The Urban Forestry Organisation Limited 

Arboricultural Method Statement Relating to the Site for Proposed Community Centre, Fontley Road, Titchfield, Hampshire , PO15 6QR

The Arboricultural Method Statement  (AMS)

Before the development starts on site an appropriately skilled, trained and qualified arboriculturalist should be appointed and retained by the client for the duration of the development.

Whilst in development the site should be visited and inspected by the approved retained arboriculturalist on a weekly basis. He will keep written records of his visits and should have direct access to the Building Site Manager and the Architect for the scheme and all parties should liaise with each other with regard to tree related issues.

The initial on site construction operation, before any other, shall be the erection of tree protection fencing, as detailed below and as shown on the tree protection plan drawing. The area outside the tree protection fencing shall be known as and treated as a construction exclusion zone. Weather proof notices, showing the words ‘Construction Exclusion Zone – Keep Out’ shall be attached, at three metre centres, to the inside face of the tree protection fencing.  Throughout the duration of the construction works tree protection is paramount and the retained trees must be adequately protected at all times during the construction process.  In the unlikely event that there is a need to move and relocate the tree protection fencing such operations shall be supervised by an approved and retained arboriculturalist.

Only after the installation of the Tree Protection Fencing should the site clearance work commence. Any arboricultural works shall be undertaken by suitably skilled, trained and qualified tree work contractors.

There should be no traffic of any kind, no personnel access, no plant or machinery movements, no storage, no disposal of liquid, no fires on site and no excavations whatsoever outside the Tree Protection Fencing (that is within the construction exclusion Zones).

It is not expected that any excavations will be required outside the Tree Protection Fencing. However if any such requirements do arise they must be performed with the utmost care and will not be sanctioned unless the appropriate method statement specifies that only hand tools shall be used and the works are supervised by the retained, approved arboriculturalist.

It is unlikely that any roots from the retained trees will be exposed during the construction process. However if this is the case, in the immediate and short term, the exposed roots are to be protected from desiccation and/or extremes of temperature by covering them with hessian which is to be kept damp at all times. Roots smaller than 25mm diameter may be pruned back to a side branch using bypass secateurs or hand saws. Prior to backfilling, any hessian wrapping should be removed and the retained roots should be covered with sharp sand or other loose, uncontaminated granular fill before the soil or other material is replaced.

The construction site manager should ensure that the integrity of the Tree Protection Fencing is not compromised in any way by the construction activities. He should take care in planning construction accesses, plant and machinery movements, materials storage, spaces for cranes, scaffolding and other plant and guard against the spillage of hazardous materials and the consequential run off into the Root Protection Areas. If in doubt a ‘precautionary principle’ will be applied and advice sought from the retained, approved arboriculturalist.

The removal of the Tree Protection Fencing will be one of the last jobs undertaken on site.