from all the entries, as was a real get-up-and-go attitude.

In terms of judging, entrants were scored on their passion, skills and uali cations,

achievements, goals and their message to young people joining the industry. The highest rated, when all scores were collated, were then enrolled into this year’s Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation.

Richard Kay, chairman of sponsor Green-tech, says: “Many congratulations to all winners. The selection process has been rigorous, and this is a great achievement and accolade of your career to date. ou a e been identi ed as one of the rising stars of our next generation and I wish you all the very best for the future and look forward to meeting you all once

all the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.”

The class of 2020 makes it 180 winners in total for the Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation initiative since its inception. The winners will be featured in a presentation at FutureScape VIRTUAL 2020 on Thursday 19 November 2020. Previous winners have gone on to design, build and win gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Shows, set up their own businesses and appear on horticulture-related television programmes.

The winners from the arboriculture sector are...

DEAN MEADOWS

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Arboricultural consultant, TMA Environmental Consultants

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JACK WANNELL

GEORGE TROTT

AG E

AG E

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Arboriculturist/senior site supervisor, Tony Benger Landscaping

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Arboricultural consultant, Essex County Council

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NEWS & VIEWS

You raise me up JORDAN GRANT HAS ACHIEVED SUCCESS NOT ONLY FOR HIMSELF BY STARTING A BUSINESS, BUT ALSO FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, THROUGH PROVIDING THEM WITH INVALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE

F

rom the outside, Glasgow Garden Maintenance seems like so many other businesses – an arborist and ground care rm t at ser es its local community. But look deeper and it soon becomes clear it is anything but ordinary – in fact, extraordinary would be a far better description.

One reason for this is that GGM’s founder is only 24 years old; Jordan Grant launc ed t e business in 20 and o er the past two years has seen steady growt . rom a single an, a borrowed lawnmower and one climbing kit and saw, e now as four ans, lent of kit and e employs up to 35 subcontractors, handling a range of jobs which are around 75% residential and 25% commercial. ordan as alwa s been moti ated and started working part-time when he was

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NEWS & VIEWS

just 14. “I began by dragging branches for a local rm and, w en old enoug , mo ed on to work on some big obs, including for com anies suc as cottis ater, me and alfour eatt .

He did not attend college but instead learned t e ro es including ow to climb from a senior arborist, w o was also an e arm sergeant. e ke t me on m toes, and it worked out well as t ere was no college course near me. t ink t ere s a lot to be said for learning as ou go and on ow to co e wit ressures at work. en was 20, realised ad alread gained a lot of e erience and t at wanted to set u m own business. lt oug most tree surgeons w o set u t eir own rms were o er 30, did not want to kee working for ot ers, and it seemed t e rig t time to start m own. was alwa s t inking long term ow could build t e best arborist and landsca ing business in lasgow o er 0 or 50 ears and knew could b kee ing m ead down and working ard.

A combined approach e s ent time stud ing t e o osition. ou need to know w at t e ser ices consumers want and ow ou can also stand out from t e crowd. realised no ot er com an in lasgow was offering tree surger and garden maintenance toget er, and wanted to bring on s ecialists in eac eld so we could reall e cel. or e am le, our tree surger team is eaded u wit a er e erienced climber, ergus, w o knows is game er well, and is alwa s looking at inno ati e wa s to make eac ob run efficientl , w ile working under t e industr best ractice. is structure is a lied t roug out t e com an using an e erienced leader in t eir eld for e er team. a ing begun is career wit trees, ordan sa s w ile e en o s garden design, arborist work as alwa s eld a slig t ad antage. e can do an t ing wit garden work, but tree surger is our foundation. n terms of m

I’m passionate about the business and the industry and it’s not hard to find a work/life balance when you love what you do

e erience, started off as a groundie and initiall swore would ne er climb, but as time went on, decided to get u t ere m self, and subse uentl gained all m tickets in cutting, rigging and dismantling.

Offering employment to those with mental health conditions is one of our founding blocks and I’m determined to help those who have fallen on hard times to believe in themselves 14

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Interview Jordan Grant.indd 14

e adds t at a fa ourite iece of kit remains t e us arna 5 0. t still as a s ecial lace for us and at t e time, t is was a rofessional c ainsaw we could afford, alt oug it was not t e biggest, ut, it became a massi e art of us nding our feet and allowed us to erform at a ig le el.

Creating opportunities ordan s efforts a e seen t e establis ment of a successful rm in less t an t ree ears, but is goal as also been to ro ide work

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12/11/2020 08:47

NEWS & VIEWS

opportunities for those dealing with mental health conditions. With the impact of the pandemic resulting in an escalation of mental illness, this has become a highly topical issue. But Jordan says he has been mindful that more support was needed from a young age and explains that a parent had mental health problems when he was growing up.

“I realised the challenges of living with this and I want to be an advocate for mental health – and for anyone that has been down on their luck. I want to show that whatever obstacles life throws at you, you can achieve anything you want.

“This was the starting point, and the company has chosen to employ people with mental health issues to help them personally with their journey. From day one, we wanted to be understanding if someone was having a bad day and perhaps didn’t want to come in to work, offering su ort and to c ange the stigma.

“We encourage people to talk about how t e are feeling and to bounce off eac ot er.

If someone is having a dark day, but people understand, then this can make it that wee bit easier.”

He says this will be an ongoing strategy.

“I’m not looking for a quick buck and to get out. I want to build a legacy and to serve every customer and employee that ever works for us.

Offering em lo ment to t ose wit mental health conditions is one of our founding blocks and I’m determined to help those who have fallen on hard times to believe in themselves.”

Hard work helps heal Time has also shown that there can be signi cant t era eutic bene ts in working in a supportive environment and in the physical exercise gained through working outdoors. know rst and t at bringing on young people out who have lost their way can be the chance of hope they’ve been looking for.

“For some, their life is mainly about staying indoors, apart from going to the doctors and getting medications, stepping outside of their comfort zone, being outdoors and mucking in with everyone else can help them leave their fears and problems.”

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I was always thinking long term – how I could build the best arborist and landscaping business in Glasgow over 40 or 50 years and I knew I could by keeping my head down and working hard Jordan has had young people recommended to him from connecting with a local charity that sets up training opportunities and looking ahead, he says there are plans to work with the Scottish government to set up a formal apprenticeship scheme.

Jordan has also created a culture that works for all. “We may not be related, but we’re like a close family. Everyone can see the vision of GGM being the biggest and best, while also being an advocate for mental health and giving everyone a chance.

I always try to lead by example and to show if I can achieve, so can others.

“You can change your life through honest, hard work and surrounding yourself with good people as well as changing your mindset. I came from nothing, with no silver spoon in my mouth and I have to work at it every day. It’s easy for these guys to relate to me. I can motivate them because I’m not pushing a pen – I am still on the tools and telling them they can achieve anything in their lives.”

He says that like man ot er rms across the UK, the O D andemic has been “a horrible year” for businesses, but that he’s managed to keep his team in work and has stayed busy. GGM has a loyal customer base and

Jordan comments: “Having good customer relations is essential, from t at rst call to t e office to feedback after t e ob is carried out.

His energy and enthusiasm make him an inspirational business leader, and on the occasions when he is not working, Jordan enjoys boxing as a way to improve focus and kee t.

But he is not one to be away too long, and says: “I’m passionate about the business and t e industr , and it s not ard to nd a work life balance w en ou lo e w at you do.”

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12/11/2020 10:51

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11/11/2020 20:12 23/03/2020 09:46

S E R U T FEA 0 2 0 2 N M AUTU

19 > Dr Duncan Slater’s Casebook – what’s the damage?

A warning about the harm humans can do

22 > Check out Tree Lady Talks It’s the perfect podcast for arborists

24 > Ancient woodlands vs HS2

The Woodland Trust’s conservation campaign

27 > Pests & Diseases – oak leaf blisters

Recognition, causes and treatments from Bartlett Tree Experts

29 > Jonathan Hazell – Opinion

The consultant’s views on work in the pandemic

32 > Business Zone – spotlight on annual leave Alan Price has guidance for bosses on organising staff time off

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11/11/2020 19:58

FEATURES

WHAT’S THE

VIEWS

DAMAGE?

DUNCAN SLATER

O

ur urban trees in public spaces and within areas of development are very much on the front line – often they are t e rst troo s to be in ured in the battle to green our towns and cities.

Avoiding critical damage to our urban forests is a difficult task w ic our tree officers and arboriculturists undertake. e roblem is made worse in the fact that many laypeople and contractors view trees as being er robust and inert ob ects t at cannot be easil damaged. e do not understand that trees have a growt form muc like coral, w ere most of the living tissues lie on the outside of t e tree s wood structure, ust under t e outer bark. is siological arrangement makes trees muc more ulnerable to bas es, scra es and ot er damage – so a tree should not be treated as if it were a wooden telegra ole, e en t oug urban trees all too often are. ere are e e am les of different types of damage to trees that are all-too-commonly found in urban areas, making use of m time la se images from m rees o er ime ro ect.

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Duncan Slater.indd 19

URBAN TREES ARE, SADLY, ALL TOO OFTEN CASUALTIES, BEING SUBJECT TO A RANGE OF DAMAGE INFLICTED ON THEM BY HUMANS. BUT THE LOSS OF THESE FINE SPECIMENS IS ALSO OURS – GREATER PROTECTION CAN ONLY COME FROM MORE UNDERSTANDING AS THESE EXAMPLES FROM DR DUNCAN SLATER SHOW Figure 1

ie damage to a oung c err tree Cut the ties Figure 1 shows that damage to urban trees can start at a young age. Planting new amenity trees at the wrong depth is now a common technical error seen in UK tree plantings – this also being associated with the forming of girdling roots.

