What are the typical services of an arboricultural contractor?

Services typically required of an arboricultural contractor are:

• Tree maintenance operations including pruning, and related works to relevant British Standards (see our Tree Work Terminology page)
• Tree planting operations and aftercare/establishment programmes
• Tree felling, including dismantling of dangerous trees or trees in confined spaces
• Advice and guidance on the above.

In addition some contractors may undertake pest and disease (‘P&D’) identification and control, bracing, soil decompaction and amelioration, tree fertilisation, mulching and other operations, including hedge trimming, fruit tree pruning, veteran tree management. However, only those listed above are covered by the ‘ARB Approved Contractor Scheme’

These services are usually performed to an agreed specification which may come from:

• The contractor after discussion with the client, or
• A third party such as a Consultant employed, or
• The Local Authority Tree Officer if a Tree Preservation Order etc. is in place.

In either case it is prudent for clients to obtain a written specification for the work and to agree the specification and price prior to commissioning the contractor.