Delta-Simons Welcomes Arboriculturist Specialist Gareth Meadows Due To Increase Demand For Environmental Planning Services

This week the UK government released its Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 (EIP23), revising the initial 25-Year Environment Plan (25YEP) which outlined goals and targets for a quarter-of-a-century of action to help the natural world regain and retain good health. The EIP23 sets out how the government will work with landowners, communities and businesses to the monitor progression towards their goals of improving the environment. Taking these actions will help us restore nature, reduce environmental pollution, and increase the prosperity of our country.

Goal 10 of EIP23 ‘Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment’ includes the goal to ‘create more woodland, and improve access to new and existing woodland’. 

So far the Government states it has invested over £250 million in various initiatives to support tree planting and forest restoration and plans to continue working with various stakeholders to encourage greater access to existing woodland and incentivise new woodland creation in urban areas.

Specifically, the government plans to continue its work to expand the woodland footprint and improve the current forestry stock by:

• Continuing to work with land managers, businesses, civil society bodies and community groups to encourage greater access to existing woodland and incentivise woodland creation, including in and around towns and cities. 
• Work with local authorities and relevant parties to ensure urban tree planting is well designed, delivers multiple benefits and avoids trade-offs, such as issues for air quality and human health.

The Forestry Commission consider that trees contribute to developments and urban environments by increasing resilience to climate change, improving air quality, improving biodiversity, transforming appearances, adding benefits to the local economy and creating healthy places with stronger communities.  

As a purpose-driven company, dedicated to protecting people from hazardous environments and protecting the environment from the impacts of people, our Environmental Planning team deliver a holistic range of services including Ecology and Arboriculture. During the past year, we have experienced an increase in client demand for Environmental Planning package services, utilising a single supplier for efficiency and ease of accountability when assessing their green supply chain. To support this growing demand, we are pleased to welcome Gareth Meadows, Associate Arboriculturist and Arboriculturist Team Lead to the Environmental Planning team.

Gareth has extensive technical expertise in the Arboriculture and Forestry discipline. He regularly conducts technical reviews of arboricultural assessments, BS 5837, AIA & AMS surveys, as well as internal and external Tree condition surveys (QTRA). As a highly experienced professional, Gareth has authored a Tree Management Strategy for the whole of Northern Ireland for the Highways division of the Department for Infrastructure. 

Having worked previously as an experienced Consultant and as a Training Instructor and Assessor for Arboriculture and Forestry, Gareth is well-positioned to add to our established reputation as a trusted provider of Arboriculture services including:

• Tree Surveys
• Arboricultural Impact Assessments
• Arboricultural Method Statements
• Arboricultural Supervision & Site Monitoring
• Tree Preservation Orders
• Woodland Surveys & Management Plans
• Tree Felling Licence Application & Liaison
• Assessment of Tree Habitats
• Aerial Tree Surveys
• Invasive weeds

To find out more about our range of Environmental Planning services, visit our Environmental Planning Overview webpage or please submit an enquiry to info@deltasimons.com.

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Gareth Meadows

Associate Arboriculturist and Arboriculturist Team Lead

E: gareth.meadows@deltasimons.com

LI: Gareth Meadows