Even the support and protect system installed with the tree can end up damaging it. All t ese earl in uries could be so

wo ears later... easily resolved if post-planting maintenance was more readily invested in and yet this is an oftneglected aspect of establishing new trees and green spaces. ast ear, went on a bit of a campaign to release young trees from strangling tree ties and from rubbing themselves against old stakes and osts t at were ut in to el su ort t e trees, but were now damaging them. dealt wit o er 300 local trees

that would otherwise have suffered greater damage, aided b m trust ocketknife. t is not m role to do t is, of course, but cannot ust walk b trees t at are unnecessaril suffering from such neglect. Young trees can bounce back from suc damage er well and an e am le of a tree tie strangulation incident and subsequent recovery after cut t e tie awa is s own in this image.

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FEATURES

Drought damage A shortage of water typically affects urban trees more as t e are often growing in limited soil olumes and so a e restricted access to water unless t eir roots make a luck break t roug

to a nearb sewer s stem e images below s ow a sil er birc Betula pendula ot . growing in a raised bed wit in a car ark w ic , in t e dr summer of 20 , s owed uite se ere signs of droug t damage. an marginal local Figure 2

Droug t damage to car ark birc tree

Topped and tailed rees can be uite toug indi iduals, so it often re uires a combination of factors to debilitate t em. igure s ows a mature oak tree Quercus x rosacea ec st. , once a edgerow tree t at was t en incor orated into a new industrial estate. t some oint during t at rocess, t is tree was to ed w ic is a er damaging act to a mature tree, inducing d sfunction and deca to t e tree s main structure and dis guring it as a isual asset. s t is tree ad an interesting structure, took an image of it and re isited it 0 ears later as art of m ongoing rees o er ime ro ect. adl , and une ectedl , some ow t e

20

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Duncan Slater.indd 20

One ear later...

construction of a new car ark ad been allowed in t e interim and t e edge of t at car ark was situated less t an two metres from t e base of t is mature tree. runc ere must a e been a massi e amount of root damage caused in t e construction of t at car ark. s go t e roots, so go t e s oots. is not a 00 reliable guide to tree be a iour, but man indi idual trees e ibit crown dieback w en t e suffer a ma or loss of roots, w ic ou can see as a ened in t is case. o ed and wit its roots se ered, t is tree as reall suffered from t e ased de elo ment of t is site and w at could a e been

trees were lost t at ear due to t e droug t but er a s not t e ones ou mig t e ect. t was trees in usuall wet locations t at were fre uent ictims to t at droug t damage, as t e ad acclimated to growing in t ose saturated soils b de elo ing mostl surface roots. en t ose wet areas full dried u , t ese trees did not ossess a suitable root s stem to draw water from furt er down in t e soil ro le. n contrast, t is birc as been trained not to e ect t at muc water in an one ear. ear after t ose se ere droug t s m toms in its foliage, it as reco ered to uite a good e tent alt oug t ere is uite a scattering of dead twigs in its crown, if ou look closel .

Developer destruction f ou watc t e rocesses in ol ed in t e building of a modern ousing de elo ment rig t from t e start, t ere is a long and s ocking eriod w ere nearl t e entire area of t e site is crus ed, littered wit builder s debris and essentiall ruined, as large mac ines track across t e site multi le times w ile com acting it. nd t is is in spite of the fact that space will be offered u to t e future residents as front, side and back garden s aces. e de astated ground is t en su er ciall co ered o er b a meagre skim of to soil and tur es and t e ousing units sold to an one na e enoug to bu a tras ed site. ow we a e ended u wit suc terrible

Figure 4

o

ed oak on industrial estate

a beautiful and long li ed oak tree is now ust a wreck. t would be nice to re ort t at t is sort of t ing is a rare occurrence, but it is all too

en ears later... common in m e erience. e must lace a ig er alue on suc trees and ensure t eir future is rotected to re ent suc terrible waste.

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12/11/2020 09:26

FEATURES

standards in land management reall do not know. t adds to risks of surface ooding in our urban areas and an inability to grow trees to a good size and in good health on suc sites in er etuit , if the underlying compaction is not remediated. is is a er hard task to achieve when the development is in place with all its runs of underground utilities, driveways and ot er ardsca ing. f t ere is a re e isting tree on a site, efforts mig t be made to reser e it. owe er, t e enacting of t e de elo ment er often takes recedence, w ic means that when a utility run or a c ange of site la out is needed, the building work can end up being far too close to t e tree.

Leave out levelling up 2020 has not been an upbeat ear for an one, reall . ere is regular olitical talk of building back better’ and ‘levelling up’ – which has ironic connotations in respect to this article – as it is t e building and t e c anging of ground levels around trees that can cause so much damage and loss. t is not rogress nor ‘building back better’, in my iew, if we are also tras ing t e en ironment.

Figure 5 shows a mature ash tree Fraxinus excelsior . in a legal protected wooded area, where a large retaining wall was constructed and the land immediately around the tree’s base was also terraced – le elled off, if ou like, as t e tree was previously growing on uite a stee slo e.

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Duncan Slater.indd 21

Figure 3

November 2016 e trenc ing of t e roots of t is sil er birc tree Betula pendula ot . is uite e treme as seen in igure 3. ut t ose buying the property probably will not know they have been sold

is le elling u of t e soil around t e base of t is tree was disastrous it induced one sided root decay in the tree, which, in turn, caused it to bend abnormally at its base – and this came to cause a crack to run t roug t e base of its roots and propagate upwards through the centre of its trunk. During an strong wind e ent, t is sort of crack is likel to e tend furt er as the tree’s trunk is bent, until t e se aration of t e two arts of t e trunk ro ides enoug of Figure 5

ear crack at base of as tree

February 2018

June 2019

a ‘pup’, as all they get to see when they view the new property is a well turfed grass area wit a tree in it. oing back to t e tree three years later, unsurprisingly, its crown has thinned greatly and

it is probably in terminal decline now. t was not a great s ecimen to start with due to poor pruning, but cutting t e ma orit of its roots off gi es t is semi mature tree little c ance to reco er.

a fulcrum for t e rotten alf of t e tree s base to i ot o er. is t e of failure is often called a ‘barber’s chair’ – as it mimics the tilting of suc a c air and a er similar stem failure can a en w en felling ea il leaning trees. is dramatic tree failure started wit ust an e tra 300 to 00mm of soil being ut o er t e roots on one side and probably some e tent of soil com action. f we really were ‘building back better’, t is sort of tree damage would not be a ening so fre uentl . wo ears later...

Arboricultural students can learn a lot b seeing ow different urban trees res ond to different t es of damage and w at le el of damage comes to cause death, decline or structural failure in suc trees.

Personally, I have seen quite enoug of t ese damaging e ents – and only wish that it would stop! s are man of m rees o er ime images to ad ocate for better care of t e er aluable assets t at urban trees re resent. e s ould all play our part in trying to prevent t ese tragedies from occurring.

Dr Duncan Slater is a senior lecturer in arboriculture at Myerscough College, Lancashire.

He is also a co-ordinator of Arbor Day UK (#ArborDayUK) – an action group that seeks to put new trees and woodlands back into the landscape, supported by the Arbor Day Foundation.

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12/11/2020 09:27

FEATURES

TALKING TREES A RECENTLY LAUNCHED PODCAST SERIES FROM SHARON DURDANT-HOLLAMBY IS PROVING TO BE UNMISSABLE LISTENING FOR THE ARBORIST COMMUNIT Y

H

ave you heard the Tree Lady?

Thousands are already captivated by this podcast series, which brings together experts from the UK and abroad, all with a passion for matters arboricultural.

The series was launched this year by Sharon Durdant-Hollamby, who runs an established consultancy where she specialises in working wit construction rms and local aut orities on tree planning cases. She is also vice president of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, in

addition to being an expert witness. Before starting the consultancy in 2015, Sharon spent 11 years as a local government and landscape officer and as also worked for a construction rm as a consultant.

Sharon Hosegood Associates (the consultancy retains her former married name) is based in Chelmsford, Essex and Sharon

works from a large ome office in t e garden.

She explains inspiration for the podcast came partly from the circumstances resulting from the pandemic. “I started to listen to a lot more podcasts and they seemed a great way to connect with people. I had a lot of ideas and I wanted to bring together guests who would expand on these and add real insight not only

I had a lot of ideas and I wanted to bring together guests who would expand on these and add real insight to arb, but also to the many related areas like climate change, physical and mental health and how people live with trees.

“I also really wanted to reach a wider, non specialist audience. Too often, academics and professionals may have a lot to say but it stays within our sector. Tree Lady Talks is

Sharon and Noel

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FEATURES

all about being interactive and getting these conversations out there.”

Certainly, the podcast wave is growing. er a s one bene t of t e current restrictions and homeworking is that there is now more opportunity to listen to podcasts since more will a e greater e ibilit b ome working.

Globally, there are around 850,000 active podcasts – and that includes Tree Lady Talks.

