Clear a few small trees over a bridleway was the brief !! Alex enjoying some sunshine

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30 plus tree guards were erected in Longleat over the last week to protect young trees from all sorts of wildlife !! I think it is fair to say everyone has had enough of this wet weather now ! To check out all the Tree Services we offer, please follow …

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They say a picture is worth “one thousand words”.   200 signs were erected last week;   I do not think any explanation is required!  

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Replacement of a hedge damaged by a lorry which came off the road during a storm in Wilsford in the Vale of Pewsey. We used a mix of native hedging including hawthorn and field maple as well as planting some oak trees. Work completed by the BNG team.

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Another site clearance job finished in time for a move to the next project on Monday. The Vosch grapple comes into its own  – see the video of it in action below….     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94sU8PJ8eKw

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Our Takeuchi TB230 Compact has been busy this week!  Fitted with a rotating grab makes the moving of brash in a tight woodland a smooth operation, stacking it ready for chipping See our PDF here for more details on the Takeuchi  

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The new digger has been busy this week, fitted with a rotating grab making moving of brash in a tight woodland a smooth operation, stacking ready for chipping. Benefits for you:  Compact machine Powerful with High Hydraulic oil flow Easily moved betwee …

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Replacement gates were erected today for West Lavington Parish Council. The gates are sited at the entrance to the Remembrance Avenue of trees planted to commemorate 25 members of the village who went to serve their country in WW1 but did not return. T …

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It’s not all about felling trees!  this week Tad and the team completed a new planting scheme on the edge of Bath. The project was for 1.16ha (= 11600 (m2) with 1344 trees in 1.2m tubes. The trees included mixed broadleaves including oak & beech, a …

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As part of ongoing woodland management areas are mulched on a 4 year rotation to help with insect and butterfly habitats https://youtu.be/q58jWNTml5o

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Right of Way cutting back – the brief was to cut back an overgrown Byway for WCC high up on the Pewsey Downs which had become overgrown and only passable by foot or motorbikes The flail made short work of the dense thorn. For more info on our vegetatio …

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Treading lightly today to carry out Ecology on a veteran tree;  once the tree was given the all-clear, it was sectionally dismantled. Jan 2024

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100m of palisade security fence supplied and erected in a bespoke green. This is to match new buildings erected by ED & W Bodman for a container storage facility near Swindon. Nov 2023    

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Happy New Year. Let’s hope that this is the last of the rain for the next few weeks.  We must be due some cold, crisp and dry days!

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With all posts now in, there’s a suitable point to break for Christmas.  a project which has been challenging at times. A  little more scrub to tidy up in 2024 and a few 1000m of netting to pull up. The Compact Protech post driver is off to p …

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The stack of timber and pictures do not do this project justice.  We removed 15 very large poplars from a narrow and sometimes waterlogged strip of land between a security fence and an SSSI canal, then through a very small gate. A great result which ca …

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The Vosch grapple saw doing what it does best dealing with a few ash trees Hopefully, a few dry days will help!

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Hello, read our December news update. We’ve had a few gremlins in our ‘sign up for news’ box, so please can you just email us on hello@ if you would like to be added to the news list? We just ask for your first name, surname and postcode if UK and coun …

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Works to remove large poplar trees in Aldershot.The trees were over 40′ tall (the MEWP is 30m high)!All timber had to be extracted through a small entrance with great care.Some of the trees were hanging over an SSSI canal, which added to the complexity …

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We thought we’d give you a flavour of what’s involved – and perhaps liken it in a way to an “Ofsted for Arborists”! There are pages of reading if you are interested,  but the essence of the inspection is as follows. The ArbAC (Approved Contractor) …

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Final finishing touches to more stock fence up on the misty hills of Wiltshire today with Tristan and Tad, another 1000m ticked off the list! For details of all our fencing services, please check out the link here. https://youtu.be/jaLIX6d2ge4

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All stacked and ready for chipping

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Eight of the world’s most amazing trees – from the Major Oak to the Lone Cypress A good article for weekend relaxation (!) by Hannah Jane Parkinson last week on 6th in The Guardian, including a reference to Sycamore Gap. Read the article here   Th …

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Following an all-day audit by The Arboricultural Association this week, we received a glowing report. One of the outstanding comments: “A very high standard of tree work” Well done to all.

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Heavy Mulching of an 8-ha restocking site ahead of planting this winter up on the Mendip Hills A nice few big stumps hidden away in the undergrowth! Testing conditions.                         …

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Reducing a group of 5 poplar trees at Heywood House today. A two cherry picker day!! Formerly National Trust, Heywood House in Westbury is now privately run as offices. A group of trees in the main car park were reduced as they had become too high and …

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Removal of Asian Hornets nest in Hull today. The nest was treated on the previous day so no one was at home today!   Well done Liam Williams.   This was part of our contract with DERFA for pest and disease control – a random piece of work that see …

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Replacement 150 m post and rail fence around an outdoor arena at Manton Grange, near Marlborough, along with a few running repairs. The new arena had recently had a new riding surface and the fence was also past its best so it was time to replace it wi …

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Very much out of my comfort zone being interviewed this morning.  This was for “That’s TV”  for the evening slot as a follow-up to The Unlikely Cyclists’ heroic fundraising effort for The Stars Appeal. I even had to brush my hair on this occasion! It w …

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Come and see us at Gillingham and Shaftesbury show for a chat and refreshment! https://gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk/ Our 23m CMC Spider MEWP on the Conservation Contractors stand was definitely the highest machine at the Gillingham and Shaftesbur …

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Yesterday afternoon, Monday 7th August,  most of The Unlikely Cyclists went to Salisbury District Hospital to meet the staff on the Breast Cancer Unit and handed over a cheque for £30,056. Once the Gift Aid has been added this will take the total …

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The Unlikely Cyclists have made it through what can only be described as the windiest and wettest day for a considerable time;  riding from Devizes yesterday to an overnight stop in Axminster then up to Dartmoor today Friday, 14 July. The sum raised to …

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https://youtu.be/dsl4Cj85jxA William and his Unlikely Cyclists William and his Unlikely Cyclists colleagues set off this morning at 9am sharp for their two-day trip to raise funds for the Salisbury Stars Appeal.  Today they are heading to Axminster and …

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With less than two weeks to go, a good training ride of 57-miles yesterday into in a 15-mile headwind for the first part of the ride.  So very glad to stop at Lacock Dairy for ice cream for a break on the way home on 3rd July.    See our Just Giving pa …

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Something different today for Jamie and Len – the removal of an Asian Hornets’ nest in Plymouth… Made easy with the Spider MEWP Not so easy with a hornet suit! Another something that bit different under our ‘Everything Else’ services! https://www.con …

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You can find a link to our latest newsletter, sent out 29th June, here. To receive your own copy directly to your inbox, please pop your name and email onto the box on our Contact page. Thanks.

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With just over two weeks to go until the Charity bike ride, we are now up over £13,000 on our Just Giving page below. We are fundraising for Salisbury District Hospital Stars Appeal.  All is detailed in the link below. Andy, Alistair and I are rid …

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You may have heard William Warden speaking early this morning (Wed 28 June) on BBC Radio Wiltshire about Giant Hogweed. Some background on this plant from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust: “Giant hogweed is an invasive weed of riverbanks, where it prevents …

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We installed a couple of kissing gates at The Longleat Estate recently A kissing gate is so called because it does not latch and merely “kisses” the posts on either side. This allows a person to squeeze through while being stock proof. Fore more info o …

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Just a small job this morning to repair the stock fence within Avebury Stone Circle for The National Trust June 2023

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Works day out at Mendips Raceway.  We only managed to break one car! Mendips Raceway is a motorsport venue in the Mendip Hills, located on the rim of Batts Combe quarry between Shipham and Charterhouse. The oval-shaped circuit is used for racing h …

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9000m replacement stock fencing project over the next few months Close to the ancient Wansdyke (a series of early medieval defensive earthworks consisting of a ditch and a running embankment from the ditch spoil, with the ditching facing north). The na …

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Read our latest newsletter here With the driest February for 30 years followed by the wettest March in England since 1981, I think it is safe to say it has been a challenge recently to get jobs completed or in some cases even started! We are very grate …

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Barbed Wire Fencing      Some replacement barbed wire fencing going up in south Wiltshire this week with Gordon Bottomley and Mark Holbrook. For information on all the different kinds of fencing services we offer, please see our fencing …

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Southern Counties Auctioneers In case you’ve forgotten some of what we do, we’ve taken a 30-second promotional slot with Southern Counties Auctioneers. If you’re attending, watch out for the screen with the ads.  It will be shown in Salisbury and Ciren …

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3-rail post and rail – with a curve! Alex Draper starting a new run of post and rail fence , 3 rails with electric,  all in creosote Our Protech Evo 3 making easy work of it Everyone likes a fence on a curve 260423

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Barbed Wire Fencing     Some replacement barbed wire fencing going up in south Wiltshire this week with Gordon Bottomley and Mark Holbrook. 230423

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Woodchip to Biomass Have you ever wondered what happens to timber unfit for firewood or onward processing?  This is being chipped and will be sent off for biomass. 190423 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfZ5FjPgFLU&t=1s

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5’ high  post and rail fence Part of a larger fencing project, a 5ft (1.45m) high post and rail fence as part of a cattle handling unit.   We have been fencing for The Gourmet Goat Farmer at Avebury (or on Facebook here) constructing a n …

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Woodland Thinning near Tidworth See if you can tell which part of the woodland near Tidworth is for thinning today.  You can see from the photo of the woodland in the distance that one side has fewer trees than the other. We have removed the dange …

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See our latest newsletter sent out yesterday. To receive your own copy directly into your inbox, please sign up on the pop-up form or on our contact page here. You can see all our news items on the news page of our website here. Thank you.

