The environment
We all have a responsibility to ensure that our environment and the other species with which we share the planet are valued and looked after if our children are to inherit a world worth living in.
In recent years our environment has, for some people, become a matter of great concern and rightly so. Human activity, particularly over the last 150 years, has had a devastating effect on the world's fragile ecosystems, including of course trees.
We all have a responsibility to ensure that our environment and the other species with which we share the planet are valued and looked after if our children are to inherit a world worth living in. This responsibility includes businesses and to this end Down To Earth intends to be at the forefront of the new approach that will be needed if we are to meet the government's requirements to reduce our carbon output by 80% by 2050.
Glenn Morris, founder of Down To Earth Trees, has over the last 10 years developed a passion for the environment largely resulting from extensive travel and environmental work in the Arctic. Glenn has seen, first hand, the very real and alarming problems that face the world and realises that as individuals or as a small company we can begin to help and act in a manner that encourages changes of attitude and behaviour.
With this objective as a goal Down To Earth Trees is:
Working with Myerscough College to implement and finance a detailed carbon analysis of the tree industry at MSc level to develop a strategy, timeline and methodology to help tree businesses reduce carbon outputs and operate in an environmentally acceptable way.
Achieved ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems)
Recycling all waste material including:
Timber for firewood
Timber for commercial heating systems
Woodchips as biomass for local power station
Office waste
Staff waste
Using, wherever possible bio fuels and oils for our machinery.
Actively encouraging environmentally friendly practices among our clients.
Supporting our local Agricultural College at Hadlow, Tonbridge, in their efforts to promote good environmental practice by sponsoring an annual award for the best environmental project.
Working with, as a corporate member, Kent Wildlife Trust to help and support their work through practical and financial means.
How you can help
If you are concerned about the environment and are having treework carried out it might be helpful to consider the following:
Are you able to keep the cut material (logs, branches or woodchips) following the work?
Stacked logs in the corner of the garden, if space allows, make a wonderful wildlife habitat for frogs, hedgehogs and invertebrates. Woodchips can be used as a garden mulch or composed and even branches when densely stacked from ideal nest sites for wrens.
Could you plant a replacement tree?
Ideally one that would prove good for wildlife e.g. birch, oak or a tree with berries. Learn about our tree planting service.
Can you find a spot for a bird or bat box?
Down to Earth can help with this and supply and install it if required.
If you have deadwood in your trees, if it does not pose a significant risk then consider leaving it in the tree or if you have to remove it stack it up has a habitat pile.
Protecting wildlife
Down To Earth offers a wildlife disturbance assessment by means of aerial tree inspection by checking potential bird nesting/bat roosting sites within a tree highlighted for work. Our team of qualified arborists have experience and relevant training regarding wildlife and protected species that may be present within a tree system including knowledge of up to date industry regulations for particular protected species.
For our company to comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 we adhere to the following objectives:
To ensure compliance with all applicable wildlife and ecological legislation and guidance
Prepared to deal with the demands of future legislative developments
Ensure the working culture encourages constructive conservation
To assist in the management of ecology
To identify and safeguard wildlife
Areas we cover
We cover most of the South East including Kent, Surrey, Sussex, London and Essex.
An unpleasant job, taming the leylandii trees which we had inherited and had been allowed to do their own thing for too long! We are grateful to our friends who recommended "Down to Earth" and we are very happy to say to anyone else who reads this, that from Andy who came to give us a very reasonable estimate, and Frankie's team who did skilful and beautiful job, we couldn't be happier. Very nice people too!
Excellent service, professional team, very large job bringing down dead sequoia; handled the job very well, cleared everything up, went above and beyond what we expected
Down To Earth were great. They did an excellent job from start to finish. Good customer service. Excellent team on site who did a fantastic job that went beyond my hopes and cleared up after themselves in an extremely thorough way.
An excellent job from start to finish, arrived on time and did a great job at clearing up afterwards. Worked the whole time they were here and couldn’t be happier with the results!
