1st call tree surgery (first call trees)

Titanic Connection!

This week we received a call to assist with removing a gate from a National Trust property and moving it to the Godalming Museum!

The gate, discovered in a field on one of the National Trust sites in Surrey, complete with the White Star emblem, was made by the same company who built the Titanic. Given the machinery we have, 1st Call were asked to assist in the project and the gate now proudly sits with the other exhibits at the Godalming Museum for their Centenary of the Sinking of the Titanic exhibition!   

The Titanic and other White Star Line ships and info ...

Power line clearance for Southern Electric

Next week we start on a massive challenging 3 week power line clearance project for Southern Electric near Chobham Common. The majority of trees fall within a SSSI so we're working closely with Natural England and Surrey Wildlife. The assignment must be completed before bird nesting season begins too!  

Updates on our Emergency Response Team's recent efforts!

Updates on emergency jobs - our Emergency Response team are still dealing with jobs from the storms and wind from a few weeks back. Dangerous issues were ofcourse dealt with immediately and now we're addressing other sites which require care and attention .... and we're still receiving enquiries relating to storm damaged trees and properties!

Other sites our Emergency Response team have been called out to: Forestry Commission properties and land; NHS Bordon Chase Community Hospital - the top of a large Pine tree snapped off and hung precariously over the main entrance path to the hospital; MoD site - a large Oak tree completely uprooted onto a bridge

1st Call to the rescue!

Happy New Year to one and all! We started this year off with a flying start with weather warnings, high winds and treacherous conditions our emergency teams have been flat out this week!

Last week we had record numbers of emergency call outs including: removing by crane, a large Alder tree over Frensham Sailing Club house; removing dangerous roadside trees for Landmarc on MoD sites near Mytchett; and dismantling, winching trees and removing branches over the river for Waverley Borough Council along the riverside footpaths in Godalming! Join us on facebook to see more ...

Another MoD contract win for 1st Call Trees!

We're delighted to have secured another contract with Landmark (the Defence Estate Managing Agent for the MoD) to maintain and manage dangerous roadside trees and those adjacent to private properties including setting up traffic control, on MoD sites within Ash, Mytchett and Pirbright

Win a fantastic Christmas Tree worth £60!

Every year we provide hundreds of Christmas trees to pubs across Surrey and Hampshire. This year we're running a competition open to all customers who visit any of the following pubs: The Duke of Cambridge, Tilford; Stag on the River, Eashing and The Queen's Head in East Clandon. The winner of this year's competition will win one of our fabulous Christmas Trees which are quality non-drop Nordmann Pines. 

To find out: how to enter; the rules; some clues - join us on facebook and twitter all this week!

To visit any of the three pubs follow this link!

Three days to go!

Three days to go until our Christmas Tree Competition, join us on Monday for all the details. Follow us on twitter and facebook for some clues throughout the week for your chance to win a fantastic Christmas tree worth £60!

Our Christmas Trees have arrived!

Quality, non drop, real Nordman Pines

We have miniature ones from 4ft up to giant 12ft trees to make your home festive and bright!

Visit us at Hazelbank Nursery The Street Tilford Surrey GU10 2AA, or pre-order yours on 01252 782252

Watch this space for a chance to win your Christmas Tree worth £60!

Experienced climber/lead climber required

Join us and be sociable!

CHECK OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS WEEK! 

FOLLOW 1ST CALL   JOIN 1ST CALL 

Three days work in one day!

Attempting three days work in one day tomorrow - with a large team, plus 3 unimogs and 3 tipping lorries! A private school in Surrey have asked 1st Call to carry out extensive tree work within the grounds. To minimise disruption to the school day, site constraints, proximity of trees to the buildings as well as public safety, we are attempting to do the entire project out of hours on Saturday. Watch this space for videos and images of the assignment!

Emergency response team on site within 45 minutes of emergency call

Our emergency response team were on site within 45 minutes of an emergency call last night. Two trees had snapped in half resting across a road in Farnham across high level cabling. Together with one of our timber cranes and our full traffic control equipment, the emergency response team were able to remove the trees from the lines and the road safely within 1.5 hours of the call!

Follow this link for more info on our emergency services

Safety work for the Forestry Commission

1st Call completed safety work for The Forestry Commission today - a large Beech tree in the woodland near Brook, Surrey (overlooking the new Hindhead tunnel) which snapped out a few years ago and has been lying on it's lateral branches. Mountain bikers and walkers started to make an unofficial footpath through and under it which was obviously very dangerous! Follow this link for more pictures

Have you ever wondered?