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“This ancient oak tree, thought to be more than 650 years old, owes its long life to William John Chute, who opened The Vyne during the 19th Century. It’s believed that the tree gained its name after he refused to sell it to a naval agent looking for t …

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The end of a thinning project for a local council.  All the  timber was recycled locally

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e’ve now come to the end of phase 1 of the stock fence work on top of Wiltshire’s second-highest point.   We had erected 6000m of stock fencing on the top of Tan Hill. The first two images go back to mid-December, with the third as at mid-February. “Ta …

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With all the high-tech toys we have there is still a need for rope and harness when no access allows a MEWP anywhere near! Here are Jamie Mcdoog and Jac reducing a row of poplars near Market Lavington by 30ft in height.   

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Reduction to a decayed beech tree to try and retain for a few more years and provide habitat in the meantime;  but, our 26m MEWP was not quite enough reach for the top. Access was tight, but a great job was done by all involved over the two days. …

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You can’t beat our tracked MEWP for those hard-to-reach trees in hard-to-reach positions. We removed a failing ash tree from over a garage and a river in the pouring rain.  And, the local  EA testing station was 20 metres downstream! Well done to all F …

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See our latest newsletter sent out today here. To receive your own copy directly into your inbox, sign up on the pop-up form or on our contact page here.

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The annual hedge trim at a long-standing client nr Devizes, mainly very old and large yew hedges which required a mixture of MEWPS to be able to reach them all, with some being  30ft high and 20ft wide in places.  It’s a good time of year to …

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Following long delays, our clients recently took possession of their small holding at Winsley, with 10 acres of unkept land and gardens to secure mainly to keep livestock and young children out of harm’s way. Here’s Tristan Warden rock spiking before d …

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Thanks to The Well at Bulkington for the works outing a couple of weeks ago, another year has slipped by.

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Removal of a fallen tree across the towpath at Devizes is all made easy with Sam on the crane!

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Back again to a regular client for some extreme hedge cutting and pruning,  all made easy with the CMC Spiderlift 23m tracked MEWP Jamie Mcdoog Matty Gaslonde Tucker and Co

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Removal of larch trees along a drive to a country house where we have been removing large conifers surrounding the gardens.  They were planted as a  screen but had now outgrown their position, so we removed three to allow the drive to be exte …

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Jamie has been at Avebury Manor trimming the endless box and yew hedges in the gardens – with help from Len, Felix, Matty and Jac.

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It has taken time and a lot of effort (not by us) but it finally arrived today:  a table sawn from the 100′ Cedar of Lebanon tree which was decayed and had to be taken down last year. It comes with a ‘live’ edge and legs cut from the same tree (wh …

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The ROBOFLAIL is at work again… Ben was in Bristol last week trying to avoid general garden rubbish under the brambles whilst clearing a site for Wring Group Ltd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFXqQMH-vS4

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The lime trees in West Lavington which underwent pollarding in the early spring look a little different after a season’s growth… See here for the original news post back in March

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Permacrisis?  What Permacrisis… Please enjoy a copy of our latest newsletter sent out on 8th November.  To have your own copy pop into your email inbox, just complete the pop-up form when you land on our site or go to our contact page

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Our project this week was to erect 200m of post and 3-rail fence with netting for a local housing development in Worton, which hopefully will keep the cows out of the building site!

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Ben has been helping us with his roboflail on Cley Hill this week mulching scrub for the National Trust.  It’s a lot steeper than it looks! We were helping to reduce the areas of scrub and bramble that were starting to get established on the steep …

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Clear results were showing the cross-section of decay present in a tree removed from the car park of a soon-to-open children’s home in Westbury in the grounds of the former Chalford House Hotel. This was all confirmed in the PICUS report.  As you …

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The soft wood gate posts had failed so it was decided to go for a more befitting option. The posts and labour costs were donated by a local parishioner. To see other examples of our gates, please see our Fencing and Gates page here

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Here are some images of our new Spiderlift 23m tracked Cherry Picker/MEWP/aerial platform. We were working for Devizes Town Council to reduce a large 30m Oak Tree within Hillworth Park, Devizes Full details of our new MEWP will be posted on our website …

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Read our most recent newsletter here  

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Not too bad for a 9-year-old machine: the first set of flywheel bearings is being replaced!

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The VOSCH grapple saw was supplied and fitted to our Takeuchi 2150 excavator by Richard Court Forestry Engineering Ltd as the UK dealer, along with additional uprated hydraulics required to operate the grapple saw and a bulletproof windscreen to protec …

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A small plot fenced in Swindon today by Tristan and Tad as part of the Tiny Forest scheme across Wiltshire. “A Tiny Forest consists of 600 native trees such as Oak, Lime, Elm, Hawthorn and Hazel which will be densely planted in a tennis court-sized plo …

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Last mulching job for a while clearing 3 ha of Rhododendron in Savernake Forest – with the aid of the digger ! Savernake Forest stands on a chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn with an area of approx 4,500 acres

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What a difference a week makes –  storms and strong winds delayed the start to a lime avenue pollarding project in West Lavington. Great work by all involved  –  2 MEWPS do make it safe and much easier. See here for details of the MEWPs …

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The ultimate Unimog for our line of work – ‘simply the best’!

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Trimming of National Trust Hedges at Avebury within the garden of The Manor – a mixture of yew and box. We also needed to undertake some reductions and adjustments to the topiary,  as well as lots of straight hedges – excellent job by Tad & Ga …

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The before, during and after… Great job by all and happy client Jan 2022  

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Back to finish off some hedge trimming that required a little more reach at Clyffe Hall in Lavington!  We had been there earlier when we cut all the formal hedges in the gardens, but could not reach the larger yews.  So a return visit with ou …

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Crane fed chipper hitched up today and ready to go to work; this will hopefully help with the workload.

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Something slightly different… Our task was to erect a fence to protect an area on Salisbury Plain. We used 300m of Armco barrier fencing welded into RSJ steels driven into the ground. November 2021      

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Tad and Matty have been planting Hornbeam hedging in Avebury Trusloe –  a few hundred metres to improve the garden boundary Trusloe is a Street in the village of Avebury Trusloe which measures approximately 189 metres long. Hornbeams are hardwood trees …

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85 m of 1.8m high Hit & Miss fence erected at Lacock for the Parish Council. Hit-and-miss fencing is vertical fence panels ( like picket fence but square tops ) 6ft high. It has gaps in it,  hence hit-and-miss,  so it does not look as commercial,

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Long overdue works meal at The Well in Bulkington last night

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Last load of 150 tons of wood chip off for biomass last week    

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New pond dug and constructed in Marston, just in time before the weather changes. No shortage of water now ! The yellowish stone is crushed flint, which is harder wearing than shingle and is a good colour.

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A nice end to a horrible conifer removal job! Removal of old hedge and fence Replaced with close board fence

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Preparation for seeding at Bishops Cannings Cricket Club earlier in the week, following importing and levelling of soil to bring up outfield levels. We were asked to level and seed the area and sow with sports mix grass seed.  Tristan spent a Satu …

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Here’s a link to our latest newsletter sent today Sign up on our website if you’d like to receive your own direct to your inbox!

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Something different this week –  Plastic fence on creosote posts at a local equestrian yard. It will be good to see how the Tornado Centuar fence stands the test of time. It is a fiddle to get up but looks to be a sturdy product.

