# Tree Surgeons?



## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

I ran a logging and tree surgery business in the UK, sold up and moved out to the Canaries,(Fuerteventura), kind of early retirement after 20 odd years of logging, it knackers the back. Anyway, now we are established here on the island I can't help noticing how many gardens have massive overgrown trees and how many unpruned/ badly pruned Canarian Palms there are. I wondered if there are any other expats who have set up as tree surgeons in Spain and if so I'd be grateful for any advice re regulations etc, I'm aware of the red weevil issue and I see a possible opening to ' get back on the tools' as it were,but just in a modest self employed kind of way. I kept all my gear, and getting it over wouldn't cost me much! Any thoughts welcome!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Jock719 said:


> I ran a logging and tree surgery business in the UK, sold up and moved out to the Canaries,(Fuerteventura), kind of early retirement after 20 odd years of logging, it knackers the back. Anyway, now we are established here on the island I can't help noticing how many gardens have massive overgrown trees and how many unpruned/ badly pruned Canarian Palms there are. I wondered if there are any other expats who have set up as tree surgeons in Spain and if so I'd be grateful for any advice re regulations etc, I'm aware of the red weevil issue and I see a possible opening to ' get back on the tools' as it were,but just in a modest self employed kind of way. I kept all my gear, and getting it over wouldn't cost me much! Any thoughts welcome!


Shame you're not in the Madrid area. I've just heard on the radio (literally about an hour ago) that the president of Madrid, Ana Botella, has announced that an exhaustive study of all the trees in the city will be carried out.
Why?
Because 2 people have been _killed_ by falling branches this summer (one in Retiro park), and numerous people have been injured.
This maybe a result of cut backs in personel due to the recession, but it's not clear.


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

That's a good point, on my journey through the mainland en route to Cadiz, I saw a lot of very dodgy looking trees, it's the same on FV, huge big trees leaning out of peoples gardens..I think the problem is that the expat community here on FV can't get anyone to do the work/ can't speak to any local contactors ( but I can't find any!).. V


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Tree felling here seems to be done by either the Cabildo or the various Ayuntamientos, cannot recall seeing any private contractors felling trees.

Hope you have settled in well

Hepa


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hi Hepa, yes we've settled in very well indeed, the warm climate has caused all of my logging related back and knee problems to virtually disappear! I was thinking more along the lines of domestic tree surgery and felling unwanted large trees in folks gardens! I'm pretty sure there's a market, you are right, the Ayuntiamento do their own thing and I know they don't subcontract. .....researching ad we speak, but it's the regulations that worry me, especially for palm trees


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Jock719 said:


> Hi Hepa, yes we've settled in very well indeed, the warm climate has caused all of my logging related back and knee problems to virtually disappear! I was thinking more along the lines of domestic tree surgery and felling unwanted large trees in folks gardens! I'm pretty sure there's a market, you are right, the Ayuntiamento do their own thing and I know they don't subcontract. .....researching ad we speak, but it's the regulations that worry me, especially for palm trees


I looked online and saw several firms offering to trim/ remove palms.
Some say a licence is needed to cut down big palms.
We had a palm which grew to an unmanageable size, and were quoted 300 euros to remove it, roots and all. Eventually it was done for 180- very lucrative job.
It was a hairy experience observing the removal.
The tree did not want to leave us, and at one point swung perilously low, just missing the wall and fountain.
Would you really want to go through the hassle of setting up as self employed, with all that it brings.?


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

For taking down a big tree you should really climb up it and cut it down section by section, it's called ' ringing', more labour intensive but means that you don't get a tree in your pool/ roof...the cheaper way is just to ' drop' it which is fair enough, but it can go in unpredictable ways....anyway, I'm needing something to do you see, and as I've got a lifetime of experience with trees, from sawmilling to felling and tree surgery, it seems like a nice little earner, as it were! ....the only thing that worries me is getting on the wrong side of the town hall or the local police, I would want to do things right and properly and hopefully get a good name and possibly a nice little business, the Autonomo brings is own benefits for the wife and kids as we don't intend leaving!


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Jock719 said:


> For taking down a big tree you should really climb up it and cut it down section by section, it's called ' ringing', more labour intensive but means that you don't get a tree in your pool/ roof...the cheaper way is just to ' drop' it which is fair enough, but it can go in unpredictable ways....anyway, I'm needing something to do you see, and as I've got a lifetime of experience with trees, from sawmilling to felling and tree surgery, it seems like a nice little earner, as it were! ....the only thing that worries me is getting on the wrong side of the town hall or the local police, I would want to do things right and properly and hopefully get a good name and possibly a nice little business, the Autonomo brings is own benefits for the wife and kids as we don't intend leaving!


It was removed by digging round the roots, putting a belt round the trunk, then using a crane.
This is the method used in the video I saw online, from the firm advertising its services, although I used a local garden centre.
I imagine the method you describe would have to be used for trees unable to be reached by the crane.
Wouldn't it be easier to offer your services tidying up gardens, pruning, hedge trimming, clearing away etc.
Lots of elderly people find this gets too much for them in later years.


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

That's not bad for 180 euros then! I've used cranes for real big trees, but I've always found them really expensive beasts to hire! I suppose methods differ, I've always ringed trees down then used a stump grinder to remove the stump, doesn't make a mess and produces a load of mulch! Off to see the town council about a palm tree licence, looks like there's money is removing/ trimming/ treating the Canarian palms! Onward......


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## arubia (Oct 11, 2011)

How much to cut down a 20ft tree? Soft wood...pretty much one trunk up with few branches off. I don't seem to be able to private massage you...


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

arubia said:


> How much to cut down a 20ft tree? Soft wood...pretty much one trunk up with few branches off. I don't seem to be able to private massage you...



I should hope not!


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hehe, that's funny! I'd need to see said tree, !


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Jock719 said:


> Hehe, that's funny! I'd need to see said tree, !


Bet you don't get an offer like that every day!


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

Rarely, I'm making the best of it, in my limited experience, I thought I would have to do the paying....


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## arubia (Oct 11, 2011)

Haha, good typo


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## Jock719 (Nov 7, 2013)

If you want to stick a picture of the tree in here or via a pm if you want I'll give you an idea how much it would be to take it away, just waiting for my gear to arrive from the UK should be here soon, where about s are you?


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## sotv (Mar 23, 2015)

extranjero said:


> I looked online and saw several firms offering to trim/ remove palms.
> Some say a licence is needed to cut down big palms.
> We had a palm which grew to an unmanageable size, and were quoted 300 euros to remove it, roots and all. Eventually it was done for 180- very lucrative job.
> It was a hairy experience observing the removal.
> ...


Hi can you tell me who you used to remove your Palm tree . We are buying a villa in Mazarron and it has a palm tree that we will want removed


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## kerrandruth (Jun 15, 2017)

Hi my husband and I are thinking of relocating to Spain. Nevis a qualified tree surgeon of 17 years. I work in sales. Are there many tree surgeon jobs around?


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## Gran Erry-Bredd (Nov 1, 2016)

Would that be Ben Nevis?


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## kerrandruth (Jun 15, 2017)

Haha He is


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