In the UK, the nesting season for wild birds lasts from February to August and, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, tree surgeons must not disrupt a site with an active nest. This means hedge cutting and some tree work can only take place at certain times of the year. As a company committed to delivering reliable, high-quality services, we comply with all regulations surrounding tree surgery and do everything we can to protect wildlife. We do so whether carrying out stump grinding, crown thinning or other services in Weybridge.
To ensure wo don’t disturb any nesting birds, we undertake a Wildlife and Ecological Assessment before starting work. If an active nest is present, we postpone work until the nest is empty.
While we do our best to meet your needs, it’s vital for our tree surgeons to comply with regulations. The following is some of the key information you should know about nesting season:
There is guidance surrounding tree surgery and hedge cutting which we follow to ensure safe, legal and effective services in the Weybridge area. This includes:
Where possible, we undertake vegetation works outside of nesting season.
When it is necessary to undertake work during nesting season, we carry out a pre-works survey. As reputable tree surgeons, it is our responsibility to assess, record and confirm that hedge and tree works are not disturbing nesting birds.
Taking extra care to avoid damaging or disturbing ground-nesting birds, especially when entering or leaving the site.
Taking steps to ensure tree surgery does not cause the abandonment or exposure of nests in adjacent trees.
Although nesting season can cause disruption to some services, there is plenty of work we can undertake in Weybridge throughout the year, for example stump grinding and formative pruning. Furthermore, as long as no active nests are present, we can carry out tree and hedge cutting.
The Law
Some customers in Weybridge may not realise that it’s actually against the law for tree surgeons to intentionally take, damage or destroy wild bird nests and eggs. It’s also illegal for us to take, injure or kill chicks and adult birds. This all falls under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Consequently, it’s important to make sure there are no active nests before starting tree work. Because birds also nest in hedges, it’s vital to check hedgerows before undertaking hedge cutting.
To avoid disappointment, we recommend booking our tree surgeons early for maintenance services in Weybridge outside of nesting season.
Our customers should also note, there are further regulations surrounding our work, such as health and safety legislation, which we comply with at all times, whether carrying out stump grinding, pruning or more extensive services.