Many more people in the UK are now listening to them and according to Ofcom, they number around 7.1 million – around half of these have only started to access podcasts in the last two years. It also said that on average, regular podcast users listen to around seven podcasts a week.

Key to the success of the Tree Lady Talks podcasts is Sharon’s husband, Noel, who has a music industry background. “You can have a lot of good ideas, but if the recording is not presented well, then it can be distracting, and you can lose listeners. Noel can spend a day, or longer, editing a podcast but this makes an enormous difference to t e wa it sounds. t s really important to be professional.”

She says that ideas come from a variety of sources, including what’s in the news and social media. “Using social media, such as Twitter and LinkedIn, has been so useful. I’ve found I can put an idea out there and it’s been amazing to then be contacted by experts from all over the world and then I can put together

There is a lot we do well in this country, but the global perspective does much to boost understanding and learning - it’s fantastic that we have this medium to get people thinking and entertain a small group to talk in depth on the chosen topic. There is a lot we do well in this country, but the global perspective does much to boost understanding and learning – it’s fantastic that we have this medium to get people thinking and entertain. Podcasts are here to stay.”

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Catch this content

Tree Lady Talks podcasts include:

Tree Aid Sharon talks to Shireen Chambers, George Bazongo, James Ogilvie and Bell Martin about the work of Tree Aid. The charity, which is focused on tree planting in the drylands of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Niger, helps alleviate poverty and teaches local people invaluable skills.

Shireen is the charity’s chair of trustees, George is director of operations, James is a chartered forester with international experience and Bell is a key fundraiser.

Tree ecology and rare insects Vikki Bengtsson and Xander Johnstone talk to Sharon about conservation topics.

Vikki is an ecologist who trains arborists and has an interest in ancient woodlands, while Xander, known as ‘AntBoy’, is a high school student with in-depth knowledge of nature, particularly the wood ants and endangered invertebrates found in the Scottish highlands.

Nature-based solutions for the city This podcast features Cecil Konijnendijk and Johan Ostberg talking to Sharon about nature and the role of urban trees.

Cecil is a professor of urban forestry at the University of British Columbia, while Johan is an arborist and associate professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp.

Mental health and nature Sharon speaks to three specialists – Matilda van den Bosch, Dr Punam Krishan and Clare Olver – about the therapeutic role of nature for mental health conditions.

Matilda is a physician and has a PhD in landscape planning and public health.

Punam is a doctor, life coach and writer and Clare is programmes manager for the Mersey Forest.

Women in forestry Sharon connects with Lacey Rose and Mima Letts. Lacey is from Labrador, Canada and since graduating with a BSc in Forestry has worked as a professional forester in Ontario. She is also co-founder of networking group Women in Wood.

Mima Letts is assistant forester on the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire and founder of Tree Sparks, which encourages young people to consider careers in the industry.

Caring for London’s trees on an, tree reser ation officer for Islington Council, has 30 years’ experience of working in arboriculture. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the London Tree Officers ssociation and c airs t e lanning working party. Jon talks to Sharon about ow e romotes tree officer careers and best practice in urban tree management.

Meet John Parker of the Arboricultural Association Sharon chats with John Parker, who has a uge interest in romoting t e bene ts of trees. John is technical director at the AA who previously had more than 10 years’ experience in public sector tree management. He is also a chartered environmentalist and chartered arboriculturist and frequently presents at national and international conferences.

Listen to the podcasts at: http://podcast. sharonhosegoodassociates.co.uk. It’s also available on all usual podcast platforms.

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FEATURES

SHOULD

HS2 BE DERAILED? IRREPLACEABLE ANCIENT WOODLANDS ARE THE CASUALTIES OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEW RAIL NETWORK, BUT THE WOODLAND TRUST IS BATTLING ON TO SAVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE

W

here do you stand on HS2?

Perhaps as an arborist you have already, or will be, engaged to do some work on the project?

Or perhaps you are against it and have already joined the protest movement?

HS2 is a high-speed rail network that will provide low carbon transport and improve rail capacity across the country. It is seen as playing an important part in reducing the ‘north/south divide’ and in boosting the UK economy. The project was given the go-ahead by the government this February with work beginning in April and will be delivered in three phases: Phase 1 – London to Birmingham Phase 2a – West Midlands to Crewe Phase 2b West – Crewe to Manchester Phase 2b East – West Midlands to Leeds

of our country’s transport network, the project will be vital in boosting connectivity between our towns and cities.” So, do you agree this will be a major step towards greener travel and a core way of revitalising the economy? Or do you see it as little more than a costly vanity ro ect t at will offer few bene ts in addition to the loss of ancient woodlands.

The Woodland Trust has been campaigning against HS2 for more than 10 years, although it has always emphasised that it supports rail tra el in rinci le as a means to bene t t e environment. According to Dee Smith, the ress officer res onsible for raising awareness

Pros and cons In September, a bullish prime minister, Boris Johnson, said: “HS2 is at the heart of our plans to build back better – and with construction now formally under way, it’s set to create around 22,000 new jobs. As the spine

“Because of HS2, we are losing trees needlessly when we have a nature and climate emergency - and even if there is replanting, it won’t replace what is lost. ome of t e affected woodlands are centuries old, even dating back to the Ice Age

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– damage is occurring on a alarming scale, wit some 0 ancient woods affected.

2 will directl affect some 3 ancient woodlands, with loss of around 57ha. The Woodland Trust has sought over the past decade to keep the topic in the news, bringing on public support, lobbying MPs and also giving evidence in the Houses of Lords, asking for assurances on how damage of the second phase can be mitigated.

The campaign has also focused on keeping the contractors accountable and that they stick to agreed working practices. To date, the Woodland Trust has secured a number

Because of HS2, we are losing trees needlessly when we have a nature and climate emergency - and even if there is replanting, it won’t replace what is lost of successes and in total, the charity’s campaigning has saved around 14ha of ancient woodlands, which is the size of around 22 football elds.

Already, though, the damaging impact of HS2 can be seen, such as in Broadwells Wood

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FEATURES

Is HS2 needed?

Woodlands are not the only reason why HS2 has been on the receiving end of so much negative publicity. Many grapple with the amount being spent on the project. The government has said the budget should be ‘within’ £98bn – the original estimate was £57bn. Costs seem to go up with regularity – most recently, they increased by £800m to cover increased work at Euston station and asbestos removal.

Opponents to HS2 claim it is a ‘vanity project’ and that instead, funds should go

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Feature HS2.indd 25

towards improving roads and rail on a much smaller scale, such as on existing rail links and tackling problem bottlenecks.

Supporters point to the fact that, with HS2, there will be far better commuting times; so, London to Birmingham will take less than an hour. Although, given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact more people may want to continue working from home even when it is over, it should also be questioned whether rail travel will be in demand. It is

invariably leads to another and one of the biggest losers is ancient woodland and the wildlife that relies on it. Just over half a hectare might not sound much but every inch of soil in an ancient woodland is precious.

“When you consider ancient woodland is irreplaceable, accounts for just 2.4% of land cover in the UK, and is probably the richest habitat we have, this will be devastating for the myriad of species that rely on it for survival.”

To date, the Woodland Trust has secured a number of successes and in total, the charity’s campaigning has saved around 14ha of ancient woodlands currently in very limited use, but even in preCOVID times, demand had been dipping.

There is also the argument to say that so much has been spent to date on preparatory works – in excess of £8bn – that walking away is not an option. Others, though, insist that HS2 is simply about throwing good money after bad.

Luci Ryan, lead policy adviser for infrastructure, Woodland Trust, said: “HS2’s catalogue of errors is growing. It’s like a runaway train, gathering momentum and leaving a trail of destruction. One mistake

HS2 is happening and putting the brakes on the project would mean a huge loss of face for the government. So, for those in favour, it should indeed reach completion – although this could take until 2040. For those who remain opposed, then they will undoubtedly continue to ensure their voices are heard on behalf of so many vulnerable trees.

For more information, see: https://www. woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-treesand-woods/campaign-with-us/hs2-rail-link/

Photographs ©WTPL/Philip Formby

in Warwickshire, which is the biggest single loss at 3.2ha during phase 1 of the project.

Developer HS2 Ltd was also responsible for a controversial ‘translocation’ operation where it removed soil from the woodland in a bid to help establish new woods nearby.

But, while HS2 said this would take place in winter when soil and plants are dormant, instead, the developer did this in April, which experts, including the Woodland Trust, said was the wrong time and harmful. Meanwhile in Jones’ Hill Wood, Buckinghamshire, HS2 attempted to start clearing ancient woodland but the discovery of the rare barbastelle bat by independent ecologists means that works have currently paused. This location is also said to be the inspiration for Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox and as the Woodland Trust said: “The story, of course, will live on. The wood, however, will not.”

Last month it was reported that a 250-yearold pear tree in Warwickshire had been felled as part of the HS2 development. The specimen was named England’s tree of the year in 2015 and was situated in Cubbington – it was believed to be the second oldest wild pear tree in the country. Locals said it was a part of the community and many were deeply upset at its destruction. The Department of Transport said: “HS2 Ltd explored all possible options to avoid removing the tree, but due to its age and condition, removal cannot be avoided.”

It added that more than 40 new trees have been grown from cuttings taken from the tree, and the regrown saplings would be planted in the local area, while “the stump and rooting structure will be relocated providing an opportunity for the parent tree to regrow”.

