Well, all the snow has now gone, along with the ice, and so our surveyors can get back on to the ground and make their assessments with confidence.
Henry and Nick managed to break out of a snowbound Oxford to help me with a couple of jobs, one in Walsall was a BS5837:2005 survey of an industrial site, and the second in Essex was to prepare a woodland management plan for a development proposal that my colleagues are considering.
Expressly interesting
The project for the Registered Social Landlord is still taking shape:
· would-be assessors and surveyors have been approached and one or two tentative responses have been received, I still need more!
· I am waiting for eMapSite to get back to me with a quotation for the supply of the OS MasterMap extracts that the project requires, and finally
· the plan of attack is still being finalised – the job will require us to be very efficient in our data capture, there will be no opportunity to go back to re-visit sites and so we must get it right first time.
As before, if you are a competent tree assessor and you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I am meeting a potential assessor for the second job in the Midlands tomorrow, 7000 records to be captured using ARBORtrack, the client team has given me his contact details and so he comes very well recommended.
My offer to the London borough has been despatched, and as always once an offer has gone into the post I begin to worry – was I too cautious, will the price be acceptable, what about the quality assurance suggestions that I have made and so on – hopefully I’ll be put out of my misery soon!
I have contacted a wide range of arboricultural professionals in connection with a presentation I am due to make in April at a Tree Diseases Conference organised by the RFS/RASE. I’ve had a number of very interesting responses so far, but would encourage you all to keep them coming please.
I have also been contacted by the BBC in Birmingham in connection with a piece that they wish to do, to camera, about salt damage to highway trees. Once again, my contacts in industry are coming up trumps and suggesting locations and making contributions to the debate, so my thanks to all of you who have responded on this one.
In practice
The small service delivery contract has been completed, according to the contractor – by my reckoning there is still one tree to be felled!
I spent some time with the architect for the scheme in Nuneaton last week going through the response from the Tree Officer; I hope that between us we have done enough to secure the consent for the proposed development.
Monday, 25 January 2010
Friday, 15 January 2010
Welcome to January!
Whatever happened to the first weeks of January?
As in previous years snow has struck (but it was in February last year as I recall) meaning that our tree assessors have been held up: it has not been possible for Henry and Nick to make as comprehensive assessment of site conditions as they would like, and so our production levels on the Oxford contract are down. We now have two hand-held data loggers on the go; both are Magellan’s MobileMapper loaded with DigiTerra software, with which Henry and Nick are becoming most proficient!
Expressly interesting
Unfortunately I decided that I could not proceed to tender for the research project for which I had been shortlisted – I felt that the brief was too open and that there was simply too much risk involved for me. I do hope that someone with an arboricultural interest, and a stronger nerve, was able to make an offer so that the industry might stand a chance of seeing an end-user’s voice as the foundation for an important guidance document.
The Registered Social Landlord’s project is taking shape, but again has been delayed by snow on the ground – there’s no chance to identify the grounds maintenance features that the client wants if all we can see is snow! I have emailed a load of would-be assessors and surveyors with information about this job, and another in the Midlands – if you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I have been working on an offer to a London borough that wants to outsource almost all of their arboricultural expertise and service delivery, this is the sort of instruction that really floats my boat and so I’m looking forward to being able to hone and burnish my offer so that it dazzles!
In practice
I’m overseeing a small service delivery contract; again the weather has played its part here. Because the site is relatively well protected, the trees are small and some of the work can be done from the ground the contractor has brought me forward in his programme. Completion is scheduled for Monday, weather permitting.
I have tried to keep our field team busy away from a snow-bound Oxford, with a couple of other projects for colleagues in the office, one in Walsall and another in Harlow. It has been very interesting for me to discuss with Nick how he can bring his experience, as a former Tree Officer, to the reports that he has drafted for those instructions.
I hope that a small project in Nuneaton can soon be put to bed; it has been most helpful to me to have the opportunity to bring a range of valuable comments from the arboricultural professionals that I deal with into my report on behalf of my client. Hopefully, the outcome will be consent for the proposed development.
As in previous years snow has struck (but it was in February last year as I recall) meaning that our tree assessors have been held up: it has not been possible for Henry and Nick to make as comprehensive assessment of site conditions as they would like, and so our production levels on the Oxford contract are down. We now have two hand-held data loggers on the go; both are Magellan’s MobileMapper loaded with DigiTerra software, with which Henry and Nick are becoming most proficient!
