Perhaps a tree in your garden has become too large, branches are hanging over your house, or you have noticed that part of the tree looks dead or damaged. Maybe a storm has left you with a broken branch, or you have decided that a tree needs to be removed.
If you have never needed tree work before, the terminology can be confusing. Should you call a gardener, a tree surgeon, an arborist or a tree feller? What does a tree surgeon do, anyway?
In simple terms, a tree surgeon is a professional who works with trees. Their work can include pruning and maintaining trees, removing damaged or dangerous branches, assessing tree health and safely removing trees when necessary.
Importantly, tree surgery isn’t just about cutting trees down. Much of the work carried out by tree surgeons is about keeping trees healthy, safe and appropriately managed.
A tree surgeon is someone who specialises in the care and management of trees. Their work can involve:
The term tree surgeon is commonly used in the UK to describe someone carrying out practical tree care and tree surgery work.
The name is a straightforward comparison with a surgeon: rather than treating people, a tree surgeon works to maintain, manage and, where appropriate, remove trees. You will also hear the terms arborist and arboriculturalist. These relate to the professional study, care and management of trees.
For most homeowners, however, the important question isn’t what the professional is called. It’s whether they have the appropriate knowledge and experience to deal safely with the particular tree problem you have.
If you’re wondering what tree surgeons do, the answer is more broad than simply cutting down unwanted trees. A tree surgeon may be asked to reduce the size of an overgrown tree, remove a dangerous branch, assess a tree following a storm or safely dismantle a tree that cannot be felled in one piece.
Here are some of the most common tasks undertaken by tree surgeons:
One of the most common tree surgery jobs is pruning. A tree may need cutting back because it has become too large for its surroundings, branches are approaching a roof or other structure, the garden has become excessively shaded, or damaged and crossing branches need to be removed. Pruning can also help maintain an appropriate shape and support the ongoing management of a tree.
There are different approaches to pruning, depending on the tree and what needs to be achieved. For example:
You don’t necessarily need to know which type of pruning your tree requires before contacting a professional. A suitable approach can be determined depending on the tree, its condition, its surroundings and what you want to achieve.
Wiltshire Tree Care provides a range of tree pruning services across the county, helping homeowners manage trees that have become overgrown or are causing problems.
Large dead or damaged branches can be difficult to assess safely from ground level. A branch may have been damaged by a storm, affected by decay or simply died as part of the tree’s natural development. If it is large, unstable or positioned above a house, driveway, path or other area where people could be present, it may need professional attention.
Tree surgeons can assess the condition of the tree and determine whether branches need to be removed. This can be particularly important following severe weather, when apparently intact trees can have split limbs, hanging branches or other structural damage.
A tree surgeon is one of the professionals you would normally contact when a tree needs to be felled or removed. Felling may be relatively straightforward where there is plenty of space for the tree to be safely brought down. However, trees close to houses, walls, fences, roads, neighbouring properties or other obstacles cannot necessarily be felled in one piece.
In these situations, a tree surgeon may carry out sectional dismantling, removing the tree piece by piece in a controlled manner. Wiltshire Tree Care provides tree removal and tree felling where removal is considered necessary.
Storms can create urgent tree problems. High winds can break branches, split trunks or cause trees to lean or fall. A fallen tree may block a driveway or road, while a damaged branch could be hanging over a building or public area. If you have a storm-damaged tree, don’t attempt to deal with a large or unstable tree yourself. Chainsaws, heavy branches and unstable trees can present serious risks.
A professional can assess the situation and determine what needs to be done to make the area safe. Wiltshire Tree Care offers emergency tree work for situations where storm damage or another unexpected problem requires urgent attention.
Tree surgeons don’t only perform physical cutting and removal work. They can also assess trees for signs of problems such as:
This can help answer questions such as “Is my tree dangerous?” or “Does this tree actually need to be removed?” A tree that looks unhealthy does not necessarily need to be felled. In some cases, appropriate pruning or other management may allow the tree to remain in place.
