Together Housing Association Limited, is a charitable community benefit society that own and manage over 36,000 properties and is one of largest providers of affordable social housing in the North.

Together Housing provides a comprehensive range of support services which affect over 40,000 people’s lives, in the North of England.

The Purpose of the Survey

JCA’s role is to inform Together Housing Group of how many trees they have under their responsibility, where each tree is located and to provide specific information and advice about each tree; e.g. species, height, size, form and condition.

Where necessary, we will also prescribe appropriate recommendations in line with best practice, health and safety and general maintenance.

The tree surveys will ensure that Together Housing Group complies with its legal duty of care to the general public and its tenants, by undertaking tree works where a potential hazard is observed, or risk noted.

Knowing where the trees are and what management works are required, will allow for better planning with regards to future surveys and will assist with the overall budgeting of tree works.

For example, tree works can be undertaken on a high, moderate or low priority basis first and then by area, rather than reacting on a more ad-hoc basis when and where an issue arises.

The tree surveys will focus primarily on the health and condition of each tree although the potential for damage/conflict will also be assessed (where trees are growing close to structures, overhead cables, TV signals etc).

JCA will only prescribe tree works where it is necessary, and serves a purpose.

Together Housing’s policy is to re-plant and replace any tree which requires removal.

Prior to replacing, we will always assess the area and ensure we have the right tree in the right place to maximise the life expectancy of the tree.

Who is carrying out the work?

We have assigned two of our arboricultural consultants to the surveys. Each consultant will aim to survey on average between 80 and 90 trees per day.

JCA Arboricultural Consultants

Luke Wickham FdSc (Arboriculture and Urban Forestry).
Luke joined JCA in 2021 after obtaining his Foundation Degree in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at Askham Bryan College. Having previously worked within the industry for the past 4 years, running his own small business and sub-contracting for local firms, Luke brings a sound knowledge and understanding of the practical and academic sides of the industry.

Andy McPhaden BSc (Hons).
Andrew joined JCA in 2022 having spent 5 years working as an Arborist for various private companies in both the UK and Germany. During his time abroad he obtained the European Tree Worker Certification along with a tree inspector certification from the Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Ladschaftsbau. He brings a strong understanding of the practical sides of the industry and holds various NPTC qualifications.

Where are JCA Limited surveying?

There are three core areas which require surveying, two of which JCA Limited are carrying out:

• Lancashire/ Manchester – Other Arboricultural agency
• Calderdale – JCA Limited
• Yorkshire & Humber – JCA Limited

JCA have now inspected all of the trees within Together Housing’s ownership covering Open Spaces, Communal areas and tenant back gardens.

We have also now set a Tree Management Plan in place.

Once this is in place, Together Housing will apply their Policy and be able to inform customers of the plans for the trees in their areas and respond quickly to any concerns on tree safety.

The post Tree Surveying for Together Housing appeared first on JCAAC.

As water is critical to ecosystems, drought conditions as a result of Heatwaves, can throw off nature’s cycles. The first thing many of us observe is the grass and our groundwater sources (ponds and rivers) drying up.

This causes immediate hydration problems for wildlife. Just like for us, dehydration and over-heating in animals can lead to confusion and disorientation.

This results in issues where normally nocturnal animals like bats and hedgehogs are out during daylight. Or where wildlife such as birds and rabbits are struggling to feed and forage.

Bats

Bats can be very hard hit.

A few years ago, the National Trust reported instances of bats literally falling out of the sky in daylight, due to disorientation caused by heat and dehydration.

Also, roosting bats have particular temperature requirements, where a few degrees change can make a difference as to whether the pups live or die.

Where temperatures soar, this may make their traditional roosts unsuitable, and female bats will frequently move between roosting sites to find the right conditions.

However, in 2020, the Bat Conservation Trust reported a case of 63 baby bats found outside a roost in a heatwave, with many more inside seemingly abandoned by their mothers.

