Project: Hazard evaluation survey and remedial works
Client: Caledonian Properties
Value: £225,000

Caledonian Properties Ltd own a substantial land-holding to the northwest of Glasgow, stretching from Bearsden to Milton of Campsie and encompassing urban and rural areas which include a significant proportion of tree and woodland coverage. Many are adjacent to highly sensitive areas such as main roads, residential developments, retail parks and public footpaths.

UPM Tilhill has been engaged on an ongoing basis to carry out a tree hazard evaluation survey, initially on the worst condition and most urgent trees, since extended to include all trees and woodland.

This has involved assessing and GPS locating a total of 9,000 trees using IPAQ PDA computers, requiring 198,000 different data entries, including:

• tag number
• species
• height
• girth
• crown spread
• age
• defects and their significance
• hazard condition rating
• management recommendations
• timing
• cost

Works were then prioritised on a tree by tree basis by the scale, probability of failure and target ratings, leading to development of programmed tender work packages. A programme of monitoring and follow up condition surveying has also been established.

Not only did this deal with a pressing health and safety liability, but created a detailed and powerful management tool to monitor, prioritise and plan future works.