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These were 25m lime trees with the garrison completion of a works package started earlier in the year, but we held off while the trees were actively growing. And more end of September…. Great job by Scott, Steve, Antony, Len, Jamie and Fin over the l …

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1000m of stock netting and gates near Devizes 16 September Another 1000m of stock netting and gates completed nr Devizes.

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We have been very busy and trying to complete various external works projects during the school holidays. It has been difficult to source the materials, to say the least. However, this project at a local school  near Shrewton was completed today – …

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Coming along nicely new to us U300 with rear linkage at pto Even has a front loader! Just waiting on DVLA for UK plates. Update 23 September 2021: still waiting for DVLA – 12 weeks now!

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Here’s our new timber trailer having its first day out today clearing up several days of felling…

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Sad to see this go –  a local landmark coming down in Worton due to decay. The decay, which you can see in the photo, was detected in the base of this 100 ft Cedar of Lebanon.  Using the Picus Sonic Tomograph, the decay was clear.   …

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Moss treatment on Chalgrove Airfield last week to control moss and weeds on the runway. 10 Ha of tarmac treated at 500 litres/Ha –  easy with the correct machinery.  All works were undertaken early in the morning not to hinder the active runw …

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New EVO3 under construction;  hopefully arriving soon; “the ultimate tracked post driver” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjP6bDi-2Cc

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Evo 2 off to pastures new in Cornwall. Evo 3 due in a couple of weeks Going to be a busy time for the Evo compact trying to keep up!

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A “before, during and after” of pollarding 98 Lime trees in Tidworth.  This was the last few of 98 done over the winter months. Good job done by Scott, Antony and Cleeve. If you’ve never spotted our page of definitions of tree work, check it …

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Further pictures of the fence clearing project and clearing of dense scrub at Blandford Camp.  A new stock fence is to be erected to allow grazing of cattle on Monkton Down SSSI, to control scrub and aid chalk grassland.  The old fence has be …

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Something a little different for us  – we recently started a project to refurbish a grenade range at Warminster. We needed to remove 500 tons of limestone gravel, undertake repairs to the sub-base and increase the area to the required specificatio …

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Something different this week:  we needed to cover an ancient burial site ( Tumulus ) with chainlink mesh to prevent the local badger population from calling it home; this helps to preserve anything inside the mound.   The funny shape wa …

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We have received the confirmation this week that we are now accredited to ISO standards for the following areas of their Assessment Scope: Tree Surgery Contracting Forestry Contracting Tree Consulting Fencing ISO certification is a seal of approva …

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Clearing of dense scrub at Blandford Camp for a new stock fence to be erected to allow grazing of cattle on Monkton Down SSSI, to control scrub and aid chalk grassland.    

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A little fresh on Salisbury Plain today repairing fences around ancient burial grounds. Old fences were in need of repair so we were asked to add new fence posts to the existing fences to prolong the life of them.  In all approx. 1500m in two area …

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A fence project to protect the lake providing disabled fishing at Tucking Mill Nr Bath. We used 6ft high wire mesh with gates to match and green 358 mesh around the sluice. See the link to the Tucking Mill Reservoir here You can read about 358 mesh sec …

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We have now added a 3rd MEWP to our fleet. It’s a Tracked Teupen 23GT with a working height of up to 23m – compact but with a great working height. It’s ideal for quick, efficient jobs. It is especially suited for job sites that provide little spa …

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Takedown today of a 25 feet walnut tree in Westwood, where disease had spread top down to about one-third of the height of the tree.  We chipped all the smaller branches and then the trunk was cut into logs for enthusiastic woodturners. We then gr …

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Not only pruning and removing trees but planting as well!   100m of new, native hedging planted by Tad by hand yesterday in Easterton, near Devizes.   The planting mix was 80% hawthorn with the remainder made up of spindle, dog rose and hazel …

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Two different sets of security gates erected last week – sign of the times I am afraid. One set for Cross Engineering in Devizes for Henry Timmis, and one for a new development site in Westbury. Both sets 1.8m high and of galvanised metal.

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Stump Grinding in Devizes – making short work of a large stump.September 2020. For details of all our tree surgery work please see here and for tree surveys please see here.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVr8xcoYB7A&feature=youtu …

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A large group of poplars being dismantled today in Calne. Nov 2020. See our tree surgery page on the website here for other services we provide.

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Fence replacement for Ogbourne St George Parish Council this week (October 2020) We erected new close board fencing on new Durapost metal posts giving a 25yr warranty on the posts to ensure a long lifespan. We are soon to be an approved installer for D …

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The first task on our new Forestry Commission fence framework contract for the SW of England:  installing posts to prevent cars from being parked on the access roads in Savernake Forest. The Forest stands on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marl …

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Removal of some dead willows at Horton near Devizes stacked for onward use! Details of our tree surgery services may be found here.

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Our 26m MEWP proves its worth again nr Bath to dismantle a storm-damaged tree over a bridleway. For more details of both our 14m and 26m MEWPS, please see here.  July 2020

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A busy couple of days dismantling a 20m high split horse chestnut tree at St James Church in Ludgershall. We were contacted by the Church to inspect the tree following the loss of a large limb during recent windy weather.  On inspection, the tree …

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Our project here was to erect a vermin-proof fence around the gardens at Iford Manor; The Iford Manor Estate nestles between Westwood and Freshford. It boasts a Grade 1 listed, Italianate garden designed by Edwardian architect Harold Peto when Iford Ma …

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We erected a new turnout inside a covered gallop at Manton at the end of May 2020; tough work in the heat! It was 5ft high with 4 x 2 rails Great job done by Dave Alex Adam and Tris

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Back again, this time to replace old stock and barbed wire fence past its best.  The Gourmet Goat Farmer breeds Does of Boer goats and can deliver locally.  See their web page or their Facebook page The fence was approx 2000m in total, some s …

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Our task here was to replace a fence which adjoins a farmer’s field.  So we had first to liaise with the farmer to find the right time for when no cattle were in residence. We then had a considerable job in clearing a large amount of old timber an …

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Weed Control for Bishops Cannings Cricket Club Weed control this morning for Bishops Cannings Cricket Club. While there is no play or training the weeds still seem to thrive!  We treated Potterne Cricket Club earlier in the week 25th April 2020

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The ideal time for a light reduction to help reshape a copper beech tree over the restaurant of the 3 Daggers in Edington Before and After pictures…

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Last spot of mulching for a while opening up timber harvesting access at Siston near Bristol for the Forestry Commission. For more information about Conservation Contractors’ vegetation management services, please see here. 

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A spot of ditching last week in Rowde now the water levels have dropped. We are still working and managing to meet the government guidelines

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With the present situation only going to get worse, the power industry still needs woodchip to help meet its generation targets.

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Following the removal of 3000m of the old fence, it is time to start with replacement along the front of Bulford Firing Ranges to prevent access when live firing So, our Evo 1 post driver came in useful to replace the 3000m fencing. 19 Feb 20 Read more …

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Not all tree-related work for us here at Conservation Contractors! We’re still busy fencing away, and here was a stretch of 1500m stock netting to keep cattle in on 15-year posts with creosote strainers. On top of the HT stock netting,  we put 3 strand …

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Catching up on some storm-damaged trees – only the tricky ones left;  this multi-stem ash presented an initial challenge in a private rear garden. Can’t climb can’t fell no access! So then, we had to fell at ground level very carefully. Should the …

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Our big MEWP made the reduction to a large roadside ash tree a little easier. We removed 3m all over and so far, the Ash is looking to be a healthy specimen. See here for information on our MEWPs

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Just outside Blandford in Dorset, the building crushed was a converted shepherd’s hut.  The tree was a very large beech which had looked unhealthy last year. The poor access due to the weather conditions presented us with certain challenges. Altho …

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Something different this week for the MoD…Tad and Kieran erected 38 fire warning signs around Salisbury Plain.   The plastic signs measure approx. 2’ square and were fixed to metal posts and then concreted into the ground.  23 Jan 2020. …

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Oh Dear…. Today’s tricky one all done safely by Antony, Jamie, Garry and Len. Here was a fallen willow tree across a remote footbridge over a watercourse.  We dismantled the tree by climbing with rope and harness.  There was no way of getting …

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Our new blue 26’ MEWP is coming in handy and making work safer and quicker. Our task here was to remove dead wood and reduce 10 TPO protected Cedar trees each approx. 120 ft high in part of the old parkland at Roundway House. Cedars are often seen plan …

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This was the start of a 2-week stint on the A338 at Cholderton for WCC Highways.  Our task was to remove and cut back 40 ash trees which had grown to 100 feet and which were all dying with Ash Dieback.  Because of this disease, the trees were …

