Safely Managing Bournemouth’s Trees

idverde has provided arboricultural services for Bournemouth Borough Council since the mid-1990s, delivering specialist tree management across highways, parks, housing estates, cemeteries, woodlands and heathlands. The long-standing partnership, renewed in 2011 and subsequently extended, reflects a shared commitment to protecting the borough’s valuable tree stock while ensuring public safety and environmental resilience.

The contract encompasses a comprehensive range of arboricultural services, supporting both routine maintenance and reactive works across the borough. Annual operations include pollarding, crown lifting, deadwood removal, stump grinding, tree removals, crown reductions and pruning to maintain healthy, safe trees within public spaces and alongside highways and buildings.

Each year, idverde carries out routine pollarding on approximately 240 trees, removes epicormic growth from around 2,000 trees twice annually and undertakes statutory crown lifting and deadwood removal on approximately 2,700 trees. The programme also includes woodland and heathland management, supporting biodiversity alongside the Council’s wider planning and environmental objectives.

A key element of the contract is the provision of a 24-hour emergency response service. Operating with a guaranteed maximum one-hour response time, specialist arboricultural teams are available throughout the year to respond to storm damage, fallen trees and other urgent safety incidents. Throughout the duration of the contract, idverde has consistently met this demanding service commitment.

To support the efficient delivery of works, local Arboricultural Association Approved teams are equipped with specialist machinery including mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs), tracked chippers, stump grinders, timber handling equipment and low-emission electric chainsaws, enabling safe and effective management across a wide variety of tree care operations.

Sustainability forms an integral part of the service. Alongside annual tree planting to help offset operational carbon emissions, idverde has supported biodiversity initiatives across Bournemouth’s parks through the installation of bird and bat boxes. The team also works with the local charity Diverse Abilities by processing donated Christmas trees into woodchip, helping divert waste while supporting community fundraising initiatives.

The long-term partnership demonstrates how proactive arboricultural management helps local authorities protect valuable green assets, improve public safety and strengthen biodiversity while ensuring the long-term resilience of urban forests.