Does removing a tree automatically remove the stump? No. Tree felling and stump removal are separate jobs. Once a tree has been felled, the remaining stump can be left in the ground or mechanically reduced using stump grinding. Stump grinding involves using specialist machinery to grind the remaining stump below ground level. This can make the area easier to landscape and prevents the stump from remaining as an obvious obstacle.
If you’re considering what to do after a tree has been removed, Wiltshire Tree Care also provides stump grinding services.
If you search for “who cuts down trees?” you may encounter several different terms:
These terms can overlap, and the terminology used by different companies is not always identical. A tree feller is generally someone who specialises in felling trees, whereas tree surgery covers a broader range of tree work, including pruning, maintenance, assessment and removal. A tree removal contractor may focus particularly on the removal of trees.
For a homeowner, the important thing is to choose someone with appropriate experience for the work involved rather than relying solely on the job title.
Tree surgeon and arborist are terms often used interchangeably, which can make choosing the right professional unnecessarily confusing.
An arborist is a professional concerned with the care, management and study of trees. The word arborist may be used when talking about someone who assesses trees, advises on their management or carries out practical tree work.
A tree surgeon is a commonly used term for a professional carrying out practical tree care and tree surgery. This can include pruning, crown work, tree removal, stump grinding and dealing with damaged or potentially dangerous trees.
There isn’t always a clear-cut distinction between the two terms.
Tree surgeon | Arborist | |
Meaning | Common UK term for a professional carrying out practical tree work | Professional involved in tree care, management and arboriculture |
Practical work | Pruning, felling, removal, stump work and other tree surgery | May carry out the same practical work |
Assessment and advice | May assess tree health and recommend work | May have a particular emphasis on assessment and tree management |
Homeowner terminology | Often the term people search for when they need tree work | Often used by professionals and in arboricultural contexts |
In practice, there can be considerable overlap. Rather than becoming too concerned about the precise terminology, check that the person you employ has the relevant competence, experience and insurance for the work required.
A tree feller is essentially someone who fells trees. Tree felling is the process of cutting down a whole tree. However, that is only one part of tree surgery. A tree surgeon may also prune trees, remove individual branches, manage tree size, assess tree condition and carry out complex removals.
So, if someone can fell a tree, does that automatically make them a tree surgeon? Not necessarily. Felling is a specific activity, while tree surgery encompasses a much broader range of tree care and management.
For smaller garden jobs, the distinction between a gardener and tree surgeon can sometimes seem unclear. A gardener may be perfectly capable of dealing with small plants, shrubs and straightforward garden maintenance. But tree work becomes more specialised as the size, height and complexity of the tree increases.
You should consider specialist tree work where:
In these situations, a professional tree surgeon is generally better placed to assess the risks and determine the appropriate work.
No. This is one of the most important misconceptions to clear up when considering what a tree surgeon does. Tree surgeons don’t necessarily want to remove trees. In many cases, the purpose of tree surgery is to allow an existing tree to remain healthy, safe and appropriately sized for its surroundings.
Their work can include:
The right approach depends on the condition of the tree and the problem that needs solving.
You don’t need to be an expert in trees to recognise when you may need specialist help. Trees can benefit from the attention of a tree surgeon in the following cases:
If a tree has outgrown its surroundings or is becoming difficult to manage, professional pruning may be appropriate.
Branches growing towards roofs, walls, windows or other structures may need assessment and, where appropriate, pruning.
A mature tree can cast considerable shade. Crown thinning or another appropriate form of pruning may help manage the canopy without necessarily removing the tree.
Dead, broken or damaged branches can present a safety concern, particularly when they are large or located above areas used by people or vehicles.
If you have a fallen tree, split trunk or hanging branch following severe weather, professional assistance may be needed.
Changes in a tree’s condition, visible decay, deadwood, cracks or other concerns can justify having it assessed.
If a tree genuinely needs to be removed, a tree surgeon can determine how the work can be carried out safely.
Trees can affect building and landscaping projects, particularly where work is planned close to established trees. Professional advice can help identify potential issues before work begins.
Before any cutting starts, there’s another important question to consider: is the tree protected? Some trees are protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), while trees in conservation areas can also be subject to additional controls. A TPO does not necessarily mean that no work can be carried out. However, certain work may require consent from the local planning authority.