Bats reproduce slowly and when extreme heatwaves start to happen more frequently, bat populations will find it more difficult to recover.

Birds

Birds are particularly at risk during heatwaves.

Firstly, they have a higher core temperature than other animals, and secondly, they can’t sweat, and have only limited ability to reduce their temperature. This is why you might see some birds ‘pant’ when its especially hot or they may be splashing about in shallow pools!

Bees

Other furry favourites, such as the bumblebees are very badly affected by heatwaves. Their warm coat means they quickly overheat so they are unable to leave the nest and forage. Without restocking supplies, bee colonies will only last a few days.

Amphibians

Being semi-aquatic, amphibians  fully depend on water. Juvenile amphibians such as tadpoles are fully aquatic, so without sufficient water supplies amphibians will not be able to breed successfully.

Adult amphibians also need to regularly rehydrate in cool, damp spots; without these, they will dry out!

But hydration is not the only issue.

Insects

The consequences for insects (they need water too!), and other “primary consumers” is simply that the reduced availability of water will directly reduce insect numbers. This means that many mammals are also at risk from starvation as their food source is reduced, and as the ground hardens and dries, foraging for worms and beetles becomes near impossible.

In the longer term, heatwaves can cause the early ripening of wild food sources such as blackberry, as fruit drops earlier to help the plant preserve water. This results in a lack of food later in the season for animals such as blackbirds, who depend on the summer fruit to build energy reserves.

So what are some things we can do to help?

Firstly, we can leave out water in shallow bowls for birds and mammals and top up any ponds for amphibians and larger mammals. In current conditions you could leave out some wet food for birds, badgers and hedgehogs – although remember, no dried food or mealworms (very bad for hedgehogs)!

You could also create a shady refuge for wildlife that needs it – this may be by leaving an area of your garden to grow ‘wild’ or by temporarily creating a shaded, well-ventilated area.

And should you spot a bee in distress, leave out a teaspoon of cool water and sugar, and it should perk right up.

Author: Amy Donaldson – Graduate Ecologist @ JCA Limited

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It is prevalent throughout the country and affects a wide range of plant and tree species, including many of our favourite garden trees such as Cherry, Apple and Pear.

However, despite its sweet name, this fungus is a tree-killer. This will not only make short work of the tree, but will soon spread to other nearby plant species.

Symptoms

Trees suffering from an infection of honey fungus might display symptoms such as a thinning or sparse canopy. They could also display a yellowing of the leaves. However, the honey fungus is most recognisable when the mushrooms appear annually in the autumn. Typically they appear in large clusters on the roots or base of an infected tree.

The caps of the mushrooms can be yellowish, brown or olivaceous in colour and the stipes bear a ring. When the fungus isn’t fruiting, it can be identified by its dark-coloured rhizomorphs which are colloquially called “bootstraps”, owing to their lace-like appearance. These can be seen all year round.

While its most tell-tale symptom is white “sheet-like” fungal growth between the bark and wood. This is normally present around ground level, and has a strong mushroom smell. However, it is usually not visible as it resides under the bark.

Honey fungus is generally an opportunistic parasite, meaning that it prefers to infect plants which are already weakened by other stresses such as drought, other diseases or pests.

It can cause the decline and death of trees by severing the crucial vascular cambium (essential tissue that supports growth) around the roots and the base of the stem.

After killing its host, the honey fungus will persist in the environment. It feeds on the dead material and poses a risk of infection to other living plants in the area.

Prevention

In this case, prevention is definitely better than cure. Good tree management to improve tree resilience against pests and diseases includes ensuring that:

• the tree is adequately watered,
• good pruning techniques are used,
• the soil around the tree is not disturbed or compacted
• the base of the trunk is not accidentally damaged as basal wounds provide perfect entry points for honey fungus infections.

Treatment

But if your tree already has it, then it’s normally pretty bad news… It is fast-acting, and in the UK, there are no (legal) chemical controls.

