Green Wood Tree Surgery - Environmental Policy
Green Wood Tree Surgery is committed to minimising the impact its activities have on both the local and global environment, by taking all possible steps to prevent pollution, to avoid damage to habitats, and to reduce its carbon footprint.
The key points of our strategy to achieve this are as follows:
GENERAL
Green Wood Tree Surgery and its workforce and committed to meet or exceed all relevant legal requirements, Environmental Legislation Standards, and Codes of Practice.
We take all steps to minimize risk to employees, customers and the public, and also to wildlife.
We continually re-assess our environmental policy to respond to and incorporate new ideas.
HABITAT
Nesting birds and their nests and eggs are protected by law. Many other species such as bats and badgers are also protected. We work within the guidelines set out in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW).
We undertake a Bat Presence Survey prior to felling possible habitats. We inform our customers of any protected species which prevent work from being undertaken.
We promote reduction rather than removal of trees, where possible, and also encourage re-planting.
Where possible we leave habitat piles (hibernacula) or dead stems (monoliths) to encourage diversity of wildlife, and minimise the impact on the local fauna.
We encourage our customers to install bird and/or bat boxes where appropriate, and will hang these for no additional charge if working on the tree.
WASTE
We promote the re-use of waste materials, by selling our waste wood as logs for fuel, or donating it as wood chip.
All other green waste is sent to green waste recycling facilities (for composting), to minimise use of landfill.
We operate in compliance with our Environment Agency waste disposal licence.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
We aim to minimise energy wastage, and reduce our carbon footprint, by using the most efficient routes for travel, and the most appropriate vehicles for each job.
Vehicles and machinery are not left with the engines idling when not in use.
We correspond via e-mail where possible, and are working towards a paper-free office.