Ever wondered how the Christmas lights in the trees at the Natural History Museum get there? Well … we climb up and put them there! Our annual trip into the massive London Plane trees which line the museum grounds, takes place this week. The team spend 3 days every year climbing all the trees to strategically place the Christmas lights during September ready for the festive season to begin! 

Join us on You tube!

Subscribe to our You Tube page and get the latest updates on exciting projects

Unimog timber tipping bin, winching, pine fell, ash fell, forwarder dropping off, unimog tipping, timber tipping bin and more ...

Check out our latest videos

Eashing Bridge Restoration Project - Feedback from the National Trust

'Many thanks for a job well done. Removing the tree has transformed the view of the bridge and general look of the historic landscape' Martin Archer, National Trust

Last week we worked on a large willow tree at Eashing Bridge. Restoration work for this commenced in April this year, the 13th Century Medieval bridge, in the care of the National Trust, is due to re-open on 29th September. We reduced to ground level the large willow tree which had been undermining the bridge.

Follow this link for more information on the restoration project

New stock just arrived in our nursery

Come and visit us to see our new stock which has just arrived!

Pieris Japonica, Silver Birch, indoor palms, and some lovely pots!

See our stock here

1st Call Trees win contract Farnham Town Council Cemeteries

We are delighted to have won a contract for all four cemeteries which are owned and managed by Farnham Town Council. The contract is to carry out work on trees within West Street, Alma Lane, Badshot Lea and Green Lane Cemeteries. The project includes removing all deadwood, broken and damaged limbs, and maintaining clearances from over footpaths and carriageways to ensure the safety of the public and making all areas more accessible.

Eashing Bridge Restoration Project

 Working on the large willow tree at Eashing Bridge today! Restoration work for this commenced in April this year, the 13th Century Medieval bridge, in the care of the National Trust, is due to re-open on 29th September. Today we reduce to ground level the large willow tree which has been undermining the bridge.

More info on the restoration project ...

On and over the edge!

Following on from a project at a property in Guildford last year (see 'On the edge' article previously) we recently carried out a 4 day clearance operation here. The team were faced with some interesting and extreme weather conditions including wind and rain, both of which were not the most apropriate for such a dangerous assignment! Most people would agree that if you have the opportunity to have a stunning view from your property that you would try and clear some overgrown areas, and that this seems fairly reasonable! What about if the edge of your garden goes straight over a cliff face dropping down some 80-100feet?!! The 1st Call team (whilst roped in and anchored at all times) cleared a 1 metre swath behind the fence line removing all weeds and shrubs, reduced in height any shrubs and hedging on the edge of the cliff face, as well as removing lateral growth over the edge!! To reduce the erosion and possible collapse of some of the cliff face onto properties below, the larger mature trees hanging over the edge were reduced to ground level and treated to stop possible re-growth occurring.

To see more pictures as well as 'over the edge part 1' follow this link!

Another NHS Contract for 1st Call!

After an initial surveying contract with NHS Fleet Community Hospital, 1st Call went on to tender for, and won the contract to ensure the safety of all trees within the grounds of the hospital. The assignment involved: removing the deadwood and decayed limbs of trees from over car parks, public footpaths and amenity areas; reducing back branches to obtain suitable clearances from guttering, buildings and rooflines; as well as the removal of dangerous, decayed and storm damaged trees from within the surrounding woodland and gardens. The project took just over two weeks for our teams to complete, 1st Call are currently in talks with two more hospitals as well as already providing similar services to Alton Hospital.

Contract Win with Surrey Wildlife Trust!

1st Call successfully won the contract recently to assist Surrey Wildlife Trust with a massive recycling project requiring specialist kit. Several tons of timber were removed from site using our unimog and trailers and taken to our saw mill. The lengths of timber were processed into planks, stakes and posts and then delivered back to the Trust to be used across the county as fencing and gate posts.   

4 People-1 Goal-100km-30 Hours!

Congratulations to the 1st Call team who entered and successfully completed Trailwalker 2011 in 27 hours! On 16-17 July, 520 teams set off to tackle the UK's most inspiring team challenge: 100km (65 miles) with the Gurkhas across the South Downs Way, in 30 hours! Our 1st Call team was among the 55% who managed to finish this fantastic feat of physical endurance! Behind the challenge lies a more serious motive, to raise a million pounds for The Gurkha Welfare Trust and Oxfam.