Management methods exist, such as the use of root collar excavation using compressed air. This technique allows the soil around the roots to be de-compacted and reduces moisture levels around the base of the stem which in turn can cause the mycelium of the fungus to recede and help the tree to recover.

Studies have shown this to be an effective treatment for trees in the early stages of infection by honey fungus.

Other potential treatments can involve the removal of the infected parts of the tree’s root network, but this is an invasive technique and carries risks both in terms of the survival of the tree and in terms of the reinfection of the tree.

Where a larger tree is affected by honey fungus and there are concerns about its overall structural integrity, then the tree will require some monitoring.

Sonic tomography can be used to visualise the extent of the internal decay to determine if the tree can be safely retained, although this is often part of a long-term process of managed decline.

Lastly, where honey fungus causes the death of trees, it is recommended that as much of the infected material be physically removed as quickly as possible.

This will reduce sources of inoculum in the soil and reduce the risk of infection to neighbouring plants.

However, it is soil-borne, so where you are looking to re-plant, assume that it is lingering in the soil and think about tree species which are more tolerant to this vicious and virulent pest.

How Long Does Honey Fungus Stay in Soil?

Honey fungus, scientifically known as Armillaria mellea, is a persistent pathogen that can survive in soil for an extended period.

Its longevity in soil largely depends on environmental conditions and the presence of suitable hosts.

In favorable conditions, honey fungus can remain viable in the soil for many years, potentially even decades.

This resilient soil-borne pathogen is known for its ability to infect a wide range of woody plants.

To prevent the spread of honey fungus, it’s crucial to practice good horticultural practices such as, removing infected plant material and improving soil drainage. Also it is important to avoid planting susceptible species in areas known to harbor this persistent pathogen.

Contact JCA

JCA are experienced with different types of fungi and we can offer our expert advice.  Do you have any concerns over the Health and Safety of any of your trees? Call us on 01422 376 335 or email info@jcaac.com

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In the animal world, many animals adopt visual tricks to fool predators, from pretending to be a hovering wasp to shapeshifting into poisonous larvae.  Collectively, these are described as Batesian mimicry, where the mimic forms a biological resemblance to a more dangerous species, and consequently predators leave them alone.

However, a study published May 9 in Current Biology found that a UK resident bat species, the greater mouse-eared bats, seems to imitate the buzzing sounds of hornets – presumably to avoid being eaten by owls.

“We discovered that a mammal mimics the sound of an insect to scare a predatory bird,” says Danilo Russo, the lead author of the paper and an ecology professor at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, in Italy.  “This is an amazing evolutionary interaction involving three species that are evolutionarily distant from one another”.

(Source – National Geographic.)

Greater Mouse-Eared Bats

Greater mouse-eared bats, (Myotis myotis), are widespread across Europe bat species, although are unfortunately vanishing rare in the UK.  As a species, it was declared extinct in the UK in 1990. However, a single Greater Mouse Eared bat dubbed “the rarest mammal in the UK” was subsequently re-found in a dark railway tunnel in West Sussex, where he continues to live today.

With a preferred diet of insects, (especially beetles), generally, they hang out in colonies in the woodlands and forest edges. They roost in caves underground for most of the year, or in buildings during the summer.  They are often preyed upon by various birds. These include barn owls (Tyto alba) and Tawny owls (Strix aluco), especially when leaving or returning to their roosts.

Findings

In the current study, Russo and colleagues first compared the bat’s buzzing sounds with those of four different species of hymenopteran insects. This included honeybees (Apis mellifera) and European hornets (Vespa crabro).  They analysed the sounds according to their wavelength, frequency, call duration, and more. It was found that there was a large overlap in their structure. 

They also found that some owls reacted nervously to the buzzing sound. They were possibly associating the noise with previous experiences of being stung.  And in this moment of nervousness, it is thought that some bats may be able to make their escape.

As is always the case with such new findings, many questions remain.  For example, it is unclear how successful this technique is. It is also unclear how widely this behaviour is used beyond the captivity study that this report is based on.

