Colchester City Council Tree Maintenance Service

We can provide the following tree work services to Colchester residents. If you would like a quote you must complete the private tree work form.

Available services

Crown lifting:

Removing the lowest branches of a tree to create more clearance below. This can be done to various heights to suit the tree or situation as appropriate.

Cutting back from a building:

Pruning a tree back from a building helps to prevent unwanted damage to the property. We can do this up to a height of around 6m (house gutter height).

Cutting back overhang from trees or bushes on neighbouring properties:

Cutting back a tree’s overhanging branches in various circumstances, this could be from over a garden or driveway - usually back to a boundary line.

Felling and stump treatment:

Where space allows we can fell trees, we can also treat the stump to prevent it re-growing.

Coppicing:

Coppicing is a tree management technique where the tree is removed while leaving a slightly higher than normal stump. This will then regrow as multiple new stems.

Formative pruning:

This is the shaping of young trees to encourage healthy and desirable future growth.

Clearing of fallen trees:

The clearance of fallen trees due to extreme weather or poor health.

Epicormic growth removal:

Epicormic growth occurs at the base of a tree or on its trunk as multiple small shoots. Removing these helps the tree to grow in a desirable shape and can assist with future inspections.

Tree planting:

Planting new trees using stakes and tree ties to support the tree while it establishes a healthy root system.

We can also provide aftercare such as watering, tie adjustment and formative pruning.

Hedge trimming and reductions:

Trimming or reducing a hedge by a significant amount in height and/or width.

Services that are not available:

• Reducing a tree in size all over.
• Pollarding – This is the removal of all live growth back to a bare stem or major branches. Often used as a management technique for fast growing species like Lime, Willow and Polar.
• Felling/removal of large trees where space is restricted - where a tree is too large to be felled into the surrounding area it would need to be dismantled in sections.
• Cutting back overhang or away from buildings above 6m.
• The use of a stump grinding machine to remove tree stumps.
• Removal of dead branches over 5m.

Fees and charges

These costs are a guide and will be confirmed during the quotation process.