About Trees Ltd. provides professional estate tree management services across Kent, supporting schools, estates, and institutions with safe, compliant arboricultural works. This project, carried out for The King’s School, Canterbury, involved reactive tree works following independent safety surveys, alongside routine maintenance and emergency response across multiple estate sites.

Estate Tree Management in Canterbury

Client: The King’s School, Canterbury
Location: Junior School, Senior School, Sports Grounds and Residential Dwellings, Canterbury
Project Duration: Ongoing Estate Management and Reactive Works

Project Overview:

About Trees Ltd. carries out ongoing arboricultural works across multiple sites for The King’s School, Canterbury, including the Junior School, Senior School, sports grounds, and residential dwellings across the estate.

Our work is primarily reactive, following independent tree safety surveys carried out across the estate, alongside routine cyclical maintenance and emergency call-out works where immediate risks arise.

A recent project focused on urgent tree safety works at the Junior School and Pre-Prep School, where several mature trees required careful management due to structural decline and storm damage.

Survey Review, Planning and Conservation Area Management:

All works were informed by independent tree safety surveys, identifying priority trees requiring urgent attention.

The project included the removal of a heavily decayed poplar pollard located in close proximity to school buildings and the Pre-Prep playground, alongside storm damage works and the removal of a large dead main stem from a mature willow pollard situated on the perimeter of the playing field.

As the site falls within a Conservation Area, About Trees Ltd. managed the required 5-day notice submission to ensure all works were fully compliant before works commenced.

To minimise disruption and ensure site safety, all works were scheduled during the school term break.

Specialist Tree Works and Access Management:

Due to the location of the trees and their proximity to buildings, play areas, and public access routes, the works required a highly controlled and safety-focused approach.

A Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) was used to ensure safe access and full compliance with Working at Height Regulations (WAH), allowing works to be carried out efficiently while minimising risk to operatives and the surrounding environment.

The scope of works included:

• Removal of a severely decayed poplar pollard
• Removal of storm-damaged limbs
• Removal of a large dead main stem from a mature willow pollard
• Ongoing cyclical maintenance across the wider estate

This ensured all works were completed safely while protecting surrounding buildings, school infrastructure, and play areas.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

Working within an active school environment requires careful planning, communication, and strict adherence to safety protocols.

Scheduling works during school holidays reduced disruption and ensured the safety of pupils, staff, and visitors. Particular care was taken around playground areas and boundary trees adjacent to sports grounds and access routes.

All works were carried out in accordance with best arboricultural practice, balancing immediate risk reduction with the long-term management of the estate’s tree stock.

Ongoing Estate Support:

In addition to reactive works following surveys, About Trees Ltd. provides ongoing support to The King’s School through routine cyclical maintenance and emergency call-out services where trees present immediate risks following storms or sudden structural failure.

This proactive and responsive approach helps ensure the estate remains safe, compliant, and well-maintained throughout the year.

Project Outcome:

The works significantly reduced tree-related risks across the Junior School and wider estate, particularly in high-use areas around buildings, playgrounds, and sports grounds.

This project demonstrates About Trees Ltd.’s ability to deliver professional arboricultural services within complex and sensitive institutional environments, combining compliance, technical access solutions, and long-term estate management.

We are proud to support The King’s School, Canterbury in maintaining the safety and long-term management of its prestigious estate.

About Trees Ltd. provides estate tree management services across Kent, including Canterbury, Maidstone, and Ashford. To learn more about our estate and commercial tree management services in Kent, get in touch with About Trees Ltd.