Assuming that the study’s findings are proven, this is yet more proof of just how extraordinary bats can be.

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A Barkisland environmental business has been recognised for its outstanding investment in technology in the face of evolving challenges during the past year.

The Digital Enterprise Top-100 profiles and celebrates companies in the wider Leeds City Region that use digital technologies in innovative and transformational ways.

Among these, is a local Arboricultural and Ecology consultancy business, JCA Limited. JCA have recently invested heavily in handheld data collection and mapping software.

JCA’s investment also includes a 3D non-invasive “tree scanner”. This uses sound waves to assess the internal condition of a tree, allowing quantifiable management recommendations to be made.

The scanner precisely measures the speed of sound waves as they travel through a tree stem. This helps identify issues such as internal cracks or areas of decay.

JCA can then diagnose problems or diseases before they are visible, without compromising the health or stability of the tree.

This system makes a huge difference when assessing a trees overall condition, not just the standard Visual Tree Assessment method.

Falling trees and poor tree management are still responsible for perhaps 60 fatalities and injuries per year. Also, millions of pounds in property damage each year.

Comments from the Director of Operations

“Utilising high-tech equipment in our line of work is extremely beneficial to the company – Charles Cocking, Director of Operations at JCA.

The data capturing technology streamlines the entire process for a consultant, saving time, money and allowing the business to be as efficient as possible.

It is important to use the most up to date technology and equipment that is available to us, in order to create sustainable tree management systems for the future, which have a wide range of capabilities.

The Top 100 covers SMEs from across nine Leeds City Region local authority areas including Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Harrogate.

A celebration event recognising the efforts of the Digital Top-100 was held on 16th June in Leeds.

(L-R Charles Cocking – Operations Director, Adam Saeed – Remote Data Project Officer and Richard Tamworth – IT Officer)

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Five Minutes with…

Luke Wickham – Director Of Arboricultural Projects

1) What is your work background and when did you join JCA Limited?

I have been within the Arboriculture Industry for the past 6 years, combining running my own domestic tree and gardening company, sub-contracting to local and national Arb firms and studying for an FdSc in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry.

Prior to that, there isn’t much I haven’t done, including…website developer, holiday rep, care worker, labourer, bar work and voluntary teaching in Tanzania.

2) What do you enjoy most about working at JCA Ltd?

Honestly, the fact that I am respected as an employee and trusted to get on by myself.  We are a relatively small team but everyone is very approachable, including management and there are a lot of discussions that take place to see every side.  Everyone here feels more like family than colleagues.

3) What is your favourite type of survey to carry out and why?

Although they can be intimidating, I really like development surveys.  It gives us a chance as Arb consultants to work closely with developers to ensure that as much of the existing vegetation is retained, and help shape the development to a greener approach, something that is very much needed in our current climate.

4) Describe yourself in three words?

Him over there!

5) Which hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?

Staying busy and spending time with my son Obi.

6) What are your dislikes?

Ignorance and inequality.

 7) Which TV show are you currently binge-watching?

The News, amazing that they pretty much have new storylines each day!

 8) What would you say is your spirit animal and why?

Sloth. Fantastic at conserving energy.

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Five Minutes with…

Kelly Saunders – Credit Control/Accounts Manager

1) What is your work background and when did you join JCA Limited?

I have always worked within Credit Control. I started at JCA in February 2019 after being made redundant from my previous job.

2) What do you enjoy most about working at JCA Ltd?

The people who make up JCA and the flexibility.

3) What is your favourite type of survey to carry out and why?

N/A

4) Describe yourself in three words?

Feisty, sassy and likeable.

5) Which hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?

I enjoy cooking.

6) What are your dislikes?

Crowds, snow and turnips!

 7) Which TV show are you currently binge-watching?

Nothing at the moment

 8) What would you say is your spirit animal and why?

An Elephant – bold and loyal.

