Security fencing with palisade mesh Sturminster Marshall, Dorset

Posted on 25 February 201614 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 Wessex Water for their new pumping station in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset which gives a new pipeline to Salisbury; also a 2.8 palisade mesh around the green tanks. Security is naturally key here and this type of security fencing makes it near impossible to break into/climb up. It took us a couple of weeks but a good job well done. See a few of the pics below.

This type of fencing is used where a higher level of security is needed from a standard agricultural fencing and can be especially popular with schools and industrial sites because of high damage resistance and the fact that it is so difficult to climb.

For details of the different types of fencing, we are able to erect, check out our web page here.

450m post and rail with double-sided electric at Manton Grange

Posted on 18 February 20169 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 Manton Grange. The fence itself was constructed from pressure treated creosote timber; we still find this the most durable and long lasting timber product on the market. It can be unpleasant to work with but has the added advantage that the horses will not chew it either!

Scrub Clearance on Salisbury Plain

Posted on 14 February 201610 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 management/scrub clearance activities, please check out our web page here

Scrub clearance on Salisbury Plain — Preparing to cut scrub on Salisbury Plain

Removal of Redwood at Iford Manor

Posted on 9 January 201610 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 ensuring no damage was caused to the house and their famous Peto Garden.

If you haven’t been to Iford, it’s well worth a visit. See the link here.

Mulching in Great Cheverell and Corby

Posted on 9 January 201614 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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, Northamptonshire

We were clearing from a former steelworks site now ready for industrial planning.

For details of our vegetation management and scrub clearance please see our website here

EssentialArb article

Posted on 9 November 201512 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 a CV that takes in looking after the battlegrounds of Salisbury Plain, surrounded by tanks, troops and helicopters to say nothing of fast jets plying their trade? And if the mulcher stops dead in its tracks, then the culprit is probably an old shell or maybe a piece of tank track”…
Read the article here

Team News and First Aid Training

Posted on 6 November 201516 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 over 750kg behind any vehicle.

Tom also underwent a tree rigging update where he had to evaluate the tree for hazards as well as performing an assessment of working at height. He had to identify the correct selection of rigging equipment to be used and then make the safe removal of tree sections using suitable rigging and appropriate cuts So, dismantling the tree using rope and harness and lowering the tree limbs, rather than just letting the branches fall to the ground. Quite a skill

Matt has just passed his chainsaw from a rope and harness qualification. This enables him to dismantle trees while accessing them from a rope.

In late September the whole company was assessed by Guy Watson from The Arboricultural Association for our Approved Contractor Status; with only 4 small points to clarify we deemed this to be a great success, well done to everyone, fingernails coming back slowly!
All of our accreditations are explained fully here

Conservation Contractors – here for your safety and peace of mind.

First Aid: Last week all staff at Conservation Contractors had First Aid training. We are now all qualified for another 3 years .. a bit of fun with some of the of role-playing. The course delivered by ABC Response includes the updated training on the latest first aid practices and allows us to work on Forestry Commission sites.

4000m Post and Rail Fencing for the MoD in Heytesbury, near Warminster

Posted on 30 October 20158 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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 completed.

At Conversation Contractors, we work with our clients to submit applications for any tree work governed by TPOs to the appropriate planning authority.

4000 Post and Rail Fencing for the MoD, near Heytestubry, Warminster

post and rail for the MoD in Heytestubry

TPO trees safeguarded with 4000m post and rail fencing

TPO trees including some wonderful old limes and beech trees protected with post and rail fencing

Post and rail fencing protecting TPO trees for MoD in Heytesbury

Post and rail fencing protecting TPO trees in Warminster

Tree Preservation Orders

This is an extract from The Arboricultural Association of which we are members:

“TPOs are administered by Local Planning Authorities (LPA) (e.g. a borough, district or unitary council or a national park authority) and are made to protect trees that bring significant amenity benefit to the local area. This protection is particularly important where trees are under threat.

All types of tree, but not hedges, bushes or shrubs, can be protected, and a TPO can protect anything from a single tree to all trees within a defined area or woodland. Any species can be protected, but no species is automatically protected by a Tree Preservation Order.

A TPO is a written order which, in general, makes it a criminal offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree protected by that order, or to cause or permit such actions, without the authority’s permission. Anyone found guilty of such an offence is liable. In serious cases, the case may be dealt with in the Crown Court where an unlimited fine can be imposed”. For full details please see the ARB website link here

Willow pollarding Patney, near Devizes

Posted on 18 October 201514 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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) are protected by law to conserve their wildlife or geology.

Natural England can identify land you own or occupy as an SSSI – this is called being designated.

Check out the gov.uk website to see how you are affected. Link here.

And for details of all our tree surgery capabilities please see our page here

Tree clearance Patney, near Devizes

Posted on 18 October 201510 June 2017 by Debbie Newman

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, but it was a good job done and the waterway is now clear of vegetation for the next 20 years. See also our post on willow pollarding, as part of the same project.

Patney is in the Vale of Pewsey about 4.5 miles south-east of Devizes.

See our brief video showing the removal of self-set Alder trees

See our web page on Planned Tree Management