Thank you to all those who supported the team, and also to those who pledged towards the charities, the fundraising deadline is 30th September,so please do get in touch to help us complete our target of £2,000.

For more photos, check out our facebook page!

Hanging Baskets now in!

Hanging baskets now in at Hazelbank Nursery. We can make them up to your specifications and even deliver.

Keep on Recycling!

Why not create a new feature in your garden this spring? Our Loggeries are unique and can be changed to suit every season! The logs create a very unusual feature whilst developing a natural habitat for the bugs and birds. Come and visit us at the nursery for some inspiration!

Keep your tree!

In the unfortunate event that your poor old tree has to come down, why not consider having it recycled into a robust and rustic garden table and benches?

Well done teams!

Well done to all the teams on their swift and professional handling of the site clearance for the new development site in Aldershot. With extremely tight deadlines and at short notice, the 1st Call teams put their heads down working against the clock to complete a challenging project which generated a massive 63 tonnes of woodchip!   

Happy Birthday Fraser!

Fraser, our Alaskan Malamute and company mascot, turned eleven years old today. He brought his chums over to celebrate and have a bit of birthday cake. 

Seasons Greetings!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, from all at 1st Call!

Christmas Trees are in!!

Quality, non drop, real Nordman Pines

We have miniature ones from 4ft up to giant 12ft trees to make your home festive and bright!

Visit us at Hazelbank Nursery The Street Tilford Surrey GU10 2AA, or pre-order yours on 01252 782252

Well done guys!

Our teams were put through their paces this week achieving their Level 3 Certificate of Competence in Utility Arboriculture

The training and certification means they have the very latest knowledge and operate in accordance with new legislation to work around low voltage and high voltage power lines safely. You'll be seeing us doing even more power line clearance work in your areas soon.

Protect our pride and joy!

The project: site clearance for a riding and paddock area in Tilford, Rushmoor.

The details: to clear and fell a woodland area (including Scots Pines, Silver Birches, oaks and Scrubland), removing all timber and chip as well as grinding out the stumps.

Factors which must be taken into account: retain all boundary trees and large Maple featured in the middle of the site; one way in, one way out; access across a vast expanse of carefully nurtured lawn; minimum disruption or damage to the garden and lawn

What we did:  supplied and installed 60m of protective matting over the immaculate lawn; cleared and removed over 50 tons of timber and chips; 12 ton loads of waste removed at a time

To the rescue ....

Our emergency team were put to the test with a call this weekend, when they were called to a communal car park of a residential site in Farnham. A large Oak tree had fallen down, completely crushing one car and ending its journey on another!

Within one hour we had inspected the site and had an emergency team on hand. The Oak tree had suffered from significant root decay and had finally given up its fight. With extensive damage to garages and cars, inaccessible communal pathways and an unsafe site, the team had their work cut out. Over the weekend, the team secured the site making it safe and removed all danger. 

The good news was that the residents had enough firewood for the winter! 

On the edge!

On the face of it, working on an unstable ash tree and cutting back a hedge, appears to be all in a day's work for 1st Call. Until you know that both the tree and hedge are sitting precariously on the edge of a chalk cliff face, a sheer 80ft drop and a house or two below this! When 1st Call were confronted with this site in Pewley Hill, Guildford - the team certainly knew this was one of the jobs which would go down in the company history books as an all time favourite, testing their skills for endurance and certainly their heads for heights!

The Ash tree was braced to another tree on more stable ground and slowly, and safely dismantled. Harnessed to anchor points in the garden, one of the team managed to trim back and tidy up the hedge which also sat on the cliff face!

Not a job for the feint hearted ....

1st Call climbing high!

We're all very excited this week - one of our supervisors, Tomer Hasson ('T'), takes part in the 2009 Woodfest Poleclimbing Championships this weekend!

Part of the Woodfest Wales in St. Asaph, North Wales, the championships are to establish who can climb a freestanding wooden pole with appropriate climbing aids in the fastest time!! 

Since September 2008, when 'T' was in the top five amateurs for the final at the bi-annual Association of Professional Foresters competition, he now competes professionally in climbing competitions all over the UK.  

Good luck this weekend T!

!!UPDATE!! 

