ARBORICULTURAL
5 ARBORICULTURAL
CONSIDERATIONS YOU
SHOULD MAKE
BEFORE STARTING YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN
PROJECT
Swelling and shrinking of clay
subsoil
Before undertaking any groundwork
on a landscape design project, it’s
crucial to consider the trees on
the site and how they will impact
the design and construction going
forward. Tree decay
Conducting tree surveys and
creating tree constraints plans
are amongst the first tasks you
should carry out to ensure your
project runs smoothly. However,
before this stage, there are several
arboricultural considerations you
should make. Decaying trees can pose a risk to
nearby buildings and wildlife if
they fall, so it’s crucial to consider
this before starting your landscape
design project.
Tree preservation orders
If there are trees on the designated
construction site, you will need to
make sure that they are not protected
by a tree preservation order.
Tree preservations orders legally
prohibit the cutting down, uprooting
and overall damage to protected
trees. Doing so can result in fines of
up to £20,000.
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www.landud.co.uk
Tree decay is not always visible to
the naked eye, so you might need
professional assistance to assess the
structural condition of the trees on
your plot.
Tree roots & root protection
areas
If you’re planning on keeping
existing trees on your plot, you
should outline a root protection
area to ensure the survival of the
retained trees.
When creating your landscape
design, root protection areas should
be clearly outlined around the trees
that are to be retained. This means
that the roots will not be disturbed
by any groundwork going forward.
Trees can indirectly and directly
cause damage to local structures.
Clay soils are made up of a large
proportion of water, and if there are
trees nearby they can absorb this
moisture and affect the stability and
levelling of the ground.
This can cause issues if there are
already trees on the site, and if
you’re looking to plant trees in the
future.
Wildlife & natural beauty
Not only do trees provide oxygen
and shelter for local wildlife, but
they’re also a source of natural
beauty and help to improve the
quality of life in surrounding areas.
If your local council also recognises
these benefits, it’s likely that the
trees on your site will be protected
by a tree preservation order.
However, this is still something that
you should consider before starting
construction as the trees could help
your project rather than hindering it.
www.treesurveyexpert.co.uk
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