It goes without saying that trees can very easily cause a lot of damage – especially if they were to fall directly on to delicate telecommunications equipment! They also pose a threat to anyone who may be visiting the site at the time. That’s why when we visit a site to remove any fallen trees or overgrown vegetation, we inspect the area around the site to ensure no other trees could potentially cause any problems in the near future.

Fallen trees have also been known to damage surrounding fences, protecting the site from entry from thieves. Once the perimeter of a mobile phone mast site has been compromised, it allows free rein to those looking to raid the site for valuable items such as equipment and metal items.

Our specialist tree-felling contractors use large-scale specialist equipment including tracked chippers from 8″ in feed to hiab fed whole chippers capable of processing vast volumes per hour, diggers, robotic mulchers, forestry mulchers, and tractors.

UK Air Comms undertake thorough site surveys and back up our findings with photographic evidence. This imagery is presented as part of our Digital Twins that we produce for Remote MSV’s to the telecommunications industry. Prices are calculated based on the size of the job at hand and are provided to the client in a timely manner. Some problematic sites that are located in heavily-forrested areas of the UK are surveyed more regularly.

So how do you tell if a tree is dangerously big or in risk of falling?

Roots

Have the roots of your tree been cut out to make room for something? In a storm or when the earth around them is saturated with water, trees with damaged or incorrectly pruned root systems are more likely to tumble over.

Do you notice tree roots growing near the surface of the soil? Shallow surface roots can develop as a result of insufficient irrigation that does not penetrate deep enough into the soil to support tree roots, and shallow roots will not anchor your tree as securely as deep roots will.

Is the ground level around the tree, or do you see any signs of heaving or soil cracks? When a tree’s roots on one side rot or are damaged, it often begins to tilt. Raised or disturbed soil on one side of the tree is one of the earliest symptoms of leaning (where roots are starting to pull out of the ground).

Bark

Look for the following indicators of tree damage that could indicate a potentially hazardous tree:

• Soft, sunken, swollen, or wet bark fissures regions of missing bark patches of bark that appear soft, sunken, swollen, or wet
• When a deep crack runs through the tree’s interior, it usually means the tree is already deteriorating.
• Branch breakage is increased by cankers (sunken spots in the bark produced by trauma or disease).

You’ll know you’re watching degradation in action if you see mushrooms sprouting on the bark.

Branches

Large branches should droop and divide into little branches and twigs, and the branch structure of a tree should be evenly dispersed throughout its stem.
All the way to the branch tips, the branches should be covered in lush, green leaves.

Dead or damaged branches are especially important to look for because they can fall to the ground at any time!

Also, be particularly cautious if you discover any dead limbs that have broken off and are still trapped or hanging in the tree.
This is why they’re dubbed “widow-makers.”

If any of the following signs are visible, then it may be time to get in touch with us to arrange a specialist vegetation management contractor to visit the site.

• In the forest canopy, a broken branch is dangling.
• There are some dead branches, especially those that are larger than 4″ in diameter (these can do extensive damage when they fall)
• The tree’s bark has several deep cracks or splits, or a major branch has a deep crack.
• On the trunk, branches, or root flare, there are massive, decaying regions.
• The tree is swaying to one side.
• Over half of the roots have been cut or damaged.
• A huge branch is dangling over your house, patio, or roadway, for example.

Arborists are skilled individuals who can:

• Determine the type of tree.
• Recognize any current or potential tree risks.
• Insect pests and fungal diseases must be identified and diagnosed.
• Pruning trees helps to prevent tree damage, promotes growth, and removes dangerous branches.
• Give accurate information on when a tree should be saved and when it should be removed.

Our tree felling and vegetation management contractors are fully insured up to £10 million and are fully trained and qualified to undertake any tree felling or vegetation management services throughout the UK. For additional peace of mind to our clients, they are approved forestry contractors and have years of experience in clearing vegetation from telecoms sites.