Curo Tree Management Procedure

1. Summary

Curo is firmly committed to maintaining and enhancing its tree stock as a vital part of the environment.
Trees are a highly valued feature. They make an enormous contribution to the character and beauty of our landscape and contribute to a rich biodiversity. Curo values its trees and recognises both the human and environmental benefits of having a healthy and sustainable tree population.
Curo also recognise that although trees are a positive feature, they can be a cause of a range of problems, from being a nuisance or inconvenience to potentially causing serious injury or even death. As a tree owner we have a direct responsibility for ensuring our trees do not pose a danger to the public or property and are managed appropriately. This policy sets out our approach to tree management.

2. Procedure Scope

This procedure applies to all trees under our ownership / management of Curo, regardless of their location, and to those trees in the ground space of our customers that pose a safety risk to the public and potential damage to property.
Although, we believe this management procedure to be as comprehensive as possible, Curo acknowledge it does not cover every situation. We reserve the right to exercise discretion in application of this policy when to do so would be in the best interests of Curo and its Customers.

3. Tree Definition

A High Court ruling in 2009 concluded that with tree preservation orders there are no limitations in terms of size for what is to be treated as a tree. In other words, saplings are trees. However, other than that there is no legal definition of what constitutes a tree for more general purposes. The following definitions have therefore been formulated to provide the boundaries within which this policy operates.
Tree;
A tree typically has a single trunk growing in excess of 6m tall and bearing lateral branches. It has a more or less permanent shoot system supported by a single woody trunk that is over 180mm in diameter. For the purposes of this Tree Policy, saplings will NOT generally be regarded as trees.
Shrub;
A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree and distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems arising at or near the ground (rather than a single trunk); a shrub is usually less than 6m tall.

4. Tree Management Procedure

Curo will generally only undertake remedial works to trees where the trees pose an unacceptable level of risk to public safety or property i.e. if a tree is dead or dangerous or if the tree is causing damage to property. It is not reasonable to prune or remove healthy trees due to their size and proximity to buildings, roads or other infrastructure. Curo will manage any risk through tree inspections and undertake any necessary works to abate hazards due to mechanical faults within the tree’s structure, diseases or fungal infections and other conditions relating to tree health.

5. Common Law Right on Encroaching Trees

You have a Common Law right to remove (abate) the nuisance associated with trees encroaching onto your property. The following advice is given if you wish to exercise your Common Law right with respect to encroaching trees:
a) You can only consider removing those parts of the tree from the point where they cross the boundary of your property. There is not a legal right to cut or remove any part of a tree that does not overhang your property;
b) You are strongly advised to consult a professional tree surgeon for guidance on how best to prune back encroaching trees, unless the works are such that you could do the works with hand secateurs or similar;
c) Before you consider doing any works to a tree / trees you should find out who owns them and if they are protected by a Tree Preservation Order or are within a Conservation Area. If the trees are protected, you will need to gain consent by making an application to your local council.
You are advised to discuss with your neighbour your intention to prune encroaching branches. Legally you do not own the encroaching branches and you should first offer them to your neighbor. If your neighbour does not want the cuttings you should make appropriate arrangements to dispose of them yourself.
If the encroachment relates to a Curo owned tree, any cuttings must be disposed of appropriately. Curo does not require or expect to have these returned.
Pruning of branches should be carried out in accordance with best practice. Appropriate guidance should be sort from a suitable qualified tree contractor.

6. Tree Maintenance

Curo is progressively bringing all its trees in communal areas into an active programme of management.
Ongoing maintenance includes the removal of major dead wood (deadwood greater than 50mm in diameter), formative pruning (to remove problems in tree
form when the tree is young to avoid problems later), removing low branches from pathways, drives and highways and the removal of trees when they come to the end of their safe and useful life. The way that trees are managed very much reflects where they are and ultimately the amount of space they have to grow.
Trees in parks and green spaces are managed to reflect the circumstances of any one site and the type, age and condition of the trees. Trees in parks generally have more room to grow compared to the street and typically grow to their full height and spread.
Some species of tree produce basal/sucker/shoot (epicormics) growth each year. Curo will remove this growth from trees where it will cause an obstruction as part of an cyclic works programme. Maintenance of basal/sucker/shoot will be carried out between July and September.