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Five Minutes with…

Dan Kemp – Arboricultural Consultant

1) What is your work background and when did you join JCA Limited?
Arboricultural and horticultural, particularly plant based projects and mycology and their plant associations.

Jon Cocking, the Managing Director of JCA Ltd, offered me a job having been working in the South East of England for 20+ years.

2) What do you enjoy most about working at JCA Ltd?
The variety of work involved and gaining experience from a wide range of experienced colleagues.

3) What is your favourite type of survey to carry out and why?
Safety Surveys – I feel it provides the most diverse aspect, needs to always be applied when carrying out any type of tree survey and becomes especially interesting when there are unusual plant species and their associated defects.

4) Describe yourself in three words?
“Tall, dark (not so now) and handsome”.

5) Which hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?
Cycling, walking, badminton, skiing, cooking, travelling – seeing different cultures, swimming, there are probably others, especially when COVID-19 is finally a distant memory.

6) What are your dislikes?
Tiredness, bad weather, food not cooked to my liking (but I eat most things), feeling ill, there are probably other dislikes…

 7) Which TV show are you currently binge-watching?
None really but I do enjoy watching most action/adventure movies especially if they have a decent story line. Although, I enjoy whiling away time, snuggling up and watching any ‘good’, watchable movie, especially a scary horror.

 8) What would you say is your spirit animal and why?
Made me think a bit this one, of an animal I could relate to somehow, although I’m not sure whether there is any spiritual connection! Apis mellifera (Western Honey Bee) because it has a ‘sting in the tail‘…no perhaps more realistically because it likes plants, provides honey which I love (I have a bit of a sweet tooth- if you know how I love Haribos) and because it is an important (essential!) part of the environment.

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Five Minutes with…

Toby Thwaites – Technical Director

1) What is your work background and when did you join JCA Limited?
I undertook a degree in Ecology and then a work placement at JCA Limited and never left! Whilst working at JCA, I obtained a HND/Foundation degree in Arboriculture.

2) What do you enjoy most about working at JCA Ltd?
The working environment and the people. Also the variety of work which we get involved with.

3) What is your favourite type of survey to carry out and why?
Safety Health and Condition Surveys. The only type of survey where there tends to be a genuine interest in the wellbeing of the trees.

4) Describe yourself in three words?
Fun ginger dude!

5) Which hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?
Song writing, music, film, books, adventure and excitement, trying new things and football.

6) What are your dislikes?
Fruit based desserts.

 7) Which TV show are you currently binge-watching?
Z-nation

 8) What would you say is your spirit animal and why?
No idea… crocodile or shark? Basically something quite scary which is a potential threat.

According to an online quiz, I am a fox!

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Five Minutes with…

Adam West – Director Of Ecology

1) What is your work background and when did you join JCA Limited?
I’ve been an ecologist for about 7 years, starting out as a freelancer just helping various companies collect survey data. I’ve worked my way up from there.

One of our arbs, Andrew, is a very old friend of mine. When a job opened up, he called me and said I should go for it. I did, and the rest is history!

2) What do you enjoy most about working at JCA Ltd?
I get to be in charge! It’s part of my role to guide and shape other people as ecologists and professionals, which I consider to be a huge privilege.

3) What is your favourite type of survey to carry out and why?
Dawn bat surveys. Bats are among my favourite animals and sunrise is my favourite part of the day. You get to observe some really interesting bat behaviours at that time of day.

4) Describe yourself in three words?
Amiable, pragmatic and dedicated.

5) Which hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?
I love to go climbing. The combination of physical and mental challenge involved is right up my street. I’m also a season ticket holder at Huddersfield Town, but the less said about that at the moment, the better! #UTT

6) What are your dislikes?
Negative people who moan about trivialities, people who lack manners and mayonnaise.

 7) Which TV show are you currently binge-watching?
Maniac on Netflix. I’m half way into the final episode and I understand about 20% of what’s going on. Hopefully it will all make sense in the end!

 8) What would you say is your spirit animal and why?
The Chupacabra because of the obvious similarities!

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