In this case the subject property included the house and extension (pool room). Damage in the form of cracking had occurred to the interior and exterior of the property.

Having conducted a detailed survey of the site and information supplied by the loss adjustor, our consultant determined that in this case some subsidence damage had occurred as a result of seasonal soil fluctuations caused by trees within influencing distance of the property. It was believed that the mature vegetation present at the property was likely to be collectively contributing to the damage observed.

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T1, a Mature Ash tree was noted to have a moderate sized deadwood on one of the crowns therefore our consultant concluded that this tree required pruning to remove the deadwood and reduce the potential risk of harm.

T2, an early-mature Japanese Cherry Tree was noted to have an established Ganoderma (a species of wood-decaying fungi) at the base, which would limit life expectancy. Therefore, it was concluded by our consultant that although the condition of the trees were considered to be in an acceptable condition at the time of inspection, the defect observed may lead its early demise or render it unsafe in the future. As such, it was recommended that both trees were to be monitored (re-inspected) on a biennial basis to assess if their condition is still acceptable.

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The test was carried out on a mature Beech Tree which was located in the main garden of the property. The tree had a visible stem wound extending from the base up to the lower stem. Woundwood was also present and is a new wood that has developed around the wound as a response to this, which is the trees attempt to occlude (seal off) the affected area.

The purpose of the decay detection test was undertaken to assess the internal condition of the tree due to the size and location of the stem wound.

The wood around/within the stem was manually tapped and probed and appeared to reasonably solid. However, due to the location and size of the wound and the positioning of the tree within the garden, three internal tests were undertaken.

The three test results indicated that there were no areas of internal decay and showed solid, healthy wood. Based on the results, the wound and associated decay did not penetrate deep into the stem of the tree and no significant internal issues were evident. As the tree canopy also appeared healthy and there were no other structural defects observed, based on the visual assessment combined with the result obtained from the decay detection test, the tree was considered to be structurally sound at the time.

However, as a precaution, our consultant advised that the wound be monitored during the later summer/autumn months for any signs of fungi/fruiting bodies. An arboriculturist should be notified and/or photos taken and forwarded on should this occur. Similarly, any changes in the tree canopy (early leaf fall, discolouration or sparse foliage etc) should be referred to an arboriculturist.

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The follow up letter written by JCA Ltd provided the council’s tree officer with information regarding the trees and an opinion on what the decision should be, with a gallery of photos for them to review. This work allows the tree officer to allocate their time efficiently by reducing site visits wherever possible.

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