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 25

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FEATURES

ALL ABOUT

THE GALLS THE TEAM FROM BARTLETT TREE PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON THE ABNORMAL GROWTHS THAT ARE COMMONLY SEEN ON OAK TREES

PEST

& D IS E A S E wat c h

O

ak trees can be affected b blister like galls on t eir lea es, of w ic t ere are two causes gall mites or a fungus. On oaks, t e u er leaf is t icall con e and t e lower conca e. lt oug s m toms can a ear to be similar, t e ke feature to distinguis between t e two causes is t at t e mite galls a e a el et like air underside, w ile t e fungus does not.

Identification, biology and management of gall mites ote t at in igure , t e blister s m toms can be seen on t e u er leaf surface, but t ese could be caused b eit er gall mites or fungus. n igure 2, blisters can be seen on t e lower leaf surface of a olm Oak and t ese are caused b gall mites.

igure

igure 2

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Glynn Percival-5.indd 27

all damage on e ergreen oak underside

eaf curl and blistering on e ergreen oak

hat are gall mites all mites also known as erio id mites are minute insects t at are usuall less t an 0.2mm w en full grown. ese mites can cause distincti e abnormal growt s galls on some oaks, alt oug t is often does not affect t e ealt of t e oak. ile t e gall mites feed on lea es, t e e crete a c emical w ic causes t e leaf to distort. e mites suck sa from t e cells lining t e gall structure w ic are more nutritious t an t e unaffected tissue. is can often become wides read as t e mites are so small, t e can tra el long distances b wind.

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FEATURES

The mite shown is the Holm oak felt gall mite, Aceria ilicis (aka Eriophyes ilicis) which is commonly found on Quercus ilex, but has also been recorded on Q. coccifera, Q. macrolepis, Q. rotundifolia and Q. suber.

Oak is not alone in being affected and gall mites can be found on many other trees and shrubs including apple, ash, beech, birch, blackcurrant, broom, elm, fuschia, grape, hawthorn, hazel, maple, lime, mountain ash, plum, raspberry, sycamore, walnut and willow.

How to manage gall mites Gall mites are generally regarded as an aesthetic issue, so their presence is usually tolerated. Direct control of gall mites is difficult, due to their miniscule size and protection within the gall. In light infestations, it may be possible to remove the galls, infested leaves or shoots to stop the mites spreading all over the plants.

If infection is severe, then treating trees with a broad-spectrum insecticide and oil combination has been shown in some, but not all, instances to help. In addition, any treatment applied will not heal or repair existing damage.

Identification, biology and management of oak leaf blister fungus Figure 3 shows the oak leaf blister fungus, with symptoms on the lower leaf surface.

The oak leaf blister fungus (Taphrina caerulescens) is also known as the Tongue fungus and it affects around 50 different species of oak globally.

Oak leaf blister fungus has been recorded occasionally in the UK for many years on Q. robur and Q. petrea. Meanwhile, in around 2003, it was recorded on southern Q. rubra and later appeared to have spread to Q. ilex in 2007.

Blisters appear on the foliage in early summer, scattered over the upper leaf surface.

They turn from yellow to reddish-brown with pale yellow margins, to dull brown with age.

Several blisters may merge and cause entire leaves to curl and the underside becomes grey as the fungus grows.

Heavy infections of oak leaf blister fungus can impair the appearance of a tree, but

28

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Glynn Percival-5.indd 28

Figure 3: Oak leaf blister

Heavy infections of oak leaf blister fungus can impair the appearance of a tree, but research to date indicates that repeated and prolonged infection does not necessarily endanger tree health. research to date indicates that repeated and prolonged infection does not necessarily endanger tree health.

Fungal development is favoured by cool wet spring weather conditions which enhance spore germination on young leaves.

If these conditions prevail, then more severe infection can occur. Whereas if weather conditions are not favourable for spore germination, only minor infection will occur.

As leaves mature, they become more resistant to infection.

Management of the fungus Improving tree vitality by watering, mulching and fertilising with phosphitebased fertilisers may reduce the

degree of blister severity. Cultural methods of control include collection and disposal/burning of leaves.

Dr Glynn Percival is a plant physiologist/ technical support specialist and Luke Hailey is a diagnostician and research technician at Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory. www.bartletttree.co.uk

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10/11/2020 16:08

FEATURES

UNDER PRESSURE THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE NATURE OF HOW WE WORK, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FACING THE ARB SECTOR. LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE CURRENT ISSUES, JONATHAN HAZELL ASKS WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD Home working does not suit all A typical early reaction to the risk of infection in the local planning authority was as with the abandoned Mary Celeste – em t and ec oing offices as everything was shut down and staff sent ome to work and deliver home schooling.

Some IT systems coped and some central policies and purchasing allowed people to either take t eir office e ui ment ome or be issued with laptops. Although the system creaked and groaned, it coped and service levels have mostly been maintained.

I’m comfortable working at home but only too aware that many others used to s are office s ace wit cannot be as effecti e as t e were if working remotely. This can be for reasons of space or competing interests – in contrast, my adult children thrive on being ignored and I do not have a dog. ose in c arge at offices w ere people continue to come in have new challenges, including spacing

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and pinch points. Employees must follow one-way routes, even if these are not in use on transport or shopping centres. Keeping a distance is not always easy, such as when using the printer or in the kitchen and with freedoms curtailed, we gain insight into what it’s like to live in a zoo. Many meeting rooms have also been closed because they cannot meet the new requirements and instead, digital meetings are commonplace, an e erience nd g astl . eanw ile, w ole oors of offices are being mothballed – we will have to see if there are corresponding savings in business rates.

Clients who ask too much On a different tack, m occasionally asked to re-visit an earlier piece of work in the light of new information, perhaps following the advice of another consultant, and generally, I’m happy to oblige and issue a revised report to take account of the variation, without a fee.

However, on occasion, I think of the ‘Oliver’ response – ‘Please Sir, can I have some more?’

What if the original piece of work was sound?

What if the request for a variation has been lodged, say, 18 months after the

original report was submitted to the client for comment and none were forthcoming?

I have, on occasion, sought a second fee and generally my request is accepted, but just occasionally there is an interesting character who raises all manner of objections and resists.

Arguments over who said or

VIEWS JONATHAN HAZELL

Will they ever learn?

Onto my day job and I’m still surprised by the lack of understanding among my core audience (on both sides, the custodian and the consultant) of BS 5837. This is the British Standard for Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction. It’s mandatory to

how can a tree protection plan without dimensions between fixed points and the required control measures actually protect an arboricultural asset? did what can be interminable, but there is also a principle at stake.

I have only been hit with a bad debt on one occasion, but these situations show there can also be bene ts in being aid up front.

comply with this when considering any development project in the vicinity of trees, whether or not planning permission is required.

It’s puzzling when the local planning authority requires a copy of the tree constraints plan when

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10/11/2020 15:41

FEATURES

it’s intended to inform the design process. By the time an application is being considered, and when t e tree officer gets in ol ed as a consultee in t e de elo ment management process, the design s ould be more or less nalised, so why would a tree constraints plan be of any interest?

Indeed, how can a tree protection plan without dimensions between ed oints and t e required control measures actually protect an arboricultural asset? Not e er one as a scale rule tucked in t eir back ocket after all. Surely, a clearl identi ed offset from a ed oint will allow e er one, from t e man on t e s o el to t e enforcement officer, to know w ere t e rotecti e barrier t at makes u t e construction e clusion one

Cutbacks on nature cost dear eaders ma oin me in t e iew that there seems to be a real contradiction in the huge spend on hard infrastructure, such as HS2 or ‘smart’ motorways – and soft infrastructure such as 5G – and what is spent on protecting nature. m at a loss to know w t ese ast ro ects make sense. e can also result in huge swathes of establis ed egetation and connected habitat being destroyed as motorways are widened.

Ot er ad erse im acts must arise at quarries where limestone is wrenched out of the ground and in factories w ere ig le els of lant and machinery are churned out, only to end up in a scrap metal gra e ard somew ere.

there seems to be a real contradiction in the huge spend on hard infrastructure, such as HS2 or ‘smart’ motorways – and soft infrastructure such as 5G – and what is spent on protecting nature is meant to be? And lastly, a tree protection plan should be concise and unfuss . a e seen drawings t at are e ered wit blocks of te t t at a e no lace on suc a drawing.

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Jonathan Hazell-3.indd 30

What is more, I cannot see all t ose in ol ed in doing t is work sur i ing once t e contract is o er. ome egetation clearance contractors a e in ested in uge lants for a s eci c tem orar need – but how many of these pop-up businesses will kee going Ironically, COVID-19 as gi en us t e opportunity to use the outdoors to teach our children about habitat, yet more and more of our green infrastructure is being destroyed e er da .

In short supply It is reassuring for arborists that t eir skills are often in demand, which is not the case for so many ot ers. m also often asked if know of a tec nicall com etent arboriculturist who can help out in the short term, perhaps with sur e ing, or ma be s adowing another. Recently, a number of multi ser ice ractices, as well as national organisations, are seeking to take on more arb staff.

So, are there shortages and why t e lack of a eal in t ese roles t ink some are war of cor orate structure, e en t oug t e are tec nicall er com etent and ard working. ot the tree o cer urt er s ortages e ist in t e ublic sector s ace. know of one local planning authority that used to a e t ree full time officers. e now make do wit 0. of one, anot er aut orit working to a lean agenda as de ned a need for 0.2 to ll t e ost. uc a modest resource makes life difficult. eetings can be ard to arrange and t e officer ma be so embattled t e can onl deli er a reacti e ser ice. is ma mean a ing little o ortunit to learn about the territory and too often it is ust about rus ing to deli er targets. It’s a frustrating situation for all concerned.

