Frequently Asked Questions

We can advise on what works are likely to be acceptable to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) and we are happy to make applications to them for any tree works within a Conservation Area and to tree(s) protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) under the Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.  Protection is also often afforded to trees in new developments under Planning Conditions – which are contained in the original Planning Permission.  We can write a letter to the Council detailing what works a client would like done and the arboricultural reasons for doing them.  Councils have 6-8 weeks to make a decision however they often come back sooner for trees in Conservation Areas.

We can help when a client has received a letter from a Council’s Area Roads Manager.  This usually relates to overhanging foliage causing an obstruction over a carriageway and footway which is a breach of Section 91 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.  We can crown-lift trees over the footway and carriageway to the specified heights and clear traffic signs, street lights and traffic signals.

Dutch Elm Disease (DED) is caused a fungus (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) which is spread by the Scolytus Beetle.  During the summer months the female beetle feeds in the upper crown of the Elm tree.  This infects the tree’s vascular system with the DED fungus and the affected branches look withered and yellow.  The Council’s inspectors may notice this sign of the disease and mark the tree for felling and send a letter with plan.  If you contact us soon enough we can remove the affected branches (and treat the final pruning would with fungicide) which is sometimes successful and can save a large tree removal bill.  It is important for the tree to be removed before the following spring (when the beetle starts flying again) otherwise the dead bark in the tree is used as a breeding site for the next generation of Scolytus beetle.  We can provide a cost for the removal of a diseased tree promptly including the debarking of the stump.  The tree can either be burnt on site or if this is impractical we chip the  branches and burn the timber off site to conform with biosecurity protocols.

We’d be delighted to help!  If you email or phone the office Mandy will book a site meeting with Andrew and at no cost he can have a look at your trees and quote for any work required.  Andrew has over 20 years experience undertaking tree risk assessments.  Our team is able to identify defects in your tree(s) which are usually structural defects or issues caused by the presence of wood-decay fungi (which we can identify) or defects caused by poor ground conditions or other pathogens.  So we can identify these hazards and assess the risk i.e. the likelihood of failure, the size of the part that might fail and the consequences of that failure.  We put all of this information together and consider the tree species and come up with an action plan and costing.

This is a common question asked by owners of trees in urban areas, especially when the trees are near housing.  We’d be happy to visit the tree and discuss the best and most cost-effective course of action with the owner.  Sometimes the tree is simply in the wrong position and if it is a large forest species with a large growth potential then the best thing to do might be to remove the tree and replant with a smaller species in a different position.  This is often cheaper than undertaking cycles of pruning over many years.  Many people think that the best thing is to top the tree; however this is not current best arboricultural practice under BS 3998:2010 ‘Tree Work – Recommendations’ and therefore Councils will not allow trees to be topped in Conservation Areas or carried out on TPO protected trees.  Topping severely weakens trees, it causes extensive decay, it can rot the roots causing stability problems, it can actually speed up its growth and it looks very ugly.  However sensitive crown-reduction options can be considered, for example shortening some branches back from a house etc. Please call us to arrange a visit!  We will be happy to discuss the options available.

This is a very common reason for tree removal in Edinburgh, especially if the wall is large and it is sufficiently unstable to be posing a safety risk to users of a public footway, for example.  Also it is common for a neighbour to insist on the removal of a tree and wall repairs or rebuilding.  When public safety is the issue Councils will usually not hesitate to agree to the removal of the tree, especially if the wall is listed; albeit there has to be absolutely no doubt that it is the tree that is causing the damage.  Damage to walls by trees is usually the result of direct contact with the lower bole or buttresses or root crown (increasing in girth) and increased pressures on the wall by soil or other incompressible materials.  The Council will usually consider the growth potential of the tree; i.e. the likelihood of further damage.  We have been involved in situations where the tree is so special that the stonemason has managed to create a ‘bridge’ in the wall but this can’t always be done.  If the wall is being completely rebuilt, we often request that the wall is removed before the tree removal operation to 300mm below ground level so we can grind back the face of the stump to allow the wall to be rebuilt on its original line.  Please get us out to do an assessment!

Yes you can but there is a lot to consider first.  It is helpful if you can discuss your requirements with your neighbour at the very start on a friendly basis.  Many people phone our office and say it is their right to cut off all branches overhanging their boundary (or all roots coming over their boundary) and when can we do the work!  Whilst we are not lawyers, I believe that this is in fact a Common Law right.  However there are serious problems with this:

1. Even with the longest pole-saws, loppers and ladders it is nearly impossible to prune back overhanging branches of tree to an acceptable standard under BS 3998:2010.  It might be possible with a work platform, if access allows, however it is often much better to climb the tree using rope access systems.  However if we are in the tree we are on the tree owner’s land and we need permission for this…which may not be forthcoming!
2. If we were to prune a tree back to the boundary line it is likely that this would damage the tree; and if the tree is in a Conservation Area or it is a TPO tree then the Council are duty bound to consider legal action against that person under the Town & Country Planning Acts.
3. If the tree dies or is so badly damaged by the pruning work then the Council will expect the owner of the tree to remove it and plant a replacement.  The owner of the tree is then likely to sue the neighbour for damages.
4. Any prunings have to be offered back to the owner of the tree; who could reject them and insist that the neighbour disposes of them.

Please give us a call and we can come out, look at the situation with you and advise on the best way forward.

This is a frequently asked question!  The simple answer is that our fully qualified team undertake dangerous work.  Initial training and refresher training is expensive and there are many qualifications to be assessed on.  Not only must we comply with Health & Safety requirements, which is costly and time-consuming on a daily basis, we also have the cost of liability insurance.  Servicing and repairs and running costs of our large machinery also uses up a large amount of our budget.  Needless to say our on-going commitment to staff training and development, H&S, machinery and insurance ensures that you can be sure of a skilled, committed and professional tree work operation from Frontier Forestry Ltd!

Generally speaking trees can be pruned at any time of year however there are quite a few exceptions.  For example pruning Birches and Walnuts in summer can cause excessive bleeding.  It is best not to prune Elm trees in summer as the pheromones from the cuts can attract the Scolytus beetle which carries the Dutch Elm Disease fungus.  It is best to prune trees of the genus Prunus in summer as the high gum production reduces the likelihood of Silver Leaf Disease.  We can give you advice on your particular tree and consider the pruning required.

First of all, thankyou very much!  We will write to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to ascertain the existence of Planning Constraints – e.g. Conservation Area, TPO or Planning Conditions.  Once the LPA has replied with the permission we are able to book in a date for the work.  Before the team arrive on site it is essential that any Client Conditions specified in our quote are carried out; e.g. clearing access, moving breakables, speaking to neighbours etc.  We would organise parking suspensions with the Council and formal traffic management if required.  Once the work is completed to your satisfaction we will issue an invoice with 30 days to pay.