Exceptional service from start to finish. The job was carried out (non-stop working by the crew!) at the exact time agreed with all the remnants cleared up and taken away. They even ended up clearing my patio!
Another excellent job from Down to Earth trees. They have carried out all pruning and planting a new hedge in my garden for many years and I would never use anyone else. They are reliable, everything is cleared at the end of the job and all the staff from start to finish are polite and professional. I was happy with the quotation given. The 2 guys who carried out the latest work were very pleasant and listened to what I said before beginning the work. I would definitely recommend them.
I have been most impressed with DTE's professionalism and integrity. The scope of work I proposed I discussed was reduced as it wasnt all needed, and the work itself was carried out to a high standard
I had my trees done recently and the four gentlemen did a great job. Very professional and cleared all fallen debris at the end. Will definitely use the company again.
This is an excellent company to do business with. Their quote was thorough and very competitive. The team turned up on time and were very professional, polite and respectful of both our property and our garden. The work undertaken, (tree prunning and removal of a large shrub), was carried out to a high standard and everything was left very tidy. I can only recommend this company for their excellent service.
This company is outstanding in professionalism, care and efficiency, so we didn’t hesitate in using for this job. The weather was bad on the day of the booking and we thought they might postpone the work, but they didn’t. Our job involved varied work - trees, bushes and hedges. Everything is in much better shape now. Thanks, again to Down to Earth.
I have used this company on 3 occasions now. I have found all staff including administrative and the tree surgeons themselves to be consistently efficient, polite and informative. They have always arrived at the arranged time and date, completed the work effectively and well and left the garden clean and clear of all cuttings. Have recommended to neighbours and friends.
Fantastic from start to finish, from the quoting process, application to local council for approval, and the people on site doing the work. Had two trees taken out, one planted and general hedge height reduction work done. Superb team, cleaned up after themselves, very polite to me and neighbours. Will be using again. Thank you!
Had Ben along for a tree survey and risk assessment. Very professional and knowledgeable. Inspected every aspect of our spinney. Would highly recommend!
All work was carried out to my specification and care was taken to protect my walls and side gates. All refuse was removed from my property and my neighbours efficiency
Very professional. DTE did an excellent job reducing my large dead oak tree; and leaving everything in good order when they had finished the job.
We had one tree cut down, bushes cut back and a very high and difficult-to-reach ivy hedge trimmed neatly into a straight line. The team were brilliant; very punctual, tidy and polite and they did an excellent, professional job. Highly recommended.
One tree was felled, two pruned and large hedges cut back, all done neatly, quickly and exactly to my specifications. Everything was tidied away afterwards. I am more than happy with the result, and would definitely recommend this company.
They turned up on time and did a good job. They were polite, professional and left the place tidy. Would recommend.
Arrived on time, friendly professional team, did the job quickly, safely at height and went to considerable trouble to reduce any damage to plants or garden pots, ornaments etc. Left site cleared and tidy. Value for money. What more would you want ?
Thoroughly professional service from start to finish. Used on numerous occasions and never dissatisfied!
Very neat work. Professional and safe. We were happy with the quote. We had asked instead of grinding the root to put plugs in and were a little surprised that this was not included as the surveyor had suggested it during his visit
Social responsibility
In addition to our focus on environmental issues, we also have wider social responsibilities as an employer to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our organisation or supply chain.
Please take a moment to look through our Modern Slavery Policy available below:
www.treeaid.org.uk
TREE AID helps people in the drylands of Africa to lift themselves out of poverty and protect their environment.
People here live in some of the toughest conditions on earth and trees are essential to their survival. Trees provide nutrition, generate income and help to create a healthy environment.
TREE AID works with local communities to help them protect and grow trees, for themselves and for future generations.
Fund4Trees
Fund4Trees is a charity promoting sustainable treescapes.
We have three main objectives:
promoting the conservation and improvement of the natural environment;
educating the public, especially young people, about the protection and improvement of trees particularly in and around urban areas;
advancing research in all aspects of trees.