Keep your client safe o ing onto rofessional standards, those in arboriculture can be appeasers but this is not always the case. I heard recently of a contentious de elo ment site where a couple of neighbours t oug t not ing of making misc ief for t e de elo er and the local planning authority by contacting any name they could nd in t e lanning er ice almost

daily, with obscure and slightly odd comments and requests for res onses. was orri ed to ear one of t ese indi iduals had directly approached the arboricultural consultant in ol ed wit t e de elo ment, and engaged t em in con ersation, not once but twice. I understand the desire to be seen as friendly, but t is e osed t e de elo er, and the consultant’s fee-paying client, to a signi cant risk and s ould a e been a oided.

A question of balance When young, it was generally felt if one was fortunate to li e with a tree nearby, then they s ould not com lain. rees t at grew, became a nuisance because of s ade, fruit, falling lea es, insects or roosting birds, or e en a ing an im act on rece tion, usuall did not warrant inter ention.

But I see a change of opinion from t e tree was t ere rst to a more pragmatic response. is is a mo e forward as t ere should be three considerations in arboriculture – trees, people and the setting. rotected trees generall get larger as they mature and so they a ear closer, or o er ang more, t an w en a ro ert was rst built or occupied, which can justify inter ention. ut e en if t ere is now more balance, we also hear regularly that many more homes are needed as the population increases. m alone in t inking houses are getting smaller and built with minimal standards? is does not bode well for trees – more homes should not mean a reduction in responsibility to t e en ironment, or indeed t eir future inhabitants.

Jonathan is an arboricultural consultant. jhazell.com

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10/11/2020 15:43

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BUSINESS ZONE | FEATURES

A helping hand with

annual leave FOR THOSE IN PERMANENT WORK, TAKING PAID TIME OFF WORK AS HOLIDAY IS A LEGAL RIGHT – EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC. ALAN PRICE HAS GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS ON THIS KEY ISSUE

T

his year has been like no other thanks to COVID-19 and the resulting national lockdown followed by rising numbers of local ones. The raft of rules and restrictions has impacted on everyone and has also proved devastating for the economy.

But, even if there have been big changes, many workplaces have sought to keep trading.

For those who were able to get away, 2020 will also be remembered as the year of the staycation. Visiting other parts of the UK proved extremely popular, while others simply

employers through the COVID-19 outbreak. re iousl , staff could not carr t e rst four weeks of their statutory leave into their next leave year. It was up to the employer to decide whether they would let the workforce carry their remaining 1.6 weeks, plus any additional leave, over too.

But now, workers can carry up to four weeks of unused leave over into the next two leave years, where it was not ‘reasonably practical’ to take it in this leave year. The government as offered guidance on w at a reasonabl

now, workers can carry up to four weeks of unused leave over into the next two leave years, where it was not ‘reasonably practical’ to take it in this leave year bene ted from rest and rela ation at ome.

For all who have worked on a permanent basis, paid annual leave is a right; but because of the COVID-19 situation, plenty of employees could have accrued weeks of holiday entitlement. owe er, if staff all rus to take t is time off b t e end of t e ear, it could prove impossible for already stressed businesses to manage. So, how should em lo ers andle statutor time off There are a number of possibilities. llo sta to carry o er lea e In March, the government changed the laws on holiday entitlement to help workers and

32

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BZ Annual Leave.indd 32

practical situation might look like, such as if the business becomes extremely busy due to corona irus and t e em lo er cannot afford for staff to take time off until ne t ear.

These new carry over rules gives employees more choice on when to take their holiday. It also means t at rms s ould not end u s ort staffed, es eciall t roug t e festi e season.

Carrying over leave does bring some risks, however. Workers might save their entitlement for the employer’s busiest periods next year, unable to cope with demand. With so much uncertainty, some employers may feel it provides them with more clarity if staff do not carr o er lea e, w ic results in another option. orce sta to take time o m lo ers a e t e rig t to ensure staff take annual leave at a time that suits them, although there is a catch as they must give workers a period of notice that is at least twice as long as t e time t e want t em to take off. o, if the employer wants the worker to take a day off, t en t e must be told at least two da s in ad ance a week off would mean at least two weeks’ notice.

Enforcing leave may be the employer’s right, but if they do this too often, or without good reason, it could crush morale and impact on work standards, so this should be kept in mind. uy back annual lea e m lo ers can offer to a t eir staff full wages for their leftover holiday entitlement, so they come to work instead. However, this is only allowed if the employee has already used

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FEATURES | BUSINESS ZONE

or booked their statutory minimum annual leave allowance. f staff work a e da week, t e must get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave a year including bank olida s t is is e ual to 5.6 weeks of holiday. Employees cannot sell holiday entitlement if that would take them below this minimum.

O erall, it is best to create a strong olic that sets out terms and limits the amount of time an em lo er will bu back, to rotect t em from costl staff dis utes.

What about workers who were furloughed?

The government has stated that workers had the right to build up holiday entitlement while they are on temporary leave – i.e. furloughed. They could also take leave while on furlough.

The employer could also continue to claim a grant under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme when a furloughed worker took annual leave and the holiday pay had to be calculated as normal. owe er, as of 3 October, t e furloug scheme ended and was replaced by a new

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BZ Annual Leave.indd 33

Having software in place, such as from BrightHR, can ensure employers keep track of holidays, calculate entitlement and receive alerts if there are clashes, such as with key staff being off at the same time Job Support Scheme. Provided they meet stated criteria, it a lies w ere staff return to work in iable roles, but on a art time basis – and if they work at least a third of their regular hours.

The employer pays a third of pay and t e go ernment a furt er t ird, u to a ca of £697.92 a month and this will mean employees earn a minimum of 77% of their normal pay.

Guidance on how holiday entitlement will be calculated is awaited but it is currently presumed that holiday will continue to accrue as if em lo ees were working t eir normal, and not reduced, ours and t e will need to be aid at 00 for t eir lea e da s.

This year has shown that managing annual leave can be a tough process – as indeed is

trying to run a business during a pandemic. a ing software in lace, suc as from rig t , can ensure em lo ers kee track of olida s, calculate entitlement and recei e alerts if t ere are clas es, suc as wit ke staff being off at t e same time, including via a smartphone app. it no clear end in sig t, it is ig l apparent that having a support system set up has never made more sense in these exceptionally challenging times.

Alan Price is CEO of BrightHR, HR software and support services for SMEs, and group operations director of Peninsula. www.peninsulagrouplimited.com info@peninsula-uk.com

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 33

10/11/2020 16:18

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14/11/2019 31/07/2019 14:55 11:22

t i K 0 2 0 2 N AUTUM 37 > Meet the Supplier – ECHO Tools The inside story from Matt Wilson of distributor, AriensCo

39 > PPE – protection for pros afet

rst wit t ese great bu s

41 > Timberwolf – Pride of Suffolk Wood chippers that are best of British

44 > Skid steers – Bobcat’s new T450 and T590 en it comes to bigger obs, these are ready for action

47 > Product DNA – Forst’s 8D series e manufacturer s owerful new range is tage com liant

48 > Get into gear

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12/11/2020 15:29

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12/11/2020 14:31

KIT

e h t t e e M supplier

HEAR THE ECHO WITH ITS RECENT LAUNCH OF A NEW CHAINSAW, THE MANUFACTURER IS IN THE NEWS AND CONTINUES TO GAIN A GROWING NUMBER OF ENTHUSIASTIC USERS. PRO ARB SPOKE TO MATT WILSON, UK SALES MANAGER FROM DISTRIBUTOR ARIENSCO populated areas of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What’s your role with ECHO? I work for distributor AriensCo and am responsible for overseeing the UK sales team, of w ic t ere are e area sales managers; they take care of the account management of our UK dealer network.

I’ve worked with ECHO Tools (Yamabiko Corporation) since 1998. AriensCo acquired Countax Ltd in May 2010, which was already distributing ECHO into the UK market. Since the acquisition, the ECHO brand has played a key role in AriensCo’s growth in the commercial arboriculture and horticultural market sectors.

Can you provide some background to the ECHO Tools brand?

ECHO Tools have been manufactured by the Yamabiko Corporation (formerly Kioritz) since the mid-1940s. Yamabiko Corporation merged with Shindaiwa in 2008 and the company has manufacturing facilities across the world, in Japan, USA and assembly plants in China. All components are manufactured in Japan under Japanese quality control, which is synonymous with quality product and components across the globe.

Is the UK an important market for ECHO? Yes, the UK market is hugely important for the ECHO brand and is one of the largest uro ean markets. O er t e ast e years, the brand has gone from strength to strength due to Japanese quality products, which are developed with the operator in mind and are packed with innovations in every product. The ECHO brand is now

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Meet the supplier.indd 37

Is online becoming increasingly important for sales?

The consumer purchasing pattern is de nitel c anging and more users are researching online and occasionally purchasing, more so throughout 2020 with the current pandemic. We do, however, fa our t e s ecialist dealers i as t e offer outstanding after-sales care which online retailers cannot compete with.