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Our last post for 2019:  Our task here was to remove some scrubbing roadside hedging on the nasty S bends on the main Devizes to Salisbury Road at West Lavington.  The job was made very much easier by the lack of traffic.  It was unable …

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Our Protech Evo 2 made easy work of fixing 500m rolls of Tornado HT8/80/15 stock netting at Manton Downs nr Marlborough (not the racing yard neighbouring farmer). The early morning picture is taken adjacent to the Ridgeway https://youtu.be/Io9RcJhSoXE

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Here our task was to remove a large group of mature leylandii close to main high voltage lines.  This needed a power shutdown to be able to work safely.  The work had taken three months’ planning due to a nursing home being on the same powerl …

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Just routine works, but the cab needed to be jacked up for access. This is our Unimog with a woodchipper on the back with a 1.5-ton capacity.  So, who can remember the origin of this odd name? “The Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto …

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Loving winter…  Here we’re erecting Equinet fencing for a racehorse yard in Beckhampton to replace an old stock fence

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We’re using our Dymax tree shear to cut hawthorn and blackthorn. And, once it’s cut, you have to get it collected up and burnt – so we’re making progress… As you can see, there was plenty to burn. https://youtu.be/dmxdVMPViRk

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Our work here was to undertake crown lifting of 30 beech trees in the central reservation of the A338 Bodenham Bypass dual carriageway between Salisbury and Downton. We crown lifted to 3m over the central reservation and 5m over the carriageway. They w …

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Before you put the fence up you have to clear the path; More in Savernnake this week with Alex Draper acting as pathfinder! https://youtu.be/YKc_qGyxbs4  

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Making quick work of demolishing brambles at Tidworth Garrison to allow a surveyor to mark out the sightlines for a new car park. We are returning soon to remove some of the trees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVlDXxVZmI   https://www.youtube. …

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Here we reduced 46 lime trees up to 30m in height.  WCC had obtained an initial tree survey from another contractor but we were the only contractor with the correct machinery to undertake the works in a safe and timely manner.  To make the wo …

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Erecting these massive steel gates is the conclusion to work we have carried out for Wessex Water at their Gillingham sewage treatment plant over the last year.   These gates are steel and chain link to match the fence which we constructed la …

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A brighted morning today…. Our task here was to replace 1800m of old fencing with new standard stock fencing for Natural England.  Our Evo Post Driver was put to good use!

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Our new 25.6m Articulated Truck Mounted Platform/4×4 MAN truck has arrived and is available for hire should you need some extra height. It has a huge outreach of some 12.5m and full details may be found on our website shortly. Our shorter 14m cherry pi …

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This is a continuation of work we have undertaken earlier in the year.  The Equinet and creosote fencing is to keep the polo ponies in and the dogs out and the new paddocks are for yearlings and resting racehorses.  Equinet is from the UK Tornado brand …

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Part of an ongoing project in the Savernake Forest.  The regeneration of the forest grass along the fence line in the forest after mulching is impressive. From a dead forest floor to lush grass … And here’s the link from our work in May giving you …

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Last Saturday saw us clearing encroaching willow on environmental stewardship land nr Devizes.  Job well done.

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We replaced 250m for a local client this week erected by Tristan Lenny Warden Gordon Bottomley with help from Tad and Kieran. And then back to our 19k meters job within the Savernake Forest.

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New cattle handling unit constructed for the project to reintroduce cattle to Savernake Forest.   The handling unit is part of the same fence project as posted before and we are just about to start another pen consisting of 10,000m of fencing! See our …

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As reported in last week’s CLA newsletter, a new campaign has been launched in Devon to encourage landowners with ash trees on their property to inspect them for Ash dieback. Devon County Council’s “My tree, my responsibility” campaign, supported by th …

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Here we ran 800m water pipes 750mm below ground without actually having to dig up the ground.  The spinning water pipe feeds into the ground from a leg on the machine and the tractor dictates its direction.  All clever stuff. https://youtu.be/QE4J6K7c2 …

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This is an ongoing project running over several months. Here we show Dave’s video featuring some 3,500m approx of post and stud rail we erected to make the side fence to the racecourse gallops.  This took us about 10 days to complete. https://youtu.be/ …

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“Landscapers, nurseries, landowners and woodland managers are being urged to take action after the Plant Health Service intercepted a number of cases of  Oak Processionary Moth caterpillars (OPM) on trees imported from the Netherlands”. Read the Forest …

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Let’s get on!   Wearing the paint of the baby one now…

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Today our project was for a repair and reduction of a pair of yew trees for The Savernake Estate. Here are the before and after pictures

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For those of you who can remember our pond refurbishment post in December 2018 when we showed you our work to drain and clear this pond, you might like to see what it looks like six months on….   And if you’ve forgotten, then check out the original p …

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Just a few shots of the guys out and about and a welcome back to Scott Jackson.

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We picked up our new Evo Compact this morning to help the busy fencing teams and set it straight to work… collected,  unloaded and knocking posts in under 2 hours! This is a smaller, more compact machine which allows us to transport it between s …

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To reduce manual handling and speed up timber and brash removal, we have added another Valtra tractor to the fleet, this time fitted with a roof-mounted Botex crane. Our new Valtra is now ready for work with our tree teams –  or for hire if anyone …

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We are undertaking a large ongoing woodland project near Marlborough,  creating new fenced areas to allow grazing within Savernake Forest; this will allow cattle back into the ancient forest to help with its management. The fencing consists of 2 strand …

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A spot of landscaping from last week at Ticehurst more pictures to follow… Probably ‘spot’ is an understatement…. To fit around the existing trees of Corsican Pine, Turkey Oak, Atlas Cedar and English Oak, the plants included a selection of Acer, Bet …

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Deer Fencing is usually 1.8m galvanized wire, which is very strong and lightweight.  No barbed wire on top.  It allows you to protect your trees and shrubs from being eaten or being used to rub up against. We have recently installed just unde …

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Back again  is routine tree works at The Hall Estate Bradford on Avon to reduce trees and some safety works on the boundary and by the railway line

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Our task here was the removal of deadwood from roadside trees at Netheravon.  In addition, we had to fell a dead ash tree using our MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform). 

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Our project here was a rake and burn tidy up of forestry harvesting debris in Erlestoke to allow replanting of native trees next winter. Erlestoke is a village in Wiltshire, on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain. It lies about 6 miles east of Westbur …

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Range refurbishment at Bulford contd. Following on from our post on 12th March, here’s a few more pictures of our range works at Bulford, just northeast of Amesbury. The project was to remove contaminated sand and replace with new sand, free of lead an …

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This link goes to The Times of 23rd March and concerns a homeowner in Canford Cliffs, Poole, who ignored a TPO (tree preservation order) on his 42-foot oak tree and instead he virtually destroyed it by chopping off 12ft-long branches – all for the purp …

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We spent a week dismantling decaying beech trees in Bath. They were leaning over a footpath and, having recently been surveyed, there was no choice but to dismantle and remove them and plant replacements. The timber will be used for firewood. We needed …

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Our job here was to replace an old, rotten post and rail fence which had served its time.  We removed the fence and replaced it with 1000m of new, creosote-treated timber post and rail fencing. This should last another 30 years. See our pictures below …

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Following on from our hedge removal project in the summer, we now needed to erect the perimeter fence to the site for the utilities company. The site had been upgraded and expanded to meet the demand for new housing. We erected 400m of 1.8m chain link …

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Linden Homes are building a new development at Westbury by the station. So as to avoid disturbing nesting birds we needed to cut and chip large volumes of scrub and over-mature thorn and hedging. This was cut to a height of one metre and chipped on sit …

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We had recently won a contract to strip from site 450 tons of hazardous and contaminated sand used as a stop butt on a military firing range.  After stopping bullets for years it was time to be replaced with new,  along with some timber repairs while w …

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A recent tree survey showed that a large conifer growing close to a substantial property was too near for safety.  We therefore dismantled it and removed all the timber to be reprocessed for biomass to feed a power station.