If you are unsure, read our guide to What Is a Tree Preservation Order? for a fuller explanation of how TPOs work and what they can mean for homeowners. The important point is simple: check before work begins.
Tree surgery can involve chainsaws, climbing, heavy branches and working close to buildings and other property. Choosing someone to work on your trees therefore shouldn’t come down to price alone. When choosing a tree surgeon, look for:
You should also expect a professional to explain what work they recommend and why.
Before agreeing to tree work, it is worth asking a few straightforward questions of your contractor.
If you’ve never hired a tree surgeon before, you may not know what happens between making the initial enquiry and the work actually being carried out. A typical visit may involve several stages:
The tree needs to be considered in context. A professional will look at its size, condition and position, as well as nearby buildings, fences, roads, gardens and other potential hazards.
You might want:
Explaining the problem in everyday terms is perfectly acceptable. You don’t need to know the technical name for the work.
Once the tree and your requirements have been considered, the tree surgeon can recommend the most appropriate work. This might be pruning, crown reduction, crown thinning, crown lifting, removal of damaged branches or complete removal.
The professional will also need to consider how the work can be carried out safely and how branches or timber can be handled.
Where relevant, the protection status of the tree should be established before work is undertaken.
You should receive a clear explanation of what work is recommended and what it will involve, together with an appropriate quotation.
Once the work is agreed and any necessary permissions are in place, the tree surgery can be carried out safely, with branches and other waste dealt with as agreed.
Tree surgeons use terminology that can sound complicated if you’ve never had tree work done before. Here are some of the terms you are most likely to encounter.
You don’t need to decide which of these techniques is appropriate yourself. That is part of what professional tree advice is for.
A tree surgeon carries out specialist tree care and management work. This can include pruning, removing damaged branches, assessing tree health, dealing with storm damage, stump grinding and safely removing trees where necessary.
A person who cuts down trees may be called a tree surgeon, tree feller or tree removal contractor. Tree felling is one part of the wider range of work a tree surgeon can undertake.
Professional tree surgeons and tree removal contractors can remove trees. The appropriate method depends on the size, condition and location of the tree.
The terms overlap considerably. An arborist is a professional involved in the care and management of trees, while tree surgeon is a commonly used term for someone carrying out practical tree work.
A tree feller focuses specifically on felling trees. A tree surgeon can undertake felling but also carries out a much broader range of tree care, including pruning, assessment and maintenance.
A gardener may deal with small, straightforward tree or shrub work, but larger trees, chainsaw work, work at height, dangerous trees and complex removals are specialist jobs that should be handled by an appropriately trained tree professional.
Some do. Stump grinding is a separate service from tree felling and involves mechanically reducing the remaining stump.
This depends on the contractor and the agreed scope of work. Always check what happens to branches, timber and other waste when obtaining a quotation.
A suitably experienced tree professional can assess a tree for signs of damage, decay, disease, deadwood and structural concerns and advise on appropriate action.
Tree surgery involves potentially hazardous work, so appropriate training, competence and qualifications are important. You should also check that the contractor has suitable insurance and experience for the work required.
Sometimes. Trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order and certain trees within conservation areas can be subject to restrictions. Always check before starting work.
Yes, but certain work to a protected tree may require consent from the local planning authority first. A tree surgeon can advise on the proposed work, but the relevant permission must be obtained where required.
You don’t need to know whether your tree needs a crown reduction, crown thinning, crown lifting or another technical procedure before asking for advice.
Start with the problem. Perhaps the tree is too big, your garden has become too dark, a branch looks unsafe, the tree appears unhealthy or you think it needs removing. You may simply be unsure whether anything needs to be done at all.
A professional tree assessment can help establish what is actually required and whether the tree can be managed rather than removed. Wiltshire Tree Care provides professional tree surgery services across Wiltshire, including tree pruning, tree removal, tree felling and stump grinding. The company works in and around Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge, Calne and Marlborough.
If you’re not sure what your tree needs, the best place to start is with the problem rather than the technical terminology. An assessment can help you understand the options and decide what, if anything, needs to happen next.