With any piece of equipment, regular maintenance is vitally important to ensure your

The ECHO brand is now becoming a major player in the commercial outdoor power equipment (OPE) market becoming a major player in the commercial outdoor power equipment (OPE) market.

Can you describe how the dealership set up works?

Our national dealership network ranges from small family-run businesses all the way up to very large arboriculture, agricultural and horticultural specialists.

These dealers specialise in ensuring the operators have the correct equipment for the tasks they are completing. We have a rapidly expanding network of outlets across the UK, therefore we have ECHO dealers placed in almost all

machinery can operate with any task the user requires it to. When you have the back-up of a local specialist, this allows any user to keep their products in top working order, whenever and wherever they need to. Our ECHO dealers have vast knowledge of the products and their capabilities, so they are able to recommend the right product for the customer, based on their requirements.

CS-7310SX heavyduty petrol chainsaw

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 37

11/11/2020 08:37

KIT

DCS-2500T 50V battery powered top-handle chainsaw

Can you tell us about ECHO servicing?

All ECHO product requires regular maintenance to ensure the operator can perform any task when required. This could be as sim le as a clean air lter, fuel lter and dail maintenance. n annual service is recommended and is required to keep the two-year commercial or e ear domestic warrant .

Is ECHO focused primarily on the professional market?

ECHO tools are designed for the professional market and they go through rigorous testing. owe er, O also manufactures for consumers. All ECHO products have the same ig test regime, ensuring all roducts, both commercial and domestic are of the highest quality. This quality is backed up with industry-leading warranties of two years for commercial or e ears for domestic.

For those arborists new to the ECHO brand, could you describe some of core benefits erformance, commercial durabilit , ualit , and innovation are designed into every ECHO machine. ECHO prides itself in having a worldwide group of professional users who help design products. This allows ECHO to design and innovate industry

38 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Meet the supplier.indd 38

Our ECHO dealers have vast knowledge of the products and their capabilities, so they are able to recommend the right product for the customer, based on their requirements leading features that will play a vital role in the user experience.

What has been the response to the new launch of the largest Echo chainsaw – the CS7310SX? The response to the CS7310SX has been overwhelming – there is a real buzz about it and that’s in just a matter of weeks. This is ECHO’s latest and largest chainsaw in the UK market. We’ve received very positive feedback from commercial users who purchased the saw as soon as it was released, wit comments suc as it is ‘outstanding’ and ‘a masterpiece’.

What tools in the ECHO range are of particular interest to professional arborists and also those ho o er maintenance services? e 25 , 3 2 , 3 0 , 50 , 2 73 0 are all commercial grade chainsaws. We also have a full commercial hedge trimmer line-up

2 20 D long reac articulating edge trimmer, t e 2 0 double sided and 3 0 single sided unit.

ECHO also has a professional range of 50volt battery machines including the brand new D 2500 to andle c ainsaw.

How does ECHO get to know its UK arborists?

Our intention was to repeat our success from attending re ious arborist e ents, but in 2020 this has been curtailed by the pandemic. But we are lucky enough to have some excellent commercial dealers w o work wit our arborist clients, o, when we need to take a new product out to market and obtain feedback, we have plenty of people to speak to. it t e current restrictions, organising events is a little challenging; however in 2021 we would love to get back out to show all the new products from this year and our upcoming 2021 machines. echo-tools.co.uk

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11/11/2020 08:45

KIT

KIT

PPE

PROTECTION

FOR PROS WHETHER WORKING ON THE GROUND OR CLIMBING, QUALITY PPE IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR ARBORISTS

Protect with Arbortec Get ahead with Stihl

STIHL has launched the Advance Vent BT helmet, which allows arborists to be connected while they work.

The helmet has advanced levels of safety for professionals and good noisereduction, while having integrated Bluetooth headphones, which allow the wearer to listen to music or connect to the radio. Using the three control buttons, users can also take hands free calls directly from the headset while working.

The integrated Lithium-ion battery provides up to 38 hours of battery run time from a full charge – it is also easily rechargeable thanks to the USB plug. The helmet features an additional Aux inlet, allowing users to connect further gadgets that cannot be connected via Bluetooth. STIHL has said it has also focused on the wearer’s comfort and the helmet has a low weight of around 380g and optimised balance to reduce fatigue, and for im ro ed isibilit t ere are re ecti e stri s on the top, sides and back. www.stihl.co.uk

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Kit PPE 2 pages.indd 39

e rbor e range from rbortec continues to go from strength to strength, with a new protect line recently launched. The brand is all about e ibilit , since as arborists know – working conditions vary, dependent on aspects such as the weather and safety requirements. rbor e allows arborists to c ange the level of chainsaw protection and style of outer layer whenever the need arises. By having a favourite style of outer skin, a hi-vis style and a storm skin, the wearer is fully prepared for every job without having to own three pairs of chainsaw trousers. What is more, the level of chainsaw protection is easil identi ed b t e coloured buttons and coloured tab. www.arbortec.com

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 39

11/11/2020 16:19

KIT

Bet your boots on Husqvarna

New to the Husqvarna range are the steel-toe Functional Chainsaw Leather Boots 24, which are water repellent, lightweight and suited to tough use.

The boots have a reinforced front and back, provide a high level of stability and increased support. They also feature a padded front tongue and top for comfort. Further features are a TE-POR membrane, which ensures feet are kept dry, a Wibram sole to provide excellent grip and a toe protection overlap.

The boots come in sizes 5.5 to 12 and are approved according to EN ISO 17249:2013. www.husqvarna.com

Hand in glove with ThornArmor

Many arborists have to tackle thorny brambles, branc es and s rubs, articularl if t e also offer garden maintenance services. The ThornArmor 3092 glove provides the solution, allowing workers to pick up and mo e t ese wit out incurring ainful ricks t e offer t e highest cut resistance possible. The gloves are made with three layers of patented ‘SuperFabric’, which results in a puncture-resistant palm lining. This acts as a heavy-duty barrier between hands and thorns/needles. They feature a ‘HexVent’ breathable panel on the back of the glove to help keep hands cool and are available in sizes 5/XXS through 11/XXL. The gloves are manufactured by US specialist HexArmor and distributed in the UK by Uvex Safety. www.uvex-safety.co.uk

Is it time to ‘retire’ your helmet?

Petzl is a favoured brand for climbers and the company recommends that in addition to routine checks for each use, there should also be a detailed inspection by a competent person every 12 months or following an incident, such as a fall, for example. Petzl says any PPE showing degradation should be quarantined and any unexpected cases of this should be reported to the manufacturer. In terms of making visual checks, Petzl says users should compare their helmet with a new product

40 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Kit PPE 2 pages.indd 40

to see how it compares and to ensure there are no modi cations or missing parts. The shell and any ventilation shutters should be checked for any deformation or cracks and the liner should be in good condition – this should also not be removed from the shell. The adjustment system should be in good working condition as should the chin strap. Comfort foams can be removed for washing or replacement if necessary, and any accessories such as face shields must also be part of the inspection.

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

11/11/2020 16:14

KIT

n o S U C O F ERWOLF T IM B C H IP P E R S

JOIN THE PACK

Timberwolf TW 230HB Petrol Wood Chipper

PRO ARB SPOKE TO ANTONY ALEXANDER, TIMBERWOLF’S PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, ABOUT THE BRAND, BUSINESS GROWTH AND WHAT ARBORISTS NEED TO KNOW Can you tell us about your role at Timberwolf and how you came to work for the company?

I joined Timberwolf around two and a half years ago. Previously, I’d spent eight years in a similar role for a garden machinery supplier.

I knew of the Timberwolf brand and how strong it was from seeing the company exhibit and attend various trade shows.

I was ready for a change and moving to work for a family-owned company where the directors were open and approachable appealed, as was the fact I could have more responsibility and scope for creativity.

Do you have a background as an arborist or an interest in this area?

No, I’m a marketing professional. But I really enjoy working with arborists. As a community, the people are so genuine and they love sharing their thoughts and opinions on products and trends within the industry.

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Timberwolf-2.indd 41

What would you say are the main reasons to buy a Timberwolf?

We have a lot of brand loyalty and are renowned for our build quality.

Our customers love the fact that Timberwolf wood chippers have a high residual value, are really reliable and there are no gimmicks. They are also incredibly user-friendly and simple to maintain. All Timberwolf machines come with a three year warranty (which also covers the engine) and we re t e onl manufacturer to offer t e o tion to increase t is warrant to e ears.

Where and how are Timberwolf wood chippers made? e re based in uffolk, and er roud of it too! Our manufacturing technique has parallels to the car industry, with each machine being built in a staged process – known as owline roduction. e com an is based in a purpose-built facility, which

Antony Alexander – product marketing manager means I can easily go and talk to our in-house engineers, those engaged in fabrication or the managing director. As far as possible, we use suppliers based in the UK and around 60% of our components come from within a 100 mile radius. The company is committed to helping support local suppliers too, with more than a quarter located within 25 miles of our Stowmarket factory.

When did the new Timberwolf range launch and what’s been the response?

We launched a range of six new Stage V compliant wood chippers this August. These are six and eight-inch road tow and tracked

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machines, all with Stage V compliant engines and various enhancements. There is particularly strong interest in the TW 230HB diesel ariant, w ic is t e rst diesel owered Stage V wood chipper in its class to remain under 750kg in weight, while the equivalent petrol powered variant now has increased ventilation and an improved exhaust design which reduces the exhaust gas temperatures by up to 150 degrees centigrade.