Only 2 seconds behind the winner T came 3rd overall in the competition. Well done T.  

We even dismantle tree houses!

18 years ago, a tree house was built high up in a London Plane tree surrounding a local pub and over the river bank,  in Southampton, complete with walkways and differing height levels

Today, due to safety reasons, and after a lifetime of kids fun, 1st Call were asked to dismantle every walkway, cable, camo net and plinth from this spectacular tree-top adventure playground. A challenging and interesting project!

Proud to be sponsoring local FC!

Cup Final day Grayshott FC - Surrey Primary League team

1st Call are proud to sponsor the under 14B team 

Well worth a visit!

Come and visit us at Hazelbank Garden Nursery.

Download and print off our flyer, bring it with you and receive some great discounts and deals on our products!

1/2 price plant sale now on!

BELLIS were £2, now £1 ...

DIANTHUS were £2.40, now £1.20 ... AND LOTS MORE!!

• Seasonal plants and specimen shrubs
• Hedging, specimen trees and character plants
• Climbers and wall shrubs, ferns, grasses, bamboos and palms
• Compost, garden tools and pots
• Delivery and planting services
• Firewood, landscaping woodchip and timber
• Mobile saw mill service

Visit us at:

Hazelbank Garden Nursery, Tilford Street,

Farnham, Surrey GU10 2AA  

Watch this space for further offers in the next few weeks.

Unique solid Cedar wood garden furniture

New to our nursery this year - Your garden will certainly stand out from the crowd with one of our unique, solid Cedar wood chain-saw carved pieces of garden furniture!

Come and visit us to see the current range including: armchairs, 2seater benches, dining and side tables and footstools. All items are crane delivered to their new home in your garden!

These pieces of furniture are made by us with a special carving chain-saw, and the wood is recycled from our tree surgery and removal operations.

Check out our vital statistics from a recent site clearance project on Royal Common SSSI!!

See us in action!

Unimog - Timber Winching

Unimog - Winching Bundle

Unimog -Timber Tipping Bin

Lovin' our work!

The challenge - For Eagle Radio's 'Lovin' Your Work' programme, our challenge for Kim Robson was - rope ascend a minimum of 30 feet up a mature Lime tree and feed a length of timber through a 12" Chipper, not to break any nails and definately no crying!!!

The day before - "Bring it on!" she said.

On the day - After being kitted out 1st Call style, complete with: chainsaw trousers; mini steel toe capped boots; high viz jacket and two-way radio safety helmet - Kim was ready for her challenge - tree style. Kim ascended the tree with great enthusiasm, impressing the guys with her new found skills and balance! Kim also visited the nursery, took a stroll through the poly tunnels, met Fraser, our Alaskan Malamute and was even allowed to have a go on our saw mill.

Later that day - Kim, obviously lovin' our work ,waxed lyrically about her day with us saying "Guys, I've had the most amazing time today, and I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU!"

The day after - "Arms are killing me, ribs are too, but well worth it, I haven't stopped smiling!!"

Check out our video of Kim and the team enjoying the challenges!!

Thank you to Eagle Radio, we look forward to coming up with the next challenge for you .....!

1ST Call flying high with Eagle Radio 96.4

1st Call are proud sponsors of Eagle radio’s afternoon show.

Learn more and listen to us on air -

We don't just chop trees you know!  and                                                                                                                                          We're called 1st Call for a reason!

Coming soon – Lovin’ Your Work by Kim Robson from Eagle Radio is visiting 1st Call very soon. We’ll be posting photos and video clips of her climbing antics and enjoying a day out with the lads!!! Watch this space!
 

Happy Birthday Fraser!

Fraser, our Alaskan Malamute and company mascot, turned nine years old today -  'snow day!' Completely oblivious to the mayhem throughout the village and within the Nursery, he was like a puppy enjoying his natural habitat in several feet of snow!!  

Cut Backs!

Removing a tree? Hedges need a ‘short back and sides’? Are your trees protected or in a conservation area?

Download our leaflet here to take advantage of some great offers.
 

Brand new and updated website!!

Welcome to our brand new and updated website!! We’re very excited about our new look and hope you will agree that it gives a fresh and contemporary feel which represents us very well. Do pop back to the news pages regularly as we will update this often with: top tips to maintain and manage your garden; latest offers; our loyalty scheme for our repeat customers; meet one of the team and lots of other exciting news.