Landscaping Case Study – Protecting the trees from the cows

Introduction

Our client, a local City Council, required trees to be planted within a Common that is grazed by cows throughout the summer months.

Our Client’s Aim

The newly planted trees needed to be guarded from the cows throughout the tree’s establishment into a mature tree. The risk was that the cows would damage, and possibly kills the trees, and conventional tree guards were not adequate.

Our Proposal

• Bespoke, heavy-duty cattle tree guards were installed around each individual newly planted tree to protect it against cow damaged.
• The guards were created using 4no. 2000 x 120 x 120mm corner posts, to provide a rigid structure, and 4no. 2000 x 100 x 100mm intermediate posts. The posts all had weathered tops to prevent water laying on top of the post and causing the post to rot.
• The posts were set 800mm into the ground with 750mm of compacted Type 1 aggregate, to hold them in position, and a 50mm layer of soil on top.
• A double-row of horizontal weathered rails 2200 x 100 x 75mm were attached to the posts, set into the mortise joints, and fixed into position to further strengthen the posts and prevent cows from reaching the new planted tree.

Result

A rigid guard was created that was structural very strong and capable of withstanding the weight of a cow pressed against. This ensured the tree was protected and allowed to grow into a mature tree. As all the wood was pressure treated, it should last for around 15 years where the tree should have grown to a size where it no longer need protection.