How would you describe the culture at Timberwolf?

It’s friendly and a great place to work.

The team really care about the quality of the product and while we work hard, we also have fun – so things like company s and c i s and barbecue lunc es are always looked forward to. The company also wants staff to a e a good work life balance where possible, especially right now, with team members working from ome w ere ossible and allowing e ible work patterns.

Timberwolf TW 230HB Diesel Wood Chipper

In June, we launched guidance to explain the rules around road towing, which again is an area t at arborists wanted clari cation on.

Arborists can spend many hours on the road towing their wood chipper, so we explained about transporting, hitching and unloading the right way. Of course, weight is a key factor and if you have a heavier wood chipper then you need an additional towing licence, which can be an unwelcome cost of up to around £1,000. It is reassuring for our customers to know that all Timberwolf sub 750kg chippers stay below this threshold, even when full of fuel. Then, with the launch of our new products in August, we ran a campaign across our social media channels and email database and received some amazing feedback from our customers on the line u u dates.

42 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Timberwolf-2.indd 42

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As far as possible, we use suppliers based in the UK and around 60% of our components come within an 100 mile radius

What are your thoughts on social media – is this important for Timberwolf?

It certainly is, and it’s a place where you can be reall imaginati e and t oug t ro oking.

Our marketing team loves to post updates about our wood chippers as well as share posts from Timberwolf owners and users. We also follow arborists on social media, as it’s a great wa to nd out about working ractices, trends and sentiment within the industry.

I’m confident we are well placed to deal with the changes and there will continue to be strong demand for quality British products How important is communicating with your arborist customers?

It’s really important. We always enjoy attending events and we are deliberate about not hard selling – it’s about getting feedback from customers and nding out what they want in a wood chipper, so our stand is a relaxed place where arborists can join us for a drink and a chat. Many of the shows we would have attended this year have been cancelled, so we’ve used online c annels to continue a two wa conversation with our audience.

imberwolf

Timberwolf is a successful exporter – do you have concerns about Brexit?

Export is an important and growing part of our business. It accounts for around 50% of our production, and not only to Europe but also furt er a eld including to t e ar ast and Australia. Brexit has happened, so our focus is to be as well prepared as possible once we leave the European Union. It certainly helps that our managing director, Chris Perry, is a member of Make UK, so he is in close contact with what progress is being made. I’m con dent we are well laced to deal wit t e

changes, and there will continue to be strong demand for quality British products – we are looking forward to the future.

How has Timberwolf coped with the pandemic? e a e co ed er well wit t e effects of t e O D andemic and reacted uickl to ensure we im lemented a O D safe’ working environment to protect our staff as soon as ossible. e made some modi cations to our working ours, but in most cases our manufacturing staff could keep working and still maintain a safe distance. Team members who did not need to be in t e office worked e ibl and often from home. We are very fortunate in that we’re busier than ever with a full order book, and so recently took on 12 new members of staff wit ambitions to grow furt er.

What are your thoughts on buying new versus second-hand?

Of course, it’s always great if you’re a business owner to be able to buy new and bene t from a ing t e latest tec nolog and a long warrant . or t ose starting out in the industry, used equipment can make sense in terms of affordabilit . ere is a er strong market for Timberwolf used wood chippers and we have a large network of aut orised dealers w o su l ualit re owned machines, which they are able to support with an extensive supply of genuine spare parts. We’ve built over 15,000 wood chippers, so there are a lot of ‘wolves’ out there!

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

12/11/2020 10:44

PROTECTOR

FOREST 2.0 New class 2 arborist boot

High quality functional footwear for WORK & LEISURE!

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Available from your dealer and at the HAIX® webshop www.haix.co.uk

Biomass Chippers Firewood Processors Log Splitters Kindling Machines Timber Trailers And More

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12/11/2020 11:56

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A

rborists wanting to take on larger jobs and who need the ability to clear larger areas need to consider whether they should invest in a skid steer loader.

Among the newest launches is the recently launched Bobcat M-Series, comprising the S450, S510 and S530 Stage V skid-steer loaders. The range has now been extended with addition of two tracked models – the T450 and T590 compact track loaders – which are also both Stage V compliant.

The T450 and T590 are now powered by the new Bobcat D24 Stage V high torque diesel engine, designed s eci call for the manufacturer’s compact equipment and based on a proven design installed in thousands of Bobcat machines worldwide.

They follow on from all new M-Series loaders and provide operators with increased performance, enhanced comfort and optimised maintenance requirements.

Noise levels have been reduced for both bystanders and operators and vibrations lowered signi cantl . e rst engine oil service interval has also been extended to 500 ours, and im ro ed fuel ltration means less fre uent lter re lacements and reduced running costs. Additionally, new DPF after-treatment technology works automatically without any interaction during normal operation. e are also among t e rst models in t e Bobcat compact equipment range in Europe to have the company’s new machine styling scheme, which now includes 3D decals.

The new Bobcat D24 Engine – with Bosch Fuel Injection System – improves overall machine performance, while meeting Stage V emissions regulations. Moreover, the engine power to weight ratio has been optimised in both of the T450 and T590 loaders.

They also feature the previously optional delu e control anel as standard, offering a c oice of different languages and telematics to protect the machines and to monitor their performance. The panel also reduces the risk of misuse thanks to the keyless function.

According to Jiri Karmazin, product manager (loaders) at Doosan Bobcat: “Skilful design work by our engineering

A STEER K I T in the right BOBCAT direction

BOBCAT’S NEW T450 AND T590 STAGE V COMPACT TRACK LOADERS ARE STAGE V COMPLIANT AND READY TO WORK

team has ensured that even with the Bobcat Stage V engine incorporated, the same small dimensions and lift arm patterns are maintained on the new versions of the T450 and T590 compact track loaders. This ensures a truly compact size and low weight, so they can work and manoeuvre easily in tight spaces and be easily transported.”

Cutting edge The manufacturer has launched a new cutter attachment for use on the skid steer and tracked loaders. The FRC150ST is manufactured almost entirely from Hardox, wit a new ed motor offering greater out ut and efficienc . t offers a new, lig ter .5m drum, e ui ed wit 30 ed carbide teet , new hose routing and greater performance and manoeuvrability.

Noise levels have been reduced for both bystanders and operators and vibrations lowered significantly 44 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Skid steers Bobcat.indd 44

Other new features include three rows of counter cutter, an adjustable push bar con guration, reinforced c ain rotection system at the back, a HD belt cover, adjustable skid shoes, a debris and seal application kit, an automatic drum brake system, an ACD Control system and patented ed knife rotor wit tungsten carbide ti s.

The cutter mulches trees and underbrush in minutes, leaving a carpet of mulch behind when clearing. The variable front gate can be adjusted to provide the coarseness or neness of mulc as re uired. t is suited to a number of jobs such as in clearance work and perimeter facilities maintenance.

The cutter is designed for continuous work on bushes and trees 100 to 120mm in diameter, intermittent use for trees with a diameter from 150 to 200mm and occasional use on trees 220 to 260mm in diameter. ll functions can be ngerti controlled from the loader’s operator seat. www.bobcat.com

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10/11/2020 17:07

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Visit our website for all our product information www.meshsafetyglasses.com marshalllogging.co.uk sales@marshalllogging.co.uk 01254 377 467 llogging.co.uk Visit our website for all our website for all our product information ct information Tel: 01892 770 788

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. mob: tel: 01892 770788 12/11/2020 16:38 078

BECAUSE WE CARE...

SWEDISH QUALITY

ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR STAFF. WE CHOOSE THE RIGHT FUEL.

Arborists / Crew Leaders Plant Healthcare Technicians We have opportunities for experienced Arborists for our offices in the UK and Dublin to work in teams undertaking a wide variety of tree work and plant healthcare services.

Find your Aspen dealer at www.aspenfuel.co.uk

Advert template.indd 39

For more information call Sarah Maddox on 07850 649443 or apply via the website at www.bartlett.com/careers

EVERY TREE NEEDS A CHAMPION. The F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company

12/11/2020 15:40

KIT

FORST

OFF THE BLOCKS THE MANUFACTURER’S NEW 8D WOOD CHIPPER SERIES LOOKS SET TO ATTRACT YET MORE SUPPORTERS

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The Forst 8D Series

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orst’s 8D series brings Stage V compliant diesel engine technology to t e arborist communit , offering a range of wood chippers with increased power and performance.

The original Forst 8 Series gained many supporters for its performance, build quality and simplicity before becoming the best-selling 8” wood chipper in the UK and Europe. The new model incorporates a 55hp Doosan diesel engine, which is 10hp up on the previous model in the 8” wood chipper category.

The 8” x 10” capacity wood chipper comes wit t e standard orst bene ts including orst ri feed rollers, offering e cellent

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Product DNA FORST.indd 47

crushing power, the ‘Open Flywheel’ system and ‘AutoIntelligence’ stress control.

The engine, meanwhile, has a large amount of torque, delivering more chipping speed and efficienc to make lig t work of an t e of timber and brash up to 8” in diameter. e D series also bene ts from robust construction, featuring strengthening supports and gussets in t e areas t at are most likel to be damaged, with all-steel panels, large ‘C’ section and oversized bearings throughout.

Contractors can select from wheeled and tracked models and des ite now a ing several new design features, it still weighs in at 50kg for t e D, 00kg for t e D and

2250kg for t e D. e road going ersion is easily towed and has heavy-duty running gear, full braked c assis and andbrake.

