Maintain the health and condition of trees and woodland
Overview
This standard covers all the activities that may be required to maintain the health and condition of trees and woodland, together with the core requirements and responsibilities.
Activities could include some or all of the following:
• controlling unwanted vegetation
• controlling pests, diseases and disorders
• ameliorating soil for tree health
• pruning trees from the ground
• thinning and re-spacing young trees
• managing specimen trees
You could be working to a given specification that defines the methods to be used but you will be expected to determine how to carry out these methods on site.
You will need to take account of any restrictions affecting the work e.g. designated sites, presence of listed structures, wildlife, invasive non-native or protected species etc.
You are required to avoid or minimise damage or disturbance to the surrounding area including trees, other vegetation, wildlife and habitats, or to any structures, fences, paths, signs, ditches/waterways or drains, and to ensure that other site users are not put at risk by your work.
When working with equipment and machinery or chemicals you must be appropriately trained, and hold current certification where required, in line with the relevant legislation.
Your work must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance.
Links to other NOS:
LANCS31 Prepare and apply plant protection products to control weeds, pests, diseases or disorders
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Core requirements and responsibilities
1. monitor the health and condition of trees and woodland to identify the actions required for maintenance, in accordance with organisational procedures
2. obtain the relevant information to carry out the work activities in accordance with organisational procedures
3. check any statutory requirements that might be in place that may prohibit or place conditions on the work to be carried out and confirm that all required permissions and licences have been obtained
4. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
5. assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out, before starting work and throughout the activity, checking and confirming the findings of any existing risk assessments
6. confirm that sufficient control measures are implemented and emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site have been established and recorded
7. select the safest working methods, making use of mechanical methods where this is safer, in accordance with the assessed risks and organisational procedures, and plan work accordingly
8. confirm that relevant training and certification is in place to undertake the work to be carried out and recognise your own competence limitations
9. use appropriate methods to maintain effective communication with other workers and anyone else involved in, or affected by the work, in accordance with industry guidance and organisational procedures
10. obtain the materials required for the work in accordance with organisational procedures
11. confirm that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work to be carried out is worn at all times
12. select, prepare, use, maintain and store the tools and equipment required safely, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
13. confirm that all equipment has been checked, tested where required, and is fit for purpose in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer's instructions
14. maintain the safety and security of tools and equipment on site
15. handle, use and store hazardous substances in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
16. maintain hygiene and biosecurity in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, industry guidance and organisational procedures
17. carry out the required work in accordance with the information provided and organisational procedures
18. remove all waste and surplus materials and deal with them in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
19. minimise damage or disturbance to the site and surrounding area while carrying out this work, and confirm that the site is left in a safe and tidy condition
20. implement best practice approaches to sustainability that are appropriate for the work being carried out
21. deal effectively with issues that arise within the scope and limitations of your responsibilities and report issues that cannot be resolved, in accordance with organisational procedures
22. complete and store all the relevant documentation in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
Control unwanted vegetation
1. identify the vegetation that needs to be controlled
2. take the required action where hazardous or notifiable vegetation is identified
3. control unwanted vegetation using appropriate methods in accordance with the information provided and industry guidance
4. when using chemical methods, prepare and apply a plant protection product suitable for the control of the weeds identified, in accordance with industry guidance and manufacturer’s instructions
Control pests, diseases and disorders
1. identify the presence and extent of pests, diseases and disorders
2. take the required action where notifiable pests and diseases are identified
3. identify the presence of any biological controls and beneficial insects
4. identify and report any damage caused by deer, grey squirrels or other vertebrates
5. when using chemical methods, prepare and apply a plant protection product that is suitable for the control of the pests, diseases and disorders identified, in accordance with industry guidance and manufacturer’s instructions
Ameliorate soil for tree health
1. assess the soil conditions to determine suitable amelioration methods to improve the health of the tree
2. ameliorate soil using appropriate methods in line with the information provided
3. identify suitable aftercare to prevent the soil condition re-occurring in the future
Prune trees from the ground
1. identify the need for pruning and the type of pruning required
2. establish a safe working area by removing obstacles in the pruning area, including climbing vegetation, as appropriate
3. select pruning methods that are suitable for the required result, branch sizes and condition
4. prune trees using the appropriate techniques and without causing damage to the tree
Thin and re-space young trees
1. identify the need for thinning and re-spacing of young trees
2. thin and re-space young trees using the appropriate techniques, in line with the information provided
Manage specimen trees
1. identify specimen trees
2. identify any risks to public safety from specimen trees
3. take account of any constraints surrounding the site and the specimen trees to be managed
4. manage specimen trees to ensure their health and safety in accordance with relevant legislation and information provided
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
Core requirements and responsibilities
1. the importance of monitoring the health and condition of trees and woodland, when this should be done, and what signs to look out for
2. how to identify and access information relevant to the required work
3. how to identify tree species and families
4. how to identify hazards and assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out and the importance of site-specific risk assessment and control measures as relevant to own area of work
5. the relevant health and safety procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW)
6. the emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site and the correct use of warning signs and barriers to inform and protect others while the work is carried out
7. current legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance, organisational policies, procedures and protocols, business and professional ethics that are relevant to your area of work and to which you must adhere
