Tree Relocation - bespoke to your project

*Specialist low ground disturbance tyres are fitted to our tree spade truck, which is designed to preserve lawns and soft surfaces*

Three different sizes of tree spade available
Expert planning & feasibility
Frame root balling service
Qualified operatives
Specialist aftercare

Essentially the art of tree moving is to incorporate as much of the trees reliant underground environment as possible, within the move. This root ball size is determined by the species, age and size of tree. It’s really important to keep as many roots intact as possible to minimise/eliminate the transplant "shock" a tree will encounter. The tree will use up vital energy to recover from a move, so good vitality is essential pre-move.

Our largest tree spade, the Volvo truck with flotation tyres featuring a Stocker 8 Tree Spade (eight blades - 2.1m diameter) which is capable of relocating a 30cm stem diameter measured at approx. 1.5m from ground level.

Take a look at the video of the Stocker 8 doing it’s thing at Oxfordshire’s Harcourt Arboretum relocating a Monkey Puzzle Tree and a Wollemi Pine here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdXDdGo4nc/

TECHNICAL STUFF - As a general rule, it’s advisable to take a rootball 12 x the diameter of the stem measured at about a metre, if possible, i.e. a 10 cm diameter tree would best have a rootball 120cm in diameter and around 60-80 cm deep. Suddenly, we are faced with quite a lot of weight to deal with (often 4–5-ton rootballs). Here we need a tree spade (between 4-29 tons) or where a rootball is too big large, lifting equipment. This means the garden/golf course or site needs a good deal of space for the operation suggesting a delicate small garden just makes the operation too expensive. So, the site needs to lend its self to the job. A ‘large root ball for success’ is the simple mantra for me, so we require a large excavation pit. Sometimes an ‘Air Spade’ is used to remove soil via compressed air, and a tree can be bare root moved. My feeling is soil and lawns are easy to repair when considering the benefit of a tree being relocated to the new chosen spot, and the many years of future pleasure it will give.

Ground protection boards (available to hire from us) are laid on lawned areas, if required, or special access arrangements are made.

Tight space? No problem! — *Wherever, whatever, whenever…and why? We can do it!*

THINGS TO ASK YOURSELF - The question is, can I move the tree for less than I can buy and install one in new? Can my property take the level of equipment required? Often, moving 8x trees for £1,500 will be justified, as buying in new could cost around £12,000. However, consider moving just one Birch tree for example, opposed to buying in at £300.

DECISION TIME - I aim to be entirely honest and evaluate your project for its realistic worth, rather than be sales driven! Supplying me with vital information such as tree species, stem diameter, access route and area to operate will be of enormous help. Pictures are useful as are the width of the gate or driveway! Armed with this information for your project, I can then formulate a cost. Where this, in principle, meets with your approval, a pre-works meeting is arranged and a method statement is put together.

DON’T FORGET – post-moving, aftercare requires a carefully detailed plan to ensure success, essentially a ‘guardian’ is required ensuring nothing is left off the programme which is critical. I aim to put this in place prior to works as it’s best to nominate one person and brief them fully.

Yew (Taxus baccata) relocation at the local arboretum - productive and efficient! 40x trees moved in two days at Oxfordshire’s Harcourt Arboretum with Lady Olive, our Valtra tractor, using the Optimal Tree Spade, and for the larger canopy/rootball specimens, the Volvo 6x6 truck with flotation tyres and the amazing Stocker 8 Spade. An interested team from Kew Gardens visited to take a peek at our progress! Great job, Team Heritage!

Golf Courses often wish to redesign their circuits by moving trees, opening fairways and elongating play. Our Volvo 6x6 Truck is fitted flotation tyres to protect the fairways from damage and with the Stocker 8 Tree Spade; perfect for such hefty work. Here is an older time-lapsed video of the spade making light work relocating a Beech (Fagus sylvatica) to a more suitable location on the Course.

NB Historical Black and White pictures added to our gallery show the artful practice of tree relocation goes back some years!