Undertaking of Trees Safety Works, Condition Monitoring and Tree Safety Surveys on Fochabers Estate

Description

The undertaking of trees safety works, condition monitoring and tree safety surveys on Fochabers Estate. Lot 1: Tree Safety Works The Schedule of Works (Appendix 1) sets out the trees which require safety works to be undertaken undertaken (marked Lot 1), and details the work required. Locations shown on Tree Works Maps (Appendix 3) · The schedule also provides thee identified, location and other information to assist in identification and costing. · Each tree should be priced individually and the total cost summed in this invitation The Contractor is responsible for providing all relevant equipment and maintaining it to a good, safe and legal standard, to carry out the works. Lot 2: Tree Condition Monitoring Scope of Works · The Schedule of Works (Appendix 1) sets out the trees which require monitoring undertaken (marked Lot 2). Monitoring should be undertaken and reported in accordance with BS5837. · A monitoring visit should be carried out in summer 2022, and any changes to tree condition recorded and reported to Strutt & Parker. All monitoring results should be recorded and reported after initial monitoring inspection complete. The data reporting should be undertaken in line with the requirements set out in Lot 3 – 2023 Tree Survey. · The schedule also provides tree identified, location and other information to assist in identification and pricing. Lot 3: 2023 Tree Safety Survey Survey Requirements - Methodology A full description of survey requirements and reporting can be found in the ITT document. Surveyors are required to undertake a Visual Tree Assessment (VTA) survey as detailed in Section 1.0 of the ITT. For the avoidance of doubt CES require survey to the standards developed by Mattheck and Breloer 1994, the basis of which is the identification of symptoms produced by a tree in reaction to a weak spot, or area of mechanical stress. The main principles are set out below: VTA is a non-invasive method of examining the health and structural condition of individual trees. It has become the standard approach for surveying trees.  By visually examining a tree, a suitably qualified surveyor can gather information on the condition of its roots, trunk, main branch structure, crown, buds and leaves to make an assessment and draw conclusions about general condition, health and vitality. It is a systematic approach, which directs the surveyor through a procedure from biological and routine observations to analysis, using their understanding of failure criteria. In any inspection regarding tree health or safety, a surveyor will look for biological signs, such as undersized leaves, discoloured foliage, dead branches, large or numerous cankers and fungal fruiting bodies.  They will be able to recognize the significance of these observations by comparing them with the typical growth patterns and appearance of the tree involved. They will also look at the tree for signs of structural weakness or for a change in growth patterns that may indicate defects.  If mechanical weakness is suspected, there may be a need for more investigation using specialist decay detection and measuring equipment. No other survey method will be accepted. Surveyors are expected to inspect each tree in a given risk zone on foot and undertake a VTA. Where a tree has no identifiable work requirements or defects that require monitoring, no tagging is required and the surveyor moves on to the next tree requiring VTA. Following VTA, if a tree has identifiable work requirements or defects that require monitoring, then the surveyor should tag the tree with a unique number, record the GPS position of said tree and proceed to record relevant information as to condition and remedial action required. Each survey will record the information detailed in ‘Data Recording Requirements’, to build-up a database of trees per estate that require remedial tree surgery work or monitoring, the proposed timescale for works and monitoring frequency. Data Recording Requirements In order to create a database of the survey information required it will be necessary to tag and record details of all trees which are considered unsafe. Survey aims are to identify any hazards, along with the level of risk to the general public, and to suggest a programme of remedial works to minimise these risks. To meet that requirement, all surveys must record the following information which should be presented to Strutt and Parker in excel format as per the template provided.