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Another reminder from us about the importance of getting your trees surveyed and that they are your responsibility. Here are two links to The Times and The Standard. They concern a celebrity interior designer facing a police investigation after a forme …

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Footpath gates erected at Tidworth as part of a larger fencing project to allow grazing and public access. Our brief was to erect 500m of new barbed wire fence to allow grazing of cattle on chalk grassland to the rear of houses in Tidworth.  We then ne …

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We think this is our old Unimog still going strong with another contractor. We sold it 5 years ago, to be replaced by a tractor for the mulcher,  as we found the Unimog to be unsuitable Dec 2018

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You might have seen us last week clearing back overhanging trees in Bradford on Avon. We were along the riverside between the station car park and swimming pool. For details of all our tree surgery work please see our website page here or search under …

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Space was at a premium last week while removing and reducing a row of sycamore trees in Hartmoor Road Devizes 16 December 2018  

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This is now complete.  Following a successful planning application approval, the brief was to build a 40 x 20m sand arena. The topsoil was removed and the site levelled with drainage and soakaway.  Then a stone sub-base with a membrane underneath was l …

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Here’s a picture of young Lukas dismantling the first of many 60-foot sycamore trees for St Mary’s Hospital in Bristol. The project necessitated the trees being dismantled for the regeneration of the site into student accommodation. For details of our …

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Something a little different in Poulshot: Here we used a fifteen feet long telegraph pole for a gate post.  The image shows the pole being driven in, and then we used it to hang the gate on.

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Our original Facebook post at the beginning of November showed that we were making a number of these. We mentioned the fact that they would be painted cream in and concreted to the ground.   But we didn’t get many replies as to what they would be used …

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Our project here was to supply and erect 300m of 2m high palisade fencing for Cross Engineering in Devizes. Palisade fence panels are the most popular choice for locations today requiring a high level of security and vandal resistance. Steel palisade f …

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Another one for our Everything Else section of the website! A recent pond refurbishment with 15 years of silt and leaf mould removed.  We retained some water and all the fish and then laid a new liner.  The pond was then refilled to which we added the …

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A few images from a couple of dismantle jobs this week with Steve and Justin aloft. A 60-foot Eucalyptus tree was overhanging a very old stone wall at Rowde, near Devizes. Then there’s a conifer coming down in Potterne.

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Here’s a 60-second video of one of a pair of time trees coming down in Bishops Cannings at the beginning of November.  The trees were healthy in themselves but had grown to a height of 100 feet.  The roots were undermining the buildings which were plan …

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Trowbridge Cemetery today for Rich and Steve reducing and crown lifting two large oaks. These trees were in the centre of the cemetery and were impeding access and also touching the chapel building.  The trees were probably there before the first Trowb …

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Something different today.  Our job was to erect demarcation posts to mark an ancient monument and protect rare thistle plants on Salisbury Plain. It took 575 m of posts, 1m apart, then painted with ‘hi-viz’ tops.  Now apparently this is tank proof – t …

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Today we’re tidying up trees in Chippenham for the Fireworks Night display. 25 Oct

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Here Justin is reducing the limbs of a beech tree in Marlborough 25 Oct

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Today we were cutting 300m of various overhanging trees back over the main road in Westbury and will continue for the rest of the week. The work needs “stop and go” boards for traffic control.  Because the Conservation Contractors team are qualified to …

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Part of our previous job in Melksham – just a picture of a branch falling and looking like it is balancing on the street lamp. 18 Oct

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Finished sand arena at Lavington, just in time before the change in the weather. 20×30 m with drainage to a soakaway and extra post and rail fence 17 Oct

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A very large hedge reduction a few weeks ago to a mature beech hedge;  Justin there for scale!  The hedge had just got too big to manage by the owner in Keevil.  The top will regrow next summer. 16 Oct

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Our video clip here shows mixing in fibres for our Lavington equestrian project.  The riding surface is sand with recycled fibres mixed in to give a high-quality riding surface in all-weather conditions. They are then spread on top and then mixed into …

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This is why you have a duty of care to have trees surveyed on a regular basis… The recent winds caused the tree to lose limbs and damage their neighbours’ vehicles in a car park in Bristol. All cleared up and now back to Bristol to tidy the remains of …

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Another day and another job requiring a 3m high palisade fence x 30m in Mere. This is to give added security around a water tank for a utility company and under the eye of Mark Holbrook.

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A few images from this week’s equestrian arena build near Devizes which is a 20m x30m school where we reduced the site and put down drainage in Geotex membrane and stone. Woven Geotextiles are made from 100% polypropylene or polyester and have long bee …

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All woodchip and timber residues are recycled for biomass. Loading 25 tons of woodchip for a trip to Newcastle to end up in a power station all in time for breakfast

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Our client had just purchased the house in Marlborough and our brief was to make the garden dog-proof and a little more private with a small length of close board fencing (8m). In addition, we installed new hardwood iroko timber gates and oak posts; cu …

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Today was part of a refurb to erect a palisade fence for a utility site in Mere around a water tank, to give added security.  Mere lies at the southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain. We had previously taken down the high palisade fence in the spring to al …

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Site clearance in Gillingham this week with the whole tree chipper to deal with the large hawthorn trees. Hedge and fence being removed to allow an extension to a utility site.  400m of new chain link perimeter fence to follow in the coming weeks. All …

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Today we’re hanging gates 15 sets of 14-foot-wide metal field gates as part of the new shooting enterprise job.

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Our Protech has clocked up 700 hours in just over 12 months, so an oil change and some TLC was in order as the ground has been harder than usual these last months. Then off for 1200m  more stock fencing at Noremead  (remember the pictures with the goat …

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Large over-mature willow trees required dismantling while in the river and then winching out for disposal;  all a bit tricky but the 30-ton winch and tele(scopic) handler saved the day again. The pictures show Rich, Steve, Justin and Mark hard at work. …

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This tree had not been pollarded by the previous tree surgeons when doing others on site last year due to the complexity of its position over the buildings/ sheds.  The tree’s limbs were overhanging the play area at Sixpenny Children’s Nursery in Deviz …

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Our work here was to create a wayleave while SSE installed a new power cable to the solar farm at Wroughton. The wayleave was erected with the tractor and post driver as Alex was busy on another site with the tracked post driver. The fence was to keep …

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A more unusual visitor to my office! The brown long-eared bat is easy to identify because of their unmistakable ears, which are almost as long as their body. In flight, their ears are held upright, but they curl back like ram’s horns or are tucked unde …

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Following on from the legal fight between two householders and Network Rail failing to control Japanese Knotweed invading their neighbour’s property, three Appeal Court judges ruled in favour of the two householders. Their ruling at the beginning of Ju …

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Following a long tender process with Landmarc Ltd, on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO),  we won the contract for the refurbishment to Bulford Firing Range “C”  to bring it up to modern compliance specification.  DIO is part of the Mi …

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A little job for the Barbury Horse Trials, Marlborough, to put in a gate but to make it look as though it’s always been there! 26 June 2018 See our other fencing capabilities here

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Reduction of Poplars: We undertook reductions to 20 plus poplars and removed 3 trees completely for WCC in Melksham.   The trees now are all at a uniform height. A job to be proud of despite initial local concerns from residents. 25th June 2018 For det …

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Here we have a reduction of a row of poplars in the Waitrose car park in Melksham. This necessitated us crown lifting 5 Poplars over the car parking area and reducing the height by 5m for safety reasons.   Good job done. 19 June 2018  

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Here we erected 200m old style galvanized estate fencing for a client at Chitterne, in the middle of Salisbury Plain.  We had to erect into hard chalk with the aid of a rock spike and then concrete in.  The galvanized fencing was chosen to set off the …

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Off we go again…. We’re starting a 6000m contract for a new shooting enterprise near Blandford, Dorset.  Our project is to fit stock netting fencing for a new landowner in Blandford, at a Dorset Estate,  fencing footpath and bridleways across the Est …

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Here are a few pictures of the new build equestrian yard coming together in Chippenham.  Just entrance walls and electric gates to complete and water troughs to go in when dry enough…

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Nothing likes to test our fence more than the goats at Noremead, where we have been repairing fences and adding new stock fencing prior to and during spring turnout. We erected some 250m new stock fencing on the edge of the Marlborough Downs and undert …

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Friday 20th April was a First Aid training day for all at Conservation Contractors head office in Devizes The training was delivered by Steve from ABC Response and is specific to forestry and our Arboricultural requirements.  Not a triangular bandage i …

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As part of the redevelopment of the Old Bath Press building on the Lower Bristol Road in Bath, we needed a lane closure to allow the safe removal of a row of hornbeam trees on a Sunday morning.  

