Pollarding and felling licence

[Paul in the woods]

Simple question, if you pollard trees over 1.3m in a woodland would the work be subject to a felling licence if over 5 cubic meters of wood was cut?

 

Longer question. I have a row of beech and ash trees on the roadside edge of my woodland that were a hedge 100 years ago. They are right next to our electric and phone cables. A neighbouring property has removed a large amount of trees recently and, as expected, this has meant the wind is causing problems with our trees. One took our power and phone out yesterday. Ideally I'd fell the whole row and replant with something more suitable but this will produce well over 5 cube of wood. I would fill out a felling licence app but a previous one has literally been ignored as the local FC office doesn't care about small woodlands. As I would need the power turned off for a few houses then felling one or two trees a quarter isn't a great option. If I could get them all topped at 3m I could get the power off and someone in for a single job, then fell the 3m poles myself over the next few years. Does anyone know if the lopping would be subject to a felling licence?

 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Paul in the woods

[Stere]

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876642/Tree_Felling_-_Getting_Permission_-_web_version.pdf

 

2.2 Lopping and topping
An exception applies for tree works involving
tree surgery by way of lopping or topping,
for example, pollarding. Such works are used
today to maintain a tree in good health
and to extend its lifespan in highly modified
environments, such as streetscapes. These
works do not require a felling licence.

 

Not sure but this says no?

 

[Dk3001]

19 minutes ago, Paul in the woods said:

Simple question, if you pollard trees over 1.3m in a woodland would the work be subject to a felling licence if over 5 cubic meters of wood was cut?

 

Longer question. I have a row of beech and ash trees on the roadside edge of my woodland that were a hedge 100 years ago. They are right next to our electric and phone cables. A neighbouring property has removed a large amount of trees recently and, as expected, this has meant the wind is causing problems with our trees. One took our power and phone out yesterday. Ideally I'd fell the whole row and replant with something more suitable but this will produce well over 5 cube of wood. I would fill out a felling licence app but a previous one has literally been ignored as the local FC office doesn't care about small woodlands. As I would need the power turned off for a few houses then felling one or two trees a quarter isn't a great option. If I could get them all topped at 3m I could get the power off and someone in for a single job, then fell the 3m poles myself over the next few years. Does anyone know if the lopping would be subject to a felling licence?

 

 

Hi,

 

I'm a woodland officer with the FC. Obviously i cant say for sure (unless your in my patch) but I'd be surprised if your local woodland officer doesn't care about small woods to be honest. It may be that either they have a lot of case work on or the communication isn't getting through to the right person. 

 

I'd recommend trying to get hold of their  phone number or direct email and getting in contact. I've been out today looking at felling liscences for some cracking small woods!

 

Generally I would consider pollarding above 2.4m but I would get your local woodland officer out to confirm. Also if your planning on removing the trees completely just put in for the liscence. There's a 72 day charter deadline on them now that we should be sticking to in terms of processing and its really not worth the agro of getting investigated for an illegal fell.

 

It sounds like with the works you have planned felling of individual trees would be the most appropriate felling operation on the application unless theres further works you want to do in the woods over the next five years. That means it will have to do 28 days on the public register but that doesn't effect the 72 day charter time. 

 

I know it can be frustrating sometimes but get the relationship built woth your local FC woodland officer and I'm sure things will only get easier. 

 

 

 

 

[Paul in the woods]

54 minutes ago, Stere said:

Not sure but this says no?

 

Thanks, I must of missed that or forgotten about it. So, technically no but would you undertake tree work on that basis? 

 

Or to put the question differently, if someone was to pollard several acres of mature trees at 3m height what rule, if any, would you break?

[Paul in the woods]

33 minutes ago, Dk3001 said:

I know it can be frustrating sometimes but get the relationship built woth your local FC woodland officer and I'm sure things will only get easier. 

 

Thanks for the reply. I've PMed you an explanation to avoid side tracking the thread and appreciate your reply. However, my and other peoples experience down here as a small woodland owners is rather different than up there so a licence app would be a last resort. 

[Dan Maynard]

If it's near the power line I'd be having a word with the DNO, they have exemption from requirement for a felling license anyway so there's no question. Where in the country are you?

[Paul in the woods]

I'm in England, down in Devon. I've only just had my lines cleared and raised the problems with the surveyor but they will not do anything other than basic line clearance now. I spoke to the DNO guys yesterday when they were taking the tree off my lines and they said it's up to me. The problem I have is I have to follow felling laws whereas the power companies are exempt. The DNO guys have suggested the trees are cleared but I couldn't claim they are dangerous.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

11 hours ago, Dk3001 said:

Generally I would consider pollarding above 2.4m

 

Hi there,

Can you please confirm that you mean "cutting at 2.4m above ground level", and why so prescriptive, i.e. is there a basis for this as seems quite prescriptive (BS3998 says 2-3m).

TIA

Paul 

[richyrich]

Is license required if it's pollarding a tree that's not been pollarded before and over a certain diameter? Re-pollarding exempt I think,but not 'virgin' pollards??

[Mick Dempsey]

3 hours ago, richyrich said:

Is license required if it's pollarding a tree that's not been pollarded before and over a certain diameter? Re-pollarding exempt I think,but not 'virgin' pollards??

‘Maidens’ I believe is the usual term.