CASE STUDY - ARMED FORCES MEMORIAL
UPM Tilhill's BALI Award winning work at the Armed Force Memorial, Staffordshire is open to the public every day.
The memorial and its landscape were designed by Liam O'Connor Architects. UPM Tilhill was awarded the landscaping contract by Osborne and work on site began in July 2007.Visitors walk along a slowly ascending spiral path lined with evergreen oak trees as they make their way towards the Portland stone structure which lies at the heart of the composition and is engraved with 16,000 names.
Once the core structure was in place UPM Tilhill began work by topsoiling the six metre high mound. This included laying down the top soil and shaping the embankments. Some 1,800 tons of top soil was supplied to site which was then moved this with three ton dumpers - bigger plant would not have fitted along the path. This was then laid down with a 5 ton mini excavator and then hand raked to final shape – this was a major part of the project.
This was followed by the precise planting of 57 four-metre tall, shaped evergreen oaks (Quercus Ilex) in 500 litre containers. Soft landscaping was completed by the laying of 9,000 square metres of turf.
Tree planting proffered the greatest challenge to the team with standard pneumatic breakers failing to cope with the demands of driving three anchors per tree into the sub-soil medium of crushed brick. The team overcame the difficulties this presented by adapting a power drive bar fixed onto a pneumatic breaker which was itself fitted onto a 360 degree excavator.
Manoeuvring trees into place towards the end of the project also produced an unusual challenge due to restrictions on the use of any pathways. A crane was used to lift each tree into place.
Work was completed to schedule for an official opening by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on 12 October 2007.
The Armed Forces Memorial was created to recognise the men and women of our armed forces who have given their lives in service of our country since the end of the second world war. The Armed Forces Memorial is not a traditional ‘war memorial’ that only remembers those killed in conflict. It also recognises the many servicemen and women who have given their lives while on duty and those killed by terrorist action.
The memorial bears the names of 16,000 service personnel who have died since the second world war, and has room for another 15,000 names to be added.
UPM Tilhill will maintain the trees for ten years.
Freephone 0800 3 282128 for more information on UPM Tilhill's award winning landscape services, or ask a question|.