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 Tree works, tree reduction, tree removal all undertaken today. Rich, Trevor and Steve B removed overhanging roadside trees at The Hall Estate, Bradford on Avon.  Then it was into their formal gardens for reduction and deadwood removal works.   An …

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Newt fencing this week as part of the expansion to Tidworth Garrison for Aspire – several 100m worth of it!   It’s been erected to allow more building and expansion of the garrisons as troops return to Salisbury Plain. It’s a simple plastic barrier tre …

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A few random pics of recent roadside works in Alderbury Amesbury and Tidworth with Rich, Trevor and Steve Our MEWP (cherry picker) proving its worth again April 2018

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Glad to see our trees being up-cycled for jumps at the Larkhill.  Our friend John at Larkhill has been putting horse chestnut tree stems to good use, as jumps for the event held there on Saturday 7th April. The trees have come all the way from Tilshead …

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Small chain link fence repair after being hit by a lorry in Avonmouth. For details of our fencing services please see here

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A few photos of Mike’s projects on Rights of Way in the north of Wiltshire last week – the pictures show the Kissing Gates and a bridge at Sherston. Sherston is a village and civil parish about 5 miles west of Malmesbury. The parish is bounded to the n …

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Health and safety tree works today for Pewsey Parish Council, around the football pitch area… 1 pine, 3 limes, 20m high.  We also carried out an aerial inspection. Cannot beat having your own MEWP  (mobile elevated work platform) – see here for more …

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Removal of 60 ft Thuja tree in Corsham town centre today growing too close the buildings – that’s over 18m… For details of our tree services please see https://www.conservation-contractors.co.uk/services/tree-surveys/ and https://www.conservation-con …

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We do replace the trees we cut down! We were in Potterne today replacing some trees within a plantation that had died –  oak, cherry, spindle and field maple. 670 trees in total. For details of our tree services please see these pages on our website ht …

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A messy job today for Wiltshire County Council clearing the River Kennet behind St Peter’s Junior School.  Trees were overhanging the watercourse which was full of wire.  All in a day’s work!

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A quick update on our long-term project of the equestrian yard Chippenham… The pictures show the stables and horse walker in concrete hard standing, internal walls for storage areas and washroom with toilet etc.  electric security gates to go in shor …

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What a difference a day or two makes!  Here are some pics of Trevor and Rich undertaking a re-pollard for Wiltshire County Council in Cricklade; started last Thursday in the snow and completed on Monday in the sunshine.  The job was to re-pollard five …

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Something a little different this week….. Following the recent building of a stable block ( not built by us ), we have made a turnout area outside, with timber fence and gates, to allow ponies out. In Rockley, near Marlborough.    

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Roadside tree works over the highway for the last few days at Bulford.  The trees were approx 20m high and a mix of ash, sycamore and oak. Further details of our tree work may be found here and our tree survey work here

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Stage 3 of a 5000 m contract for MoD including mulching and chainsaw work and a lot of hard work. These works are to create replacement chalk grassland following the loss of an area due to the building of new houses for soldiers in Tidworth. These next …

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Roadside pollard of willow trees in Warminster today 29 Jan 2018 For details of our tree surveys service please see here. 

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Today we undertook a reduction to a beech tree with a TPO (tree preservation order) in Swindon at Sandalwood Court;  the work was undertaken to give improved site security for 2018 See also details about our tree surgery and tree survey work here. 

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Recent fencing project for Brackstone Builders in Worton We were asked to remove the old fence, lawn and debris, and then replace with new trellis and close board fencing. Before and after pics below.   29 Jan 2018

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Rather wet and soggy today, mid-February, erecting this chainlink fence for Wessex Water.

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Fencing in a restricted footpath to the rear of Marlborough College for landowner

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A few more pics of the roadside tree works in the north of the county We’ve been cutting back the  roadside willows in Marston Meysey –  clearing the willow trees that have become too large and are hanging onto the roadway Marston Meysey is 3 miles (5  …

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Following recent call-outs due to high winds, we were back to work at Drew’s Pond – just south of Devizes – for health and safety works to the trees near and overhanging footpaths. Drew’s Pond is a small community broadleaved coppiced managed woodland …

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December 2017 before Christmas: Coming on apace with the new equestrian project in Chippenham.  The stables and horse walker are going in this week,  together with 400 m of native hedge for screening and 300 m of mains power trenched and connected. Nat …

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Today we undertook a roadside dismantle of unbalanced and dangerous sycamore trees on the main road into Devizes  – so all hands on deck.  The owner was concerned about the trees falling onto the highway.  The three trees were 80ft tall but sitting on  …

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We had to dismantle this veteran beech tree in December,  following a survey using a Picus test… The tree, Fagus sylvatica purperea, had a diameter 2150mm, an 8m circumference and was 18m tall We used Picus Sonic Tomograph technology; this is a speci …

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Today’s mission was to erect a Faraday cage for one of our utility company clients….. We were erecting security fencing around a large transformer for Wessex Water;  but given the nature of the transformer and metal security fence, it then becomes a …

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We were erecting security fence around a large transformer for Wessex Water in Salisbury today.  But, given the nature of the transformer and the metal security fence, it becomes a Faraday cage so the electricians have to earth the fence.  

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Reduction to some large willows including one which had fallen across the river and on top of beehives !!      

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Typically, 358 Security Mesh is the ideal solution for a wide variety of high-security perimeter and access control applications…The mesh is made from 75mm x 12.5mm x 4mm galvanised material and polyester-coated welded mesh fabric and is Climb resist …

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Dismantling a cedar tree at the Mendip Council’s offices in Shepton Mallet – Trevor’s artistic side coming out today… For details of our other tree works see here

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Work continuing apace – buildings going up,  post and rail going in, equestrian school almost complete 7th November 2017  

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We are cracking on in the autumn sunshine with the new equestrian yard at Chippenham post and rail paddocks and buildings going up

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A trip to Glastonbury this week for an overdue pollard and hedge cut along the main road – Before and after shots There were two limes 70ft high,  pollarded to 3 m at the previous pollard points; the hedge was a mix of all sorts of native species and w …

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Visibility clearance in Bromham this afternoon by Rich and Simon – ash tree reduction Nov 2017 Here’s a link to our web page detailing all our tree work

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12-inch post 8-feet high knocked into 4-feet of rock chalk on Salisbury Plain See the post driver in action here. https://www.facebook.com/165568496924335/videos/923202221160955/      

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This is part of a fence project to create a livestock penning on Salisbury Plain.  As you can see, the terrain is very steep, so tricky to drive them in place.  It is only possible to do this using our tracked machine.  

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Trevor has been pollarding willows at Durrington for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust so they can use the branches and timber to reinforce the river banks Durrington village lies about 2 miles north of Amesbury, 10 miles north of the city of Salisbury, and 2 1 …

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Rich and Geoff at Tockington Manor School carrying out 2 weeks of health and safety tree works within the school grounds   Deadwood removal going on a pace at Tockington Manor in the sunshine pics of Geoff and Trevor apparently Rich has even got o …

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This week we saw the removal of two large Leyland Cypress trees in Easterton Sands Devizes resulting in a lot of timber to move! See details of all our tree work on our web link here.           

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Earlier this week we undertook  a Hornbeam reduction in Netherhampton for Wiltshire CC .  The photos here show a before and after shot. October 2017

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We were delighted to receive this testimonial from Kieran Pierce following the removal of 50x 50′ conifer and leylandii trees and hedging. Testimonial: “I’m very happy to recommend William Warden and his tree team. What a great bunch of guys – it just …

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Now the weather has dried up a little we are able to move the spoil from the 60m x 20m arena along with sand and fibre surface being delivered for us to level.  The stable will be Monarch American style boxes in the barn which gives stables in a large …

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Did you see the article in October’s ‘Life in Devizes’?? In case you missed it, here it is…. No two days are the same working with William Warden, owner of Conservation Contractors

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A fine grey and damp August day for the start of a dismantle of failing beech tree in Calne… And now with all the timber loaded with our telehandler on to local fire merchants trailer for processing This job was also used as the site for our Arb Asso …

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New eventing yard Chippenham It’s been a busy few weeks for our fencing team working on an exciting new build Equestrian yard project near Chippenham. First up we dug a 60 x 20 arena, installed the drainage, fixed the membrane and added 8 inches of sto …

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Steve, Justin and Mike busy scrub spraying 197 ha on Salisbury Plain See more of our weed control activities here

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Metal Estate Fence erected to improve the entrance at Wadswick Green Development in Corsham We erected a metal estate fence to improve the entrance at the Wadswick Green development in August 2017.  We not only constructed it but also painted it on sit …

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  Conservation Contractors cut down the tree in Balmoral Road.. A DISEASED 50ft tree that was nearly 100 years old had to be cut down from a street in Trowbridge as it was a safety risk. The Lime Tree at Balmoral Road was taken down last week as m …

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This week we have been installing a hardstanding for Anthony Best Dynamics at Bradford on Avon Sept 2017    