Expressly interesting
Unfortunately I decided that I could not proceed to tender for the research project for which I had been shortlisted – I felt that the brief was too open and that there was simply too much risk involved for me. I do hope that someone with an arboricultural interest, and a stronger nerve, was able to make an offer so that the industry might stand a chance of seeing an end-user’s voice as the foundation for an important guidance document.
The Registered Social Landlord’s project is taking shape, but again has been delayed by snow on the ground – there’s no chance to identify the grounds maintenance features that the client wants if all we can see is snow! I have emailed a load of would-be assessors and surveyors with information about this job, and another in the Midlands – if you want to know more then please don’t hesitate to contact me direct!
I have been working on an offer to a London borough that wants to outsource almost all of their arboricultural expertise and service delivery, this is the sort of instruction that really floats my boat and so I’m looking forward to being able to hone and burnish my offer so that it dazzles!
In practice
I’m overseeing a small service delivery contract; again the weather has played its part here. Because the site is relatively well protected, the trees are small and some of the work can be done from the ground the contractor has brought me forward in his programme. Completion is scheduled for Monday, weather permitting.
I have tried to keep our field team busy away from a snow-bound Oxford, with a couple of other projects for colleagues in the office, one in Walsall and another in Harlow. It has been very interesting for me to discuss with Nick how he can bring his experience, as a former Tree Officer, to the reports that he has drafted for those instructions.
I hope that a small project in Nuneaton can soon be put to bed; it has been most helpful to me to have the opportunity to bring a range of valuable comments from the arboricultural professionals that I deal with into my report on behalf of my client. Hopefully, the outcome will be consent for the proposed development.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Goodbye to 2009, welcome to 2010!
Happy New Year!
Over the past few days a number of initiatives have begun to crystallise, as ever when the key movers and shakers are on leave!
First, I have been very fortunate to secure the services of a Survey Assistant for our Oxford City Council project; Nick Burke will start with us on 4 January and give Henry Keays valuable support. Nick’s recent experience is as a Tree Officer and so not only have I been able to increase our capacity, but also capability. With that in mind I shall be able to call on Henry and Nick to undertake small instructions in the vicinity of Oxford.
The urgent tree survey for planning purposes was completed, I hope that it will prove to have been satisfactory for the client and the planners, but I must admit to feeling slightly uncomfortable: in my opinion there were no tree issues at the site that could be reasonably expected to hold up the proposed development and I fear that the report was required simply to complete the bundle of supporting documents.
Secondly, I’ve been invited to proceed to the next stage of a research project that aims “to provide authoritative and comprehensive guidance on the urban landscape design, planting, management and maintenance of large canopy trees” – I will approach this as an end-user and as a representative of the arboricultural community, as well as a commercial opportunity for Parkwood Consultancy Services – I hope I can marry those two strands together seamlessly!
The third project, for a Registered Social Landlords in the Midlands, is beginning to firm up in my mind and settle into a genuine opportunity, provided I can marry that particular project with another in the same region to spread the cost of the resource requirement.
Over the past few days a number of initiatives have begun to crystallise, as ever when the key movers and shakers are on leave!
First, I have been very fortunate to secure the services of a Survey Assistant for our Oxford City Council project; Nick Burke will start with us on 4 January and give Henry Keays valuable support. Nick’s recent experience is as a Tree Officer and so not only have I been able to increase our capacity, but also capability. With that in mind I shall be able to call on Henry and Nick to undertake small instructions in the vicinity of Oxford.
The urgent tree survey for planning purposes was completed, I hope that it will prove to have been satisfactory for the client and the planners, but I must admit to feeling slightly uncomfortable: in my opinion there were no tree issues at the site that could be reasonably expected to hold up the proposed development and I fear that the report was required simply to complete the bundle of supporting documents.
Secondly, I’ve been invited to proceed to the next stage of a research project that aims “to provide authoritative and comprehensive guidance on the urban landscape design, planting, management and maintenance of large canopy trees” – I will approach this as an end-user and as a representative of the arboricultural community, as well as a commercial opportunity for Parkwood Consultancy Services – I hope I can marry those two strands together seamlessly!
