Tree team get ultra-modern equipment to tackle tree stumps

Bury Council has invested £27.5k in the ultimate compact tree stump grinder to improve the efficiency of tree stump removal when trees must be felled.

While tree stumps can be left in the ground after felling, this can lead to problems with suckering where new shoots arise from the trunk and roots. Completely dead stumps won’t form suckers but should also be removed because they can play host to root diseases and fungus which can spread.

The new machine, the Predator 38RX, is remote controlled and offers improved operator safety. While in action, total control is maintained with the operator able to grind the stump while keeping a safe distance. Hand Arm Vibration levels are also zero. And, with the ability to view all angles via the remote control, the machinery is safe to operate on the highway as well as in public open spaces.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “While maintaining our trees and planting new ones is a priority to support the environment, we always have tree stumps that need to be dealt with. This can either be because of trees felled due to age or disease, such as Ash Dieback, or because trees have fallen during high winds or prolonged periods of heavy rain.

“The purchase of this new equipment will significantly improve how safely and quickly our tree team can tackle the stumps from felled or fallen trees.”

The Predator is currently in use in the grounds of Bury Cemetery. It will go on to be used across the borough and will come into play whenever trees are damaged due to high winds or severe storms.

Each year Bury Council surveys around 1,100 trees in high risk locations such as on bus routes and busy A-roads, and in the region of 2,000 more trees in parks and for Six Town Housing. For highway trees there is a street tree pruning programme which operates on a five-year cycle, pruning approximately 800 trees each year. View the pruning programme by area at www.bury.gov.uk/streettrees

Issues with trees on the highway or council-owned land can be reported to the council online at www.bury.gov.uk/reportit-trees. Residents are advised that all tree work has to be prioritised with precedence given to trees that are dead, dying or dangerous to people or property.

The Predator 38RX radio-controlled stump grinder has fully programmable controls plus 6x multi-tip teeth, a 54” swing, 18” cutting depth, 30” cutting height, up to 1,000mm variable track width and weighs just over 1,000kg.