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Making and installing props to support veteran oak trees: Today we have been installing props under veteran oaks to support over extended limbs.  We made the props in-house along with all metal feet and supports, installed by Steve and Dan. July 2017 F …

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Here we are using our versatile Protech Evo 2 self-propelled post driver to create 10″  holes x   1 meter deep in solid chalk for steel gate posts. Our task was to create one meter deep holes for metal gate posts for Wessex Water in Durrington, just no …

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This is one for the everything else page on the website We were asked to remove grass and replace with an artificial grass surface for a healthcare client in Poole. For details about our other more unusual work we’ve carried out please see here July 20 …

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Vegetation Management comes in many forms.  Here we’re clearing a bank at Chitterne for Wylye Valley Farm Shoot.   It’s steeper than it looks. And then Rich Trevor Geoff and Lawrence have found a barn whilst working at Valley Farm. For more details abo …

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Refresher training for the tree department last week with a few practice aerial rescues along with new felling cuts for leaning trees. This is part of our ongoing training for our teams in line with our accreditations and their requirements.  See full …

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Something a little different We erected a 2.4 m high “358 prison steel” mesh security fencing with two access gates for Wessex Water in Blandford Forum Dorset.  This was ‘green blend’ in colour so as to blend in with the landscape. The fencing was to p …

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Cirencester Opportunity Group Cirencester Opportunity Group is an independent charity providing integrated education for preschool children and support for their families. M&S supply various foods and undertook to recreate a forest school where the …

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We erected a security fence and gates to form a new entrance for Witheys Welding in Westbury. It was 2.4m high palisade fencing.  

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A few pictures of a large dismantle project started last week for Hill Construction at Tidworth.  We’re removing the overhanging trees on a new housing project for Ministry of Defence to house soldiers returning to Wiltshire.  The trees were a large be …

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We’ve been stump grinding all week! Check out our tree surgery page here

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We supplied and erected a 15m domestic sleeper retaining wall with 1.8m close board fencing on top in Market Lavington. Our client had an old conifer hedge which had passed its usefulness and had become an eyesore.  We removed the conifers and replaced …

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Busy busy busy 300 metres post and rail completed in Chippenham – one nice straight run of post and rail even if we say so ourselves.  Our Protech is earning her keep! See our fencing page for a bit more info about our Evo2 tracked post driver 300 metr …

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It seemed a waste to just burn the waste timber from a scrub clearance project, so we are converting waste timber to biomass fuel by chipping. See full details of vegetation management here

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Just a small job today. We erected 15m x 1.8m high chain link fencing for Wessex Water in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, to separate off some private land which the owner thought was untidy.  

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Trevor and Matt have joined the team this week and it was “in at the deep end” with a dismantle of a large Poplar Tree in Urchfont followed by a large tidy up… The tree had become too large for its position close to the house.  Urchfont is north of t …

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Some post and rail we erected in the Secret Valley Devizes that we did a week or so ago.  This was a joint effort by the tree division landscaping team and our fencing team. Our remit was to tidy and enhance thus we erected 50m post and rail and a gate …

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This job was for 800 m of demarcation fencing for a major utility company in Darrington. We erected 800 m of posts and single blue rope to act as demarcation fence for new pipeline project for Wessex Water at Durrington.  We did this in just one day; w …

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Here Johnny is spraying weeds on a 100ac (41ha) solar farm between Trowbridge &  Bradford-on-Avon. We used our Honda quad bike towing a sprayer which we adapted for this job.      

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It was beech tree limb removal in Lavington for us this week. We removed a large limb of a 100′ beech tree over the A360 in Lavington. It had to come down for safety reasons as, during a survey, we found a large crack. See details of all our tree surge …

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We tendered for the supply and erection of 200m of security fencing in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset around a new Wessex Water Compound towards the end of last year and were awarded the contract. The fence needed to be 2.1m high with several gates const …

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Reduction of Oak Trees in Ludwell, near Shaftesbury – 2 very tired climbers this week! We reduced five large 25m oaks overhanging public space on a main WCC highway. One of the limbs had fallen so urgent reduction needed. Ludwell comes within Cranborne …

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Matt and Geoff reduced an ash tree across 3 gardens in Champmanslade, Westbury this month. The large multi-stem ash had become too large for its position and was presenting a problem to the nearby houses, so a reduction of 25% of the crown was carried …

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We had to dismantle a dead ash tree in Rockley, near Marlborough; unfortunately no longer safe as near an access road.

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Rich, Matt and Geoff have been busy pollarding a hornbeam in Burbage, in the Vale of Pewsey. Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches. It has been common in Europe …

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Our new piece of kit has arrived complete with whistles and bells! It’s the Protech Evo 2 4×4 towable, ‘self-propelled’ post driver/tracked knocker, 300g hammer, with winch, 2 Rock spikes blade, rock drill, telemast, big weight and self- levelling syst …

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Pictures tell a thousand words – showing Matt undertaking a sectional dismantle in Marlborough of a large pine over a stable block in January. The tree had become unstable and at some point would need to be removed due to its position overhanging stabl …

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Thinking ahead to the autumn, now’s a good time to consider if you need your pheasant pens constructing or extending.  Take a look and let us know if you need any work undertaken. The images here were taken last year for a large Wiltshire-based shoot.

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Even our yard has had a refresh… A few days and a few hundred tons of stone, and the yard is looking much better.  No more paddling around in the mud this winter!

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We installed 90 metres of creosoted post and rail and 2 new gates in Potterne which is just south of Devizes. This was to keep the general public out and animals safely apart. To see all our fencing information on our web page please click here

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Dave and his team erected 2000m of stock netting on the edge of Salisbury Plain earlier in Novemberso as to stop people walking into the dangerous area of the Plain. The job needed our post drivers and a good eye by Alex and Mike who did a great job… …

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Removal of 30 cherry trees, Marlborough Rich, Geoff and Simon spent a week at Temple Estate in Marlborough at the end of October. They undertook a variety of jobs which included reducing the number of trees on the driveway. The original planting had al …

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Tristan has been busy mulching with the Seppi flail and reverse-drive Valtra… Firstly a 6 ha site near Dinton around juniper bushes and then off to Dartmoor for more of the same the following day.  The poor quality of video is due to the bullet proof w …

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We returned to Manton to check the health of an ailing beech tree using PICUS technology. The PICUS Sonic Tomograph is used for non-invasive tree risk assessments in order to measure the thickness of the residual wall of trees with internal defects suc …

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The lime tree had become unstable due to decay at the base so Rich and his team were called in to dismantle carefully… We were accompanied by our friend Pierre over from France for a week to see how we do things this side of the channel –  better of co …

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Removing a 70m conifer hedge in Bromham for PJ Dyke in mid-October was one of the projects we undertook. The hedge was getting too large to manage and impacting on the roadside and will be replaced by a wall. For details of our tree and hedge removal s …

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We undertook 600m of 8-12ft high Beech hedge trimming at Manton, Marlborough.  The hedge was around the formal gardens, with poor access and tender lawns,  so all the work was done by hand with just a hedge trimmer;  well four actually and using our ME …

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Protech EV02 tracked self-propelled post driver – steep or wet ground conditions will be helped by the upgrading of our fencing machinery with the addition of a tracked self-propelled post driver from Protech, called the EV02.  This will be a full spec …

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One of our jobs this month; the before and after shots show that you can now really “see the wood from the trees”.  This was undertaken for a longstanding client in Keevil, which started as a trimming job!  Sept 2016  

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We’ve undertaken a variety of work here, which has included: Removal of gatehouse building Erecting raised beds and potting sheds Erecting owl boxes Laying 900sq metres of turf

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In August we had to dismantle a 100ft lime tree in Marlborough, together with clearing some smaller trees and shrubs and stump removal and grinding. The timber was collected and moved across to  Barbury Castle Estate on the Marlborough Downs to be used …

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Our new ‘go anywhere’ tracked chipper allows us not only off road but also to meet the majority of challenges where we’re needed to get into difficult areas.  Whether narrow, uneven, sloping or soft ground conditions, we will be able to help. Yet anoth …

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Our work at Wadswick Green, Corsham continues… This is the new retirement village. The pictures show the results of our efforts after two days’ strimming and brush cutting – all previously covered in brambles and nettles and an eyesore.   And, look! …

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Removal trees conifer hedging for yard expansion.  We removed 10 trees and 150 yards of conifer hedging for Stonegate Farmers at Lacock. This was done so that they could extend and improve their yard operation there.  We then took the chippings to anot …

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Well, not exactly, but we did undertake some work for Crown Estates in Devizes for the reduction of overhanging willow on Crown Estate.   A group of 3 willow trees had become too tall for their position and were in need of a reduction.