The third project, for a Registered Social Landlords in the Midlands, is beginning to firm up in my mind and settle into a genuine opportunity, provided I can marry that particular project with another in the same region to spread the cost of the resource requirement.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
A flurry!
As the weather outside turns wintry, with eddies and flurries of sleet, I’ve had a busy morning with a couple of very promising enquiries – one for planning permission for a residential property, via an urgent BS5837:2005 tree survey, and the second for a larger scale social development where both a tree survey and a phase I habitat survey are required in order to satisfy the local planning authority.
The first I can complete before Christmas, the second will require the architect’s and developer’s plans to crystallise and firm up a little more before I go into the field.
I’ve also renewed contact with an old friend, and it looks as though a very interesting scheme, to design a target-lead survey and tree risk management plan, will see the light of day in the first quarter of 2010.
Research projects
An opportunity to further the development of a local authority’s tree strategy has been put back, but only for a couple of weeks. I’m confident that we’re on the right path and that the work we’re doing together will help all the authority’s officers to demonstrate consistent and robust tree management to both the public and to members.
I have been invited to contribute to a learned conference in the spring, with a host of other “end users” to discuss the commercial impact of tree diseases upon the arboricultural industry, from nurseryman to woodchip dealer. I must start asking searching questions!
As the weather outside turns wintry, with eddies and flurries of sleet, I’ve had a busy morning with a couple of very promising enquiries – one for planning permission for a residential property, via an urgent BS5837:2005 tree survey, and the second for a larger scale social development where both a tree survey and a phase I habitat survey are required in order to satisfy the local planning authority.
The first I can complete before Christmas, the second will require the architect’s and developer’s plans to crystallise and firm up a little more before I go into the field.
I’ve also renewed contact with an old friend, and it looks as though a very interesting scheme, to design a target-lead survey and tree risk management plan, will see the light of day in the first quarter of 2010.
Research projects
An opportunity to further the development of a local authority’s tree strategy has been put back, but only for a couple of weeks. I’m confident that we’re on the right path and that the work we’re doing together will help all the authority’s officers to demonstrate consistent and robust tree management to both the public and to members.
I have been invited to contribute to a learned conference in the spring, with a host of other “end users” to discuss the commercial impact of tree diseases upon the arboricultural industry, from nurseryman to woodchip dealer. I must start asking searching questions!
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
New business? Let's hope so
More interest!
One of my clients has encouraged me to investigate how I can increase my surveying capacity on his project for a short period, in order to try to align my spend with his budget for the year.
Another strong prospect seems to be emerging as a real opportunity, and so I might be in the market for another MobileMapper CX loaded with DigiTerra Explorer software early in the new year. A second prospect, for a large-scale inventory survey, that I have been nurturing for some time may begin to see the light of day before Christmas . . . Both will depend upon our ability to produce client ready data in the field and so reduce our post-processing costs to a minimum.
Research projects
As I have written before, I am interested in research projects where I might be able to address the question in my own right, or act as the “glue” to hold together and manage a team of experienced, niche, specialists in order to draw out the required response to the client’s brief.
There are a number of projects in the offing at the moment; I have considered one of those projects more fully since my last blog and have decided not to proceed. I did not feel that I had enough time to locate the experienced professionals that I needed, for example experts in researching historic landscapes, archivists, archaeologists and so on, and to get them on-side in time to meet the client’s deadline.
In passing I suspect that the pool of recognised (and so acceptable and credible) experts is quite shallow and so in order to form a wining project team one has to be quick off the mark!
One of my clients has encouraged me to investigate how I can increase my surveying capacity on his project for a short period, in order to try to align my spend with his budget for the year.
Another strong prospect seems to be emerging as a real opportunity, and so I might be in the market for another MobileMapper CX loaded with DigiTerra Explorer software early in the new year. A second prospect, for a large-scale inventory survey, that I have been nurturing for some time may begin to see the light of day before Christmas . . . Both will depend upon our ability to produce client ready data in the field and so reduce our post-processing costs to a minimum.
Research projects
As I have written before, I am interested in research projects where I might be able to address the question in my own right, or act as the “glue” to hold together and manage a team of experienced, niche, specialists in order to draw out the required response to the client’s brief.
