Tree Constraints Plan – A Powerful Tool to be Used as Design Tool

A tree constraints plan is one kind of design tool which if used in the preliminary round of designing any site would be of great help to designers, developers, residents and authorities. Any professional and experienced environmental consultant knows that a tree constraints plan is a layout plan for the development site which is prepared to scale and show the surrounding buildings, the proposed development as well as any trees that are there around the site in question. The things that tree constraints plan should include are following:

• Age class
• Category grading
• Stem diameter taken at 1.5m from ground level
• Height
• Physiological condition
• Height of crown clearance above ground
• Structural condition
• Preliminary management requirements
• Tree species
• Estimated safe useful life expectancy
• Branch spread (in four directions North, East, South and West)

The tree constraints plan will show the stem, canopy spread, and root protection area of each tree. Hence, in order to consider trees at the outset of the development, it is good to have such thorough tree survey so that the development of the site can be saved from the refusal of the planning permission. As, the planning authority has the right to reject the development proposal to on the grounds that trees were not considered in the plan. The tree constraints plan must have correct information gathered during topographical survey and an accurate tree survey. The topographical survey will have information on the location of all trees surrounding the development site, shrubs and hedges and other relevant features such as streams, buildings and spot level heights. Now, in order to carry out tree survey, you need to take the help of environmental consultant as it needs to be carried out in accordance with BS 5837 (2005). Professional ecological consultancy has specialist Arboriculture team which knows what it is to create tree constraints plan as part of powerful and cost-effective Arboriculture solutions.

Code for Sustainable Homes Takes into Consideration Nine Categories

The code for sustainable homes is a code prepared by the Government of U.K. in close working consultation with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA), and through consultation with a Senior Steering Group consisting of Government, industry and NGO representatives.

The major purpose of the code, according to a senior environmental consultant is to measure the sustainability of a home against nine design categories and thereby ensure that carbon emissions are in control and that the environment is not harmed by the elements used either in the design or in the construction process of the home. An experienced environmental consultancy actually visits the site and prepares the report against the nine categories that rate the whole home as a complete package. Those nine design categories are:

• pollution
• water
• health and well-being
• materials
• management
• surface water run-off
• ecology
• energy/CO2
• waste

The code for sustainable homes leverages many things from Eco Homes System developed by Building Research Establishment. Eco Homes are already successful in reducing the impact of affordable housing projects, in particular within the social housing sector. Following are certain ways which are being built upon Eco Homes:

• the code for sustainable homes introduces minimum standards for energy and water efficiency at each and every level. Therefore, developers and designers require high levels of sustainability performance in these areas for achievement of a high code rating
• It also uses a simpler system of awarding points with the removal of complexities
• The code also includes new areas of sustainability design, such as lifetime homes and inclusion of composting facilities

According to the environmental consultancy, if BRE is going to remain there and operate EcoHomes scheme when the standards are in transition phase, the code is more about planning system that focuses on broader issues related to location and aesthetics when it comes to sustainability of the homes.

Existing Environmental Conditions call for Woodland Management Plans

In older days, woodsman used to take care of the woods and other habitats. But the recent developments and urbanization has cause harm to many species and trees. Woodland management plans are introduced to protect wild-life and other species and trees from the human intervention. At the same time it can be implemented to safeguard property or earn business from land. Before a decade, UK  government realized the impact of rapid urbanisation and industrial growth. Many species and their habitats were almost on verge to end. Pollution level became high which higher the heat level in the cities. Water pollution increases, trees or forests were damaged for individual or business purpose. Government could foresee the results of urbanisation and industrial growth thus to protect people from the negative effects and save our valuable wildlife they ruled “Town and Country Planning Act and BS 5837:2005”.

Under the above act, professional environmental engineering services offer woodland management plans and maps to meet the several objectives. Good environmental engineering services create woodland management map which shows the characteristics and compartments of woodland. Each compartment has unique features and actions to perform on. It may possible that you need to have government grant for implementing woodland management plans. In such scenario it is a duty of environmental consultants to interact with the government authorities and get the permission or grant for the specific project. Woodland management plan is normally implemented for 5 years yet it can be implemented for longer time depending on the situation. In UK, environmental consultants have successfully implemented woodland management plan to protect the threatened species and save environment. By taking these steps, UK government has also benefited from the higher timber production volume. Even if you’re a farm owner or having a land with dense trees and shrubs, you can make the outcome from the land under the guidance of ecological consultant.

