The following generic guidance has been produced in partnership with our arboriculture partners Hayden’s Arboricultural Consultants.

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This general guidance has been provided for implementation on a generic basis. The advice of a arboricultural consultant must be sought where necessary.

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Annual requirements

• All newly planted trees to be subject to regular inspection in accordance with the following principles:

  • Monitor woodland for incidents of pests, diseases, pathogens and potential hazards to site users;

  • Works to be undertaken within the principle of ‘minimum intervention’ and should seek to improve wildlife habitat;

  • Retention of deadwood on site where it is safe and practicable to do so;

• Corrective tree surgery and fell dead or unstable trees retaining 4m standing deadwood poles where safe to do so.

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Years 1-4

• All planted areas to be managed by the strimming of nettles, brambles, and other weeds twice yearly in May and late July.

• During hot periods (June to September) all newly planted standard trees each to be watered fortnightly with 50 litres of clean, fresh water.

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Year 5

• All newly planted trees to be subject to formative pruning to remove any foreseeable defects and prevent avoidable management issues.

• Any newly planted stock which has failed, become damaged or died to be replaced with stock sizes to match the original specification.

• Any replacement trees to be subject to the maintenance requirements set out in above for a further 4 years.

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Years 10, 15 and 20

• Thinning works to be undertaken to remove lower quality and potentially problematic, self-sown specimens if necessary to provide improved growing conditions for newly planted trees.