Tree inspection process

Guiding principles

The following guiding principles inform our approach:

• Old trees are not necessarily more prone to failure than young trees.
• Hollowing is not an automatic indication that a tree is dangerous.
• The presence of fungal bodies is not an automatic indication that a tree is dangerous.
• Dead wood is an important natural resource that should be left wherever possible.
• Crown reduction can be used to reduce the risk of tree failure
• Dead trees should be reduced rather than felled when appropriate.
• Limbs or felled timber should be left in situ wherever possible.
• Risks can sometimes be managed reasonably using options other than remedial action on trees.
• Stumps should be left where possible.
• In practice it is never possible to eliminate all danger.

Legal obligations

The borough has a range of legal responsibilities arising from the management of its extensive tree stock under various Acts of Parliament, (see Table 4 on the appendices webpage) including the duty to:

• Avoidance of harm to people or their property while occupying or visiting borough land.
• Avoidance of harm to people or property on land adjacent to borough land
• Avoidance of harm to those on the public highway (including other rights of way).
• Regulation of woodland management and tree felling.
• Protection of woodland and trees of special amenity and cultural importance.
• Protection of wildlife species and their habitats.