A career path?

During the past couple of weeks I have closed out my small involvement with one project that may have significant consequences for future arboricultural students and those in the industry. The exercise that I undertook was to look at the range of qualifications that are available to the “learner” for want of a better word, and to put them into a number of pots – for example what QCF Level might they be at, who might they suit?

High hedges

Another first for me was to become involved in the analysis of a boundary hedge that might fall under the definition of a ‘high hedge’ as given in Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, i.e.

‘so much of a barrier to light or access as:

(a) is formed wholly or predominantly by a line of two or more evergreens; and

(b) rises to a height of more than two metres above ground level.’

I was using the DCLG’s guidance in Hedge height and light loss template and came to the conclusion that consideration ought to be given to reducing the hedge’s height to avert the possibility of blocking too much daylight and sunlight to adjoining properties. The guidance applies to the neighbour’s property in its entirety, not simply the house but the garden too, and does not make a general provision for a lower hedge near the house and a taller hedge down the garden path.

In an ideal world there a number of simple rules that should be adopted by a housing organisation when considering the management of their landscapes.

The key requirements

The key requirements are that the organisation has:

· site plans of all their schemes that include a representation of the landscape

· an idea of what the landscape is trying to achieve at the scheme

· an idea of the money available to spend managing the landscape

· an idea of the skills available with which to carry out that management

These requirements, when written down, would together form the landscape management strategy for the organisation, which would of course be consistent with the organisation’s Mission, Vision and Values, and would guide all landscape management decisions. The strategy will give guidance on the occasions when a request for shrub pruning or tree removal may (or may not) be granted, be that for legal, emotional or environmental reasons, as well as the mechanisms for the local communities to refer such requests to the organisation for a rational and consistent decision.

Site plans

Preferably each scheme would have an electronic site plan available to scale that could be reproduced at will and reviewed by a competent person at appropriate intervals. The plan would include a more-or-less accurate, current, representation of the landscape at the scheme.

The function of the landscape

The site plan would indicate the function of each component of the landscape, such as “boundary screen” or “barrier planting” which would in turn link to the landscape management strategy for the individual scheme and to the organisation’s budget.

The budget

Obviously every head of service will want a big budget, but it is not always necessary to make big sums available in order to achieve the required outcome. If the landscape management strategy is carefully written then certain tasks may be undertaken by well-supervised volunteers for example, or by trainees: in this way costs will be kept down whilst skill levels on site should be maintained at an acceptable level. For example, one way to help spread the budget may be to adopt a long-tem policy of “early intervention” so preventing a situation escalating in complexity and so in the likely cost to resolve satisfactorily.

The skills matrix

Horticultural and arboricultural tools in inexperienced hands may pose an unacceptable hazard and so it will be important to have the right matrix of skills available on site in order to deliver the required outcomes from the landscape management strategy.

It is possible that under a carefully developed strategy staff who hold the City and Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award in Chainsaw And Related Operations CS31 - Fell and Process Small Trees (i.e. trees whose diameter at felling height is between 200mm and 380mm) will be considered competent to carry out the bulk of the routine landscape management work, requiring the organisation to refer only the most complex tasks to specialist suppliers.

The additional components

The additional components that will help to successfully deliver the landscape management strategy include:

· a landscape survey for all of the schemes

· an analysis of the landscape at each of the schemes

· a balanced work programme

· a means to share the programme with local communities

The next step

If I can be of any help to you as you develop your ideas for a cost effective, sustainable landscape management strategy then please do not hesitate to contact me on my mobile which is 07501 059 566 or via email go2Jonathan.Hazell@gmail.com

Thank you,

Jonathan Hazell