8. the legal, industry and organisational requirements for training and certification to undertake the work activities required and the importance of acknowledging your limitations and not undertaking work that is beyond your level of competence
9. why it is important to maintain effective communication with other workers and anyone else involved in, or affected by, the work, and the methods of communication that should be used
10. how to obtain the materials required for the work and how to ensure materials are available where and when required
11. the tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the work and how to safely, prepare, use, carry out operator maintenance and store these, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, manufacturer’s instructions, and organisational procedures
12. the legal requirements for checking and testing equipment and why it is important to maintain all equipment to a high standard
13. technology used in your area of work and how to use it
14. the requirements for handling, using and storing hazardous substances in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
15. the importance of hygiene and biosecurity measures and how to apply these
16. the correct methods of dealing with waste and surplus materials in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
17. the importance of checking that completed work meets requirements in accordance with the information provided
18. your and the organisation’s responsibility for protecting the environment and working sustainably
19. the potential impact of the work on the site and surrounding area and how this can be minimised
20. the issues that can occur when maintaining trees and woodland, the actions to take and the organisational procedures for reporting issues that cannot be resolved
21. the scope and limitations of your competence, responsibilities and accountability
22. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation
Control unwanted vegetation
1. how to identify weeds and unwanted vegetation, including hazardous and invasive species, and the potential impact of these on tree and woodland health
2. which unwanted vegetation is notifiable, who needs to be notified and how this should be done
3. the cultural methods for controlling weeds and how they work
4. how to select and apply appropriate methods and equipment to control weeds and unwanted vegetation and what should be considered
5. the types of plant protection products used for the control of weeds, how to use them and the legislation controlling their use
6. the use of mulching and mulch mats to aid control of unwanted vegetation
Control pests, diseases and disorders
1. how to identify the presence of pests, diseases and disorders, including invasive species, and the potential impact of their presence on tree and woodland health
2. which pests and diseases are notifiable, who needs to be notified and how this should be done
3. the relevant biological control methods and beneficial insects used on site
4. how to select appropriate methods and equipment to control pests, diseases and disorders and what should be considered
5. the types of plant protection products for the control of pests, diseases and disorders, how to use them and the legislation controlling their use
Ameliorate soil for tree health
1. how to identify the signs and symptoms in the tree and/or the soil that suggests the need for soil amelioration
2. the methods of soil amelioration and when each would be appropriate to improve the health of the tree
3. the implications of seasonal and ground conditions for your work
Prune trees from the ground
1. how to identify which trees need to be pruned, the different types of pruning and when they should be used
2. the implications on the pruning work of different tree species, their condition and the time of year
3. how to apply appropriate pruning techniques to meet requirements
4. how to recognise tension and compression in the branches, and the ways to remove a saw that becomes trapped in a cut
5. why it is important not to damage the tree and how this can be avoided
Thin and re-space young trees
1. when young trees should be thinned and re-spaced
2. how to select and apply appropriate methods to thin and re-space young trees
Manage specimen trees
1. how to identify specimen trees and the importance of regular monitoring
2. the safety implications of managing specimen trees in public areas
3. how to evaluate the value and viability of specimen trees
4. the systems for managing and monitoring specimen trees and the requirements for recording the actions taken
Scope/range
Activities for maintaining tree and woodland health could include some or all of the following:
• controlling weeds and unwanted vegetation
• controlling pests, diseases and disorders
• ameliorating soil for tree health
• pruning trees from the ground
• thinning and re-spacing young trees
• managing specimen trees
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
How to control the following kinds of unwanted vegetation:
• woody
• herbaceous
• grass
• competing
• hazardous
• notifiable
• excessive
How to use the following control measures:
• chemical
• mechanical
• manual
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Biological controls may include mites, insects, nematodes, bacteria or fungi
Diseases may be fungal, viral or bacterial
Disorders may include nutrient deficiencies (e.g. nitrogen or potassium deficiencies)
Information required to carry out work activities could include:
• drawings
• plans
• schedules
• specifications
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s instructions
• customer requirements
• quality assurance requirements
• industry standards (e.g. British Standards)
• verbal or written instructions
• industry guidance (e.g. FISA)
Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)
Pests may include insects, slugs, snails
Plant Protection Products can exist in many forms, such as solid granules, powders or liquids and include:
• insecticides
• fungicides
• herbicides
• molluscicides
• plant growth regulators
Pruning may be required:
• to improve flowering and/or fruitfulness
• to improve the quality of timber
• to improve safety
• to allow access
• for aesthetic reasons
• to improve tree health
Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.
Soil amelioration methods could include:
• mulching
• feeding
• top dressing
• pneumatic decompaction
• mycorrhizal injection
Specimen trees could be defined by:
• commercial value
• amenity value
• habitat value
• rare species
• historical significance
• public safety concerns
• ecological benefits
• life expectancy
• aesthetics
Systems for managing specimen trees could include:
• regular inspections
• implementing ecological work, such as coronet cuts
• creating wound areas
• developing niche habitats
• improving value
Types of pruning:
• Singling - the removal of multiple leaders when the trees are very
young, typically less than five years old
• Formative pruning - is carried out in the first ten or so years of a
tree’s life. It includes:
o removing crossing & rubbing branches within the crown
o removing coarse lateral branches
o removing forks that develop in the crown
• Brashing – to remove the lower branches of a tree, usually to a height of approximately 2 metres (head height)
• High pruning - similar to brashing in that it involves the removal of all lower branches but up to a greater height
Unwanted vegetation includes: competing, notifiable, hazardous and excessive growth.
Vertebrates may include: deer, grey squirrels, rabbits, hares, voles, wild boar, grazing livestock, birds
Weeds: wild plants growing where they are not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants
Links To Other NOS
LANCS31 Prepare and apply plant protection products to control weeds, pests, diseases or disorders