There are a number of projects in the offing at the moment; I have considered one of those projects more fully since my last blog and have decided not to proceed. I did not feel that I had enough time to locate the experienced professionals that I needed, for example experts in researching historic landscapes, archivists, archaeologists and so on, and to get them on-side in time to meet the client’s deadline.
In passing I suspect that the pool of recognised (and so acceptable and credible) experts is quite shallow and so in order to form a wining project team one has to be quick off the mark!
Thursday, 3 December 2009
A wet Thursday
Oxford City Council
Today I’ll be catching up with Henry in Oxford, dodging the rain in a café in Marston or Headington.
We’ve been instructed to record data about all the trees on housing land, communal trees (which is quite a common request) and those trees in tenants’ gardens. Oxford Homes have taken the view that they want to know what is where so that they can, if necessary, take preventative action to stop the risk of a tree damaging property. Damage might be caused by branches hitting the housing stock or by expanding roots lifting paths or patios or damaging drains.
We have yet to move on to the greater part of the project, which is to be to capture data about all the trees in the parks and open spaces of the city.
To help us we are using a MobileMapper CX – a hand-held data logger that is GPS enabled, so it knows where it is – and DigiTerra Explorer software – a simple package that allows us to record all sorts of attributes, pick lists that have been designed to suit our client’s needs.
By capturing the records electronically we can upload client ready data straight to the client’s server and into their database so that their records are as contemporary as possible.
Expressions of Interest
I have submitted an Expression of Interest for a number of interesting sounding research projects, a new area of activity for me, and I wait anxiously to see if I will be invited to the next stage of the process. Quite reasonably clients are looking for suitable experience, but without the first instruction I will not be able to gain that experience, and so it really is chicken and egg situation for me.
One particular project, which will result in best practice for the retention of green infrastructure in towns, is of particularly special interest to me because of the decade that I spent in Milton Keynes, from 1985 to 1996, helping to manage the landscape of the newly emerging city. The team was lead by Rai Darke, a far-sighted and driven man (who hates the limelight!), and who has helped to shape my thinking. We all assumed that the work we did everyday was common place, it’s only years later that I now realise how far-sighted Rai was.
Another project seems to refer to a literature review of the documented history of a particular landscape, which will inform the implementation of a new landscape plan for the area. Again, historic landscapes is not “my bag” but I know people who would be interested – if I can secure a place on the tender list when others can’t then perhaps the client will be able to get the body of work they need through the procurement exercise.
The third project will require me to act as a focal point, bringing together the demand and supply sides in a local woodland economy. The measures that will be used to determine the success of the project are hard-nosed commercial – how many start-up businesses have been created and so on, so it’s a really good pragmatic approach to what is essentially an economic project.
So, all these seem to presume an ability to communicate, not necessarily an ability as an arboriculturist” – sounds OK to me!
Today I’ll be catching up with Henry in Oxford, dodging the rain in a café in Marston or Headington.
We’ve been instructed to record data about all the trees on housing land, communal trees (which is quite a common request) and those trees in tenants’ gardens. Oxford Homes have taken the view that they want to know what is where so that they can, if necessary, take preventative action to stop the risk of a tree damaging property. Damage might be caused by branches hitting the housing stock or by expanding roots lifting paths or patios or damaging drains.
We have yet to move on to the greater part of the project, which is to be to capture data about all the trees in the parks and open spaces of the city.
To help us we are using a MobileMapper CX – a hand-held data logger that is GPS enabled, so it knows where it is – and DigiTerra Explorer software – a simple package that allows us to record all sorts of attributes, pick lists that have been designed to suit our client’s needs.
By capturing the records electronically we can upload client ready data straight to the client’s server and into their database so that their records are as contemporary as possible.
Expressions of Interest
I have submitted an Expression of Interest for a number of interesting sounding research projects, a new area of activity for me, and I wait anxiously to see if I will be invited to the next stage of the process. Quite reasonably clients are looking for suitable experience, but without the first instruction I will not be able to gain that experience, and so it really is chicken and egg situation for me.
One particular project, which will result in best practice for the retention of green infrastructure in towns, is of particularly special interest to me because of the decade that I spent in Milton Keynes, from 1985 to 1996, helping to manage the landscape of the newly emerging city. The team was lead by Rai Darke, a far-sighted and driven man (who hates the limelight!), and who has helped to shape my thinking. We all assumed that the work we did everyday was common place, it’s only years later that I now realise how far-sighted Rai was.