The series is designed and built in the UK and is available to buy direct from the manufacturer, which is headquartered in Andover, Hampshire.

Forst is Europe’s largest woodchipper manufacturer and it provides a service network staffed b its own eo le it also as a network of a ro ed ser ice artners across t e . orst is a brand of edwood Global and every new wood chipper sold comes with a three-year warranty. www.forst-woodchippers.com

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 47

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WEAR IT WELL LOOK GOOD IN CLOTHES THAT ARE DURABLE AND IDEALLY SUITED TO THOSE WHO LOVE BEING OUTDOORS

Stihl

Stihl produces a wide range of casual clothing and merchandise for men, women and children, including: an urban collection; another for those who support its sponsored timber sports; and its strong roots collection, which taps into the brand’s history – with a number of new items launched this year. lot ing items include t s irts, oodies, sweats irts, shorts and caps. Shown is a men’s soft shell jacket, with a stepped shoulder section, orange accents on the hood and side pockets, along with the Stihl ElastoStart zipper. www.stihl.co.uk

Husqvarna

Husqvarna Xplorer is the manufacturer’s new leisurewear collection, aimed at those who enjoy being outdoors.

It features clothing, accessories and bags, including warm items for autumn and winter, all made in resilient materials.

These include shell jackets for women and men with matching outdoor trousers. Shown is the women’s jacket in purple, which is in a breathable, water resistant and e ible four wa stretc fabric, wit features including padded mobile pocket and hidden ventilation under sleeves. e trousers in gre or ur le are also in four wa stretc material on t e knee and seat, toget er wit re bent knees for optimum comfort and mobility and they have an adjustable waist and trouser length The men’s jacket comes in forest green and is waterproof with a remo able ood and re bent sleeves for mobility and comfort.

It has padded chest pockets and ad ustable air ow under t e slee es.

The matching outdoor trousers in grey and green have side vents with adjustable ventilation. www.husqvarna.com

48 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Kit Casual wear.indd 48

WWW.PROARBMAGAZINE.COM

10/11/2020 15:48

KIT

F OECEUNMSECoHn’S GR EVO R A N G E

The EVO evolves LAST YEAR GREENMECH LAUNCHED ITS EVO 165 AND, SINCE THEN, FURTHER DEVELOPMENT HAS CREATED A RANGE TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF ALL ARBORISTS

F

rom the beginning of the development process, GreenMech introduced the EVO 165 with the aim of creating the most industry-driven woodchipper series available for professional arborists.

Developed as a successor to its wellestablished Arborist and Arb Trak chipper ranges, the EVO has proven itself to deliver the increased bite, torque and throughput that the industry demands. Since the original EVO 165D came to market less than 18 months ago, the evolution has continued with a tracked variant, 45hp limited edition models and most recently, a sub-750kg petrol machine joining the line-up.

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The concept The EVO concept combines new features with a number of GreenMech’s proven innovations. A wide infeed chute, together with twin horizontal rollers and the manufacturer’s ‘No-Stress’ control system mean the EVO 165 efficientl gri s timber and bras and controls its lateral movement to provide maximum bite and unparalleled processing power via its new, ea dut w eel and re owed e it c ute.

Together with improved performance, the aspects of safety, durability and ease of maintenance have also come under the s otlig t. reen ec as tted t e O wit a new oating safet bar s stem to minimise nuisance tri ing w ile offering a better in ow of material.

Durability has been maximised with the adoption of a one-piece fabricated chassis that provides greater strength, including in demanding operational conditions. When maintenance is required, the vertical and horizontal shear bars have been re-engineered to be more accessible and a centralised greasing point has been introduced to make regular servicing easier to carry out.

Stage V It was also critical to consider the implications of the future Stage V Emissions legislation, with the transition period due to end in June 2020 but now delayed for 12 months. This saw GreenMech optimise the design to use the Kubota 25hp diesel engine to provide

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maximum performance for the diesel applications, with the proven 37hp Briggs & Stratton Vanguard to hand for the petrol option. Noise, too, was another major factor with the combination of a steel bonnet and an additional under-bonnet fan making the EVO the quietest chipper available in the UK. With the spec complete, its original introduction as a road-tow unit was swiftly followed in t e autumn of 20 b t e ed track EVO 165DT – sharing the same diesel engine as the road-tow variant, with the addition of twindri e ori ontall e tending tracks. rst for t e GreenMech portfolio, the horizontal extension system provides ground clearance of 194mm and a tracking speed of 3.2kph to provide the operator with optimal manoeuvrability and stability over rough ground. It also features a “Track or Chip” switch and folding operator platform for the ultimate in safety.

Limited editions While already delivering the most aggressive performance within its portfolio, GreenMech further enhanced this with the introduction of the 165D-45 Limited Edition (LE) models in spring 2020. The larger 45hp Kubota Turbo Diesel engine means that up to seven tonnes of material can be processed per hour, making it one of the most productive machines in its category. Available for a limited period on both the road-tow and tracked versions, the EVO 165D-45LE is fully compliant for sale, operation and re-sale under Stage V Emissions Regulations.

A new sub-750kg option As the restriction around the 750kg towing regulations become a growing consideration for many arborists and contractors,

Developed as a successor to its well-established Arborist and Arb Trak chipper ranges, the EVO has proven itself to deliver the increased bite, torque and throughput that the industry demands manufacturers are responding to produce machinery that complies with the limit. reen ec offers a large ortfolio of sub 750kg machines, in a range of chipping capacities, with the EVO 165P SUB-750 becoming the latest in that collection – incorporating all the proven EVO performance within a smaller, lighter package.

To meet the requirements of even more of today’s arborists, the brand-new EVO 165P SUB-750 retains many of the key features of the series including a wide infeed chute, twin horizontal rollers, allsteel bonnet and heavy-duty w eel combined wit a 37 Briggs & Stratton Vanguard petrol engine. To bring the machine into the sub-750kg bracket, the 165P SUB-750 features a redesigned chassis – rigorously tested to ensure durability – and alterations to its construction and s eci cation, without any detriment to its overall performance.

50 Pro Arb | Autumn 2020

Feature Greenmech.indd 50

Disc blade advances The EVO collection comes with four of reen ec s uni ue disc blades er w eel, ro en to deli er signi cant cost and time savings to the operator. Because only onethird of the blade’s circumference is in use at any one time, each blade can be turned twice when required to the next unused section before re-sharpening is required.

This equates to up to 150 hours of chipping or approximately four times the working life of conventional straight blades.

Because the round blades ‘slice’ rather than ‘chop’, they’re not only more tolerant to typical contaminants such as stones or nails, they’re also quieter in operation than straight knifetype blades. Once sharpened on the rear face, no additional adjustment of the distance between the anvil and blade is required.

Together with disc blade technology, the EVO collection as standard is covered by a ‘no quibble’ three-year parts and labour warranty supported by its UK-wide dealer network. www.greenmech.co.uk

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10/11/2020 16:57

IN THE KNOW

PLAY YOUR

CARD RIGHT IT’S TIME TO DITCH PLASTIC AS A DEBIT CARD MADE OF WOOD, THAT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS TREE PLANTING, IS POISED FOR LAUNCH

A

rborists who want to do their bit towards climate change may want to consider putting a TreeCard in their wallets. The wooden top-up debit card uses a large art of its ro ts generated from merchant transaction fees to plant trees.

There is no need to switch banks and the card can be applied for online now – a waiting list has been set up and cards will be sent out early in 2021. The cards are free to use, although a shipping cost will be imposed of around £2.30 – however, this will be wai ed for t e rst 100,000 who sign up.

Treecard is being launched in conjunction with Ecosia, a search engine that donates around 0 of its ro ts from advertising revenues to nonro t organisations t at focus on reforestation. Ecosia, which is based in Germany, has a minority stake in the business and is providing the seed funding to support the launch and will be the tree planting partner.

Treecard was the idea of Jamie Cox, a 23-yearold entrepreneur, who started using Ecosia at university. “I like the idea that everyday actions can be a force for environmental and social good. The trigger came from my mum, who has used Ecosia to plant

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4,000 trees. She said she wished she could attach Ecosia to her bank card to plant trees. She was just saying it as a daydream, but I thought her dream was a genius idea.”

The target The aim is to get at least 100,000 people on board and potentially with these numbers, this could fund the planting of six million trees. Meanwhile, on a smaller scale, the company estimates that for every £45 spent, TreeCard will be able to plant and care for a tree to ensure it survives beyond three years in an area threatened by deforestation.

TreeCard will make use of Ecosia’s global network of tree-planting NGOs. Funds raised will go directly into established projects, supporting partnerships with tree planters

hat ree ard o ers n a to track s ending, s ilt bills ith friends and monitor ho many trees the user has lanted otifications each time a transaction is made ontactless ayments su orts le ay, ndroid ay and amsung ay ard free ing ank le el security ses Mastercard roduced from cherry ood and recycled lastic bottles

and fast-tracking planting in remote regions of the world. Ecosia currently has 38 projects across 25 countries.

The company is based jointly in London and Berlin so that it can operate in the UK and EU. It will be launching in the US as well as a number of EU markets over the next 12 months.

Jamie adds that further down the line, he also has an ambition to launch a challenger bank that has the environment and et ical nance at its eart.

Pro Arb | Autumn 2020 51

10/11/2020 15:33

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