Scottish Climate Week
This article on Scottish Climate Week is from a post that first appeared on LinkedIn.
For the final day of Scottish Climate Week, we want to summarise some of the key points we have made regarding our drive to steer our company towards doing the right thing for the natural environment and the climate over the past week.
Our unique three-principal approach to tree work is:
1. Keep as many trees upright and fit for their surroundings for as long as possible.
2. When a tree comes to the end of its life, seek out its highest and best potential.
3. Planting the right tree in the right place makes for a good space.
(See our previous posts for more detail on each of these principles.)
Our approach is underpinned by our values and the hope that by sharing these, we are encouraging others in our industry to act and not just follow the same, ‘this is the way we have always done things’ mantra.
Equally, we hope to demonstrate to our clients and potential clients that we are a contractor who cares about them, their trees and the environment. We are actively taking steps to do as much as we can to minimise our impact and promote better practice, mindful of the notion as cliché as it may be,
‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but borrow it from our children.’
There are lots of ways as an industry, we can do better and the sooner we acknowledge this and make change happen at all levels, the better.
From procurement mandating end of life trees are well utilised all the way down to the workers on the frontline, making sure that they have adequate training, understanding and time to make the best choices when removing, pruning and planting trees and a shift away from the fastest and most profitable way is the only way.
We hope you have gotten some value and insight from this series. If you have any questions or seek advice on your tree project, feel free to reach out to us.
Andy O’Neill
Andy O’Neill is owner of O’Neill Trees & Timber Ltd based in Falkirk, Central Scotland.
Andy has a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience in tree surgery, tree felling, foresty, site clearance & arboriculture. Andy is also a Board member of the Association of Scottish Hard Wood Sawmillers (ASHS) and is a member of the Arboricultural Association.