Another project seems to refer to a literature review of the documented history of a particular landscape, which will inform the implementation of a new landscape plan for the area. Again, historic landscapes is not “my bag” but I know people who would be interested – if I can secure a place on the tender list when others can’t then perhaps the client will be able to get the body of work they need through the procurement exercise.
The third project will require me to act as a focal point, bringing together the demand and supply sides in a local woodland economy. The measures that will be used to determine the success of the project are hard-nosed commercial – how many start-up businesses have been created and so on, so it’s a really good pragmatic approach to what is essentially an economic project.
So, all these seem to presume an ability to communicate, not necessarily an ability as an arboriculturist” – sounds OK to me!
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Well, another day and another opportunity – none have yet been converted into actual work though since we won the contract to survey the trees Oxford City Council’s parks, open spaces and housing areas. Henry is out there with his MobileMapper and DigiTerra software recording the various attributes and then uploading the information to the Council’s server.
To date this year I’ve expressed interest in 61 enquiries, some were “never wozzers” to quote John Le Carre, and some have been converted in to genuinely interesting projects where I have learned as I have advised my client.
The comparison with this time last year is interesting – seemingly I’d had 68 enquiries by then but one of those, a local PCT, generated a number of separate pieces of consultancy work – tree risk management plans as well as BS5837 surveys on development sites.
The enquiries this year, and particularly at the end of this year, have had more of a “research” flavour –
· CIRIA have published an opportunity to produce “A guide for long lived large trees and other green infrastructure in urban environments”
· The National Forest are seeking support to increase the demand for woodland products and services, and
· The Westonbirt Arboretum are looking for help to restore pleasure gardens, parkland, built landscape features and the collection if historic trees and shrubs within a Grade 1 listed landscape
I’m not saying that I personally can do all three but I know people who can, and they might need someone like Parkwood Consultancy Services to back them if they are to make an offer, so the role is sometimes akin to that of marriage broker.
I’m also trying to find the time to support the Arboricultural Association as they seek to provide good, practical guidance on how to plant a tree in time for the BBC’s Breathing Places Tree O’clock campaign – you may be surprised that something that would appear to be so simple, like planting a tree, can be got so badly wrong on TV! However, I may be spoilt because I was in great company a few weeks ago planting trees at Kew Gardens with their own Mr Tree, Tony Kirkham. The Association had been given three lovely trees by Henry Girling that were to be presented to Kew to mark their 250th anniversary, the story is on the PCS web site in full.
More soon, hopefully to tell you about a fantastic win!
To date this year I’ve expressed interest in 61 enquiries, some were “never wozzers” to quote John Le Carre, and some have been converted in to genuinely interesting projects where I have learned as I have advised my client.
The comparison with this time last year is interesting – seemingly I’d had 68 enquiries by then but one of those, a local PCT, generated a number of separate pieces of consultancy work – tree risk management plans as well as BS5837 surveys on development sites.
The enquiries this year, and particularly at the end of this year, have had more of a “research” flavour –
· CIRIA have published an opportunity to produce “A guide for long lived large trees and other green infrastructure in urban environments”
· The National Forest are seeking support to increase the demand for woodland products and services, and
· The Westonbirt Arboretum are looking for help to restore pleasure gardens, parkland, built landscape features and the collection if historic trees and shrubs within a Grade 1 listed landscape
I’m not saying that I personally can do all three but I know people who can, and they might need someone like Parkwood Consultancy Services to back them if they are to make an offer, so the role is sometimes akin to that of marriage broker.
I’m also trying to find the time to support the Arboricultural Association as they seek to provide good, practical guidance on how to plant a tree in time for the BBC’s Breathing Places Tree O’clock campaign – you may be surprised that something that would appear to be so simple, like planting a tree, can be got so badly wrong on TV! However, I may be spoilt because I was in great company a few weeks ago planting trees at Kew Gardens with their own Mr Tree, Tony Kirkham. The Association had been given three lovely trees by Henry Girling that were to be presented to Kew to mark their 250th anniversary, the story is on the PCS web site in full.
More soon, hopefully to tell you about a fantastic win!
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