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Following on from our last newsletter when we told you about our framework agreement with the Forestry Commission, Conservation Contractors has now been awarded a framework agreement with Dorset County Council.  This includes tree works, weed control, …

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It was nice to have a team day away at Mountain Mayhem – off-road buggies and hovercraft racing and time trials… We managed to break two buggies and even a hovercraft!   If you think you can drive, go and try the hovercraft –  they are a great levell …

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Dan and Matt started a sectional dismantling 12 Poplar trees at The Hall Estate, Bradford on Avon which were 120′ high.   Having a head for heights is one of the more important requisites of the guys on our team!  What a glorious blue sky – haven’t see …

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Since our last update, we are delighted to confirm that we have secured a framework agreement with the Forestry Commission for the inspection of infected trees across the South West of England This also includes felling infected trees and collecting sa …

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We won the contract to refurbish the viewing area at Larkhill on the edge of Salisbury Plain.  The viewing area is used for Military Displays as well as the British Army live Firepower Demonstration. Back in March 2014, we set about cutting the grass w …

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In May we erected and replaced additional creosote post and rail fencing at Manton Grange, Marlborough.   This allowed the paddocks to be divided, thus giving increased turnout areas for the growing numbers of horses.

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This was just a replacement for some old fencing in Devizes which had seen better days and which we replaced in April.  40m long and 1.8m high, this will last a good 10 – 15 years even longer if a coat of treatment is given every few years.

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In March we used our 360° digger to remove self-set alder trees on a lake outside Devizes. Part of an ongoing project with plenty to undertake, work is carried out in small lots to allow the natural balance of the water and habitat to remain This was p …

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We’re very excited with our new-to-us additional  Unimog.  We purchased it from Belgium,  brought it back in October,  had it re-sprayed and fully serviced with new brakes and air valves and she’s now ready for work with a wood chipper on the back with …

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Along with the miles of stock and post and rail fence that Dave and his team erect for landowners, we are now getting more requests for security fencing… sadly a sign of the times. In February we erected high prison grade 3m security fencing for Wess …

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This time we recently completed a 450m post and rail with double-sided electric on top of the post and rail to stop horses arguing with each other over the fence and damaging themselves or the fence.  This allows for an increased number of horses at Ma …

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Monday and storm Imogen’s wind and rain kept us away from crop spraying and tree dismantling. So a little light relief was found with scrub clearance on Salisbury Plain to keep Steve, Dan, Scott, Rich and Matt happy. For details of all our vegetation m …

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Many of you will know Iford Manor, between Bradford-on-Avon and Freshford.  We had to remove a Redwood which had grown to about 100′ which was now too close to the Manor and unsafe to leave where it was. We, therefore, had to remove it in small pieces …

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Here’s a couple of youtube snippets for you to see of our team mulching Firstly Tristan tackling 4m high blackthorn re-growth   And secondly, our project before Christmas in December 2015 when we undertook an 80ha mulching contract in Corby, North …

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Did you see our article in essentialARB? It was in the Autumn edition, on pages 38-39 and is a snapshot of what we do. “If there’s ever a job advert for someone to look after a war zone, then William Warden has to be the man for the job.  Who else has …

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Under our Approved Contractor status with both the Arboricultural Association and the Contractors Health & Safety Scheme (CHAS), our ongoing training never stops. Well done to Steve for passing his trailer test;  he is now allowed to tow a trailer …

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We erected 4000m post and rail fencing to protect many individual protected trees with a TPO (Tree Preservation Order), including some wonderful old Limes and Beech trees in September.  This took us about 5 weeks but was a very satisfying job to have c …

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Pollarding is a method of pruning that keeps trees and shrubs smaller than they would naturally grow. The image shows Tom putting the finishing touches to a large willow Pollard on an SSSI clearance project. Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) …

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The picture shows the final stretch of tree clearance over a tributary to the River Avon undertaken in October.  Our task was to clear about a one mile stretch of the trees that were obstructing the waterway.  It was wet underfoot and wetter outside, b …

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Close Board Fencing is renowned for its strength and versatility, without sacrificing its appearance.  Also referred to as Featheredge or Featherboard, it is formed by vertical feather edge boards that each partially overlaps and fix to the rear horizo …

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We sprayed and cultivated amongst the panels on an 80ac Solar Farm, near Westbury, Wiltshire We planted a native mix of thorn, hazel, dog rose, holly, hawthorn and blackthorn hedging.    When this is complete, we’re then sowing wildflower seed and then …

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It was a busy time for our Fencing Division on downland in Rockley, near Marlborough, post driving to erect 2000m stock fencing.    A bit hairy at times but a good job was done;  this now brings the total for the year so far to over 30,000m Check out o …

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Dismantling acacia trees in Devizes was our task for today.  We dismantled two decaying 24m high Acacia trees in the London Road, Devizes… There was a lot of rot in the trees and they had become unsafe. See our Tree Surgery web page here  

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We erected 1000 metres of post and rail with gates and electric for the international 3-day eventer,  David Doel, International Event Rider, of Reybridge Eventing at Lacock. This will give increased turn-out for extra horses, and the fence has an elect …

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The pictures show us half-way through a large reduction on a 60m hedge which had grown to 65′ in Worton Village, Devizes.  Following the unusually high winds in May, several branches had broken off and there was a further risk of more damage, so permis …

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We were awarded the contract to clear trees and undergrowth from in and around a lake in Worton, near Devizes. We also uncovered a spot of erosion which has now been reinstated so water goes over rather than around the weir. The work will require a pro …

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Initially, an American form of fencing, which is now proving very popular here in the UK, Keepsafe  Equestrian Fencing is a specially designed wire fence for the equine fencing market. With a durable and protective diamond weave featuring heavy, twiste …

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80m boundary post and rail in Shaftesbury, with a stock net and rustic round posts with half round rails.

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Following the recent high winds,  Conservation Contractors were called in to reduce a group of 9x 30 metre high Poplar Trees on the old hospital site in Devizes. They were originally planted to screen a long since removed water tower, much to the relie …

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Something a bit different for us… We erected a 5m high x 70m long ball stop net for Bishop Canning’s CC – replacing very old dilapidated one. We designed and made it in-house and the beauty of it is that one person can raise and lower the net on his/ …

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Do watch out for this nasty invasive plant – Fallopia japonica – which is a large, herbaceous perennial of the family Polygonaceae, native to Eastern Asia in Japan, China and Korea. It is a notifiable weed, like Himalayan Balsam and Ragwort, and it’s u …

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We’ve had a busy few weeks in Christchurch, Dorset, giving some TLC, reduction and some felling to 40 oak trees which hadn’t been maintained for many years.   We had one surprise, though…. One of the trunks was hollow as it was full of honey!   A col …

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We just erected 600m of Equestrian post and rail fencing at the beautiful equestrian estate at Manton, near Marlborough. See details of all our fencing capabilities here.  

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Whilst not very exciting images, we erected a lot of security chain link fencing in Avonmouth, Bristol and Weston for Wessex Water.  It’s for the security of their plant, pumping stations and sewage treatment areas.   The fencing is secured through a 1 …

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This image illustrates the importance of getting your trees surveyed…. This is taken at the rear of Three Daggers Pub in Edington.  Just imagine if it hadn’t been for the Beech Tree stopping the Silver Birch from crashing onto the building.  What mess …

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The Conservation Contractors Fencing team undertook security fencing pipeline fuel recovery compounds.  The task was to complete some 300m close board fencing to secure pipeline and fuel recovery compounds for Fisher German who are agents for the Esso …

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This week we’ve been trimming hedges in Bowerhill

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The lightning storm last week has damaged one of Bradford-on-Avon’s  ancient oak trees which was ‘always there’ as you enter the town near the Canal off the Sainsbury’s roundabout on the Frome Road. Following a call from Wiltshire Council on the Friday …

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This was a job near Waitrose in Salisbury, which we undertook for Wiltshire County Council.  The 120′ trees had become rotten and unsafe and with a footpath underneath and a river running alongside, made for urgent action needed to remove them. We have …

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Desiccation of winter wheat 36 m down to 24 m using one of the three Conservation Contractors Bateman rb55 sprayers.  This is just one side of what we are able to do for weed control.   For other options, please see our weed control page on our website …

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While everyone was tucked up in bed this morning we were applying a biocide treating moss and algae on a military airfield before it went live a 7.30am! The total area covered was 175,000 sq /m.  This was Phase 1 of a contract won by Lafarge Tarmac to …

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