Code for Sustainable Homes Is Measured Against Nine Major Categories

The code for sustainable homes is voluntary rating system to measure the sustainability of the homes apart from standard housing norms in U.K. Though, these rules are not mandatory, they are of great importance as they decide whether the developers are really interested in abiding by this voluntary rating system. Before introducing, this set of conducts, there was the Government-owned scheme called the Building Research Establishment’s Eco Homes. This was a rating scheme first used in 2000. The rating system involves one to six ratings in order to judge the sustainability of the home. In order to measure this sustainability, professional environmental consultancy or environmental engineers can help the developers design and construct the homes. These six points rating system is set against nine major criteria. Depending upon the compliance with this criteria, the ratings are given to the house. Following are these criteria in detail:

• Energy and CO2 emissions: In this category, it is measured there are standard as to how much energy is  used and what can be the resulting emissions of carbon dioxide. The ratings for code for sustainable homes are decided against whether the criteria has been met or not.
• Water H2O: Whether there is adequate arrangement of water
• Surface Water Run Off: These standards include the consumption of drinking water from the public supply systems or other ground water resources
• Waste: Though there are no compulsory standards set for this category, it stands for the waste as a result of construction process. And, how the domestic waste can be recycled
• Ecology: The ratings have been given taking into consideration what is the impact of the houses on local ecosystem, bio-diversity and land use. Though there are no standards set for this.
• Health and Well-Being: These too are without any standards, but code of sustainable homes give ratings to those houses that care about the effect of the  houses’ design and construction on the dwellers.
• Materials: The ecological impact of construction materials for key construction elements. For these also, there are no minimum standards.
• Pollution: Code for sustainable homes rates the homes according to its pollution emanating from the operation of the dwelling. There are no minimum standards though.
• Management

 

Environmental Consultant Works Towards the Betterment of Environment

As the age is grappling with the worsening state of environment, the job of environmental consultant is responsible and challenging. Mostly, they are part of environmental engineering services providers or environmental consultancy which may be a multi disciplinary consultancy that aim to provide quality ecological solutions at cost effective rates. Usually, in U.K. Environment consultancy is concerned with offering Arboriculture services that includes solutions to grow and maintain trees and shrubs at both private and public sectors. Such consultancies often hire consultants who have background in ecology and and all other team members regularly attend respective IEEM training courses. Following are some services that professional environmental consultancy may offer to the client:

• Ecological Scoping Surveys
• Phase 1 Habitat Surveys
• Great Crested Newt Surveys
• Reptile Surveys
• Bat Surveys Otter Surveys
• Water Vole Surveys
• Bird Surveys
• Dormice Surveys
• Invertebrate Surveys
• Badgers Surveys
• Tree Survey Schedules
• Tree Constraints Plans
• Arboricultural Implications Assessments
• Arboricultural Method Statements
• Tree surveys. Tree surveys may include tree constraints plans, Arboricultural implications assessments, Arboricultural method statements and tree protection plans.

If we talk about the career of an environmental consultant, it is a pretty structured career in a sense that it offers good prospects of growth and development. It also offers an opportunity to specialize in the area of interest. If the consultant is not working for any environmental consultancy and is working as an independent professional, he may work on commercial or government contracts to address a variety of environmental issues for his clients. They cover a wide range of disciplines such as assessment of air, land and water contamination, environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, waste management and the development of environmental policy and environmental management systems. Hence, environmental consultant’s job is a specialized job that requires special qualifications and skills.

Any Development Design Gets Benefited by Drawing Tree Constraints Plan

Tree constraints plan is among a science that deals with producing and managing trees and shrubs in towns as well as countrysides. This science is called Arboriculture. It is an emerging and expanding science that needs to be handled with care by professional and skilled environmental engineers. Tree constraints plan also includes tree survey which gives the correct information about the trees that come in the way of development work or about the trees that are around the development site. Arboriculture shares some of its traits with forestry, but it is unique in a sense that as far as urban areas are concerned, maintenance and protection of trees are of paramount importance and tree constraints plan precisely do that. When there is any development going on, before drawing the actual development plan, environmental engineers need to draw tree constraints plan so that it reduces the time to redesign the actual development plan.

If Arboriculture is about maintaining and protecting the trees, tree constraints plan too includes tree selection, planting, care, and removal. The science of Arboriculture is an evolving science with statutory frameworks providing constraints for any purposed development. A tree constraint plan is among these constraints as well. The ecological consultancy that have the understanding, sensibility and sensitivity of creating landscapes of aesthetic and cultural beauty can help developers create constraints plan that are practical and affordable. Such professional consultancies and environmental engineers provide services that include the preparation of Tree Survey Schedules, Tree Constraints Plan, Arboricultural Implications Assessments, Arboricultural Method Statements and Tree Protection Plans to aid the design and application stages of any scheme where trees are or could be a constraint. Having planned this, they also monitor and supervise to make sure that the trees are protected throughout the demolition and construction process. They also advise how to manage trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders or Conservation Area status both with regard to and independent of proposed development.