Felling Licences
Most woodlands, forests and non-domestic trees need a felling licence before any felling takes place. Felling licences are granted by Scottish Forestry (formerly the Forestry Commission). The penalty for not having a felling licence can be £5,000 per tree and a criminal record.
Epic Tree Care can help secure felling licences in Moray, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire. Surveying woodlands and collecting all the necessary information for your felling licence. We can calculate an estimated volume of timber for your felling operations. As well as completing your felling application, s we have the necessary mapping software to generate a map of your site.
Epic Tree Care and our founder have been operating in northeast Scotland forestry for over a decade. Our team of tree surgeons are experienced in securing felling licences within Scottish Forestry’s Grampian conservancy.
Felling licences normally require replanting. If the original trees were unsuitable for the site, this is an opportunity to re-plant with appropriate species. For example, large conifers blocking light could be replaced with native deciduous trees.
As part of every felling licence, Epic Tree Care recommends appropriate replacement trees for re-planting. When re-planting we always consider the reason trees are being felled in the first place. We will suggest planting appropriate tree species to avoid problems in the future.
How to Obtain a Felling Licence in Scotland
Whether you decide to go it alone or enlist the help of a team of professionals such as ourselves, you’ll need to submit a completed Felling Permission application to Scottish Forestry. Only eligible persons and legal entities may apply and every application must be accompanied by maps of the affected area. Below, we have outlined the information Scottish Forestry requires from Felling Permission applicants, along with some details about eligibility, and actions that you can take to increase the chances of a hassle-free application and approval process.
Who Can Apply for a Felling Licence in Scotland?
In order to apply for a felling licence in Scotland, you will either need to be the owner of the land where the felling is to be carried out or the occupier of the land. In the latter case, you will need written consent from the landowner before you can submit an application. If you would Epic Tree Care or another professional representative to handle the application process for you, this is easy to arrange. All we will need is a completed mandate: a simple form that confirms we have been authorised to submit a Felling Permission application on your behalf.
What Information Is Required?
Scottish Forestry requires full details of any proposed felling operation involving non-domestic trees before it will consider an application for a felling licence in Scotland. Among other things, you will need to specify exactly what you wish to fell, the location of the trees to be felled and the timescale of the proposed operation.
How to Ensure a Trouble-Free Application
The best way to ensure a trouble-free application process is to engage our services but if you decide to go it alone, you can make your life a little easier by remembering to do all of the following:
- Informing All Affected Parties in Advance
- Preparing Accurate Felling Maps
- Preparing Accurate Restocking Maps if Applicable
If you would like us to take care of everything for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by phone or email at any time.
Testimonials
Dana Anne2024-12-17Very happy with the removal of trees from our garden and would highly recommend epic tree careJames Thomson2024-11-01Excellent service , prompt response to query , great professional advice . Would be happy to use their service again .Victoria Carter2024-08-19Thanks for the fantastic work done on a sad, neglected garden including the safe and efficient removal of two feral and very dangerous trees! Fantastic work by a great team! Highly recommend Epic tree care.Jo Baker2024-08-14Now used this company multiple times and great experience every time. Orchard maintenance and large tree management by a road. Tree shaping. Excellent from start to finish. Everyone turns up when they say they will, does an excellent job for great value and leaves a tidy site. Fully recommend!Bruce Ferguson2024-08-10first class knowledge and service - highly recommended !!!!!Alex Wilson2024-07-29This is the second time we have used Elaine and her workers for tree work in our garden. As before we found them to be throughly professional and friendly. Elaine herself came round to praise the job beforehand and offered some constructive advice on how to best proceed with the work. We are very pleased with the work done and would totally recommend the company for their skill and commitment.Trevor Bower2024-06-24I needed to thin an overcrowded small copse at the bottom of my garden. I am so glad I chose Epic Tree Care, as right from the beginning with the visit from Elaine to advise what the best solution would be, to the work being carried out by Jason and his team everything was excellent. The friendly men on site worked professionally and efficiently and with care to avoid any unnecessary damage to remaining trees and fences. They left the site clean and tidy, overall a pleasant experience. I would strongly recommend this company.Gale Solomon2024-06-13Great service with good tidy up, helpful and friendly
We operate with £5 million Public Liability Insurance and £10 million Employers Liability Insurance.
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Inspection
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Professional Tree Inspection | Lantra Professional Tree Inspection |
| Lifting Equipment | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Thorough Examination of Arboricultural Equipment | |
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Base
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Woodchipper | Lantra Woodchippers |
| Stumpgrinder | Lantra Stumpgrinders | |
| Chainsaw | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-cutting | |
| Chainsaw | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Ground Based Chainsaw Operator | |
| Chainsaw (200-380mm) | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Felling Small Trees up to 380mm | |
| Chainsaw (over 380) | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Felling and Processing Trees over 380mm | |
| Windblow | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Severing Uprooted or Windblown Trees using a Chainsaw | |
| Assisted Fell | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Assisted Fell Operations | |
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Working at Height
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Rescue | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue |
| Chainsaw | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Using a Chainsaw from a Rope and Harness | |
| Chainsaw | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Tree Pruning | |
| Chainsaw | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Cutting of Trees with a Chainsaw Using Free-fall Techniques | |
| Rigging | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Tree Rigging | |
| Utilities | Utility Arboriculture | City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Utility Arboriculture Basic Electrical Knowledge |
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Machinery
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Chokerman – Skyline | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Chokerman |
| Base Skidder | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Base Machine with Skidder | |
| Forwarder | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Base Machine with Forwarder | |
| Mulcher | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Flail/Mulcher | |
| Felling | City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Felling | |
| First Aid | First Aid | Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry |