Acer Tree Services
Professional arboriculture across the Three Counties

Thirty years of tree work, to British Standards.

We are approved contractors of the Arboricultural Association, with NPTC and IPAF trained staff, working for homeowners, estates and commercial clients across Herefordshire and the surrounding counties.

Over thirty years in arboriculture
What we can take on

All aspects of tree management

From a single garden tree to commercial contracts, every job is carried out to British Standards by trained and accredited staff, with an on-site assessment first.

01

Tree removal and clearance

Trees taken down safely in sections where space is tight, and cleared away afterwards.

02

Crown reductions and thinning

Overgrown trees brought back to a safe, balanced shape, or thinned to let light through, to British Standards.

03

Emergency tree work

Storm-damaged and dangerous trees made safe quickly.

04

Stump grinding

Stumps ground out below the surface so you can plant or turf straight over it.

05

Hedge work

Hedge reductions and maintenance that keep a boundary healthy and manageable.

06

Site assessments and written quotes

We visit, assess and put our recommendations in writing before anything starts.

About us

Who we are

We have over thirty years of experience in arboriculture, working for both commercial and domestic customers across Herefordshire and all surrounding counties. We are approved contractors of the Arboricultural Association, our staff are trained to NPTC and IPAF standards, and we are committed to keeping our impact on the environment to a minimum. Every job starts with an on-site assessment and a written quotation.

Why choose us

The standard is the same on every job

Care

We work as carefully in your garden as we would in our own. That is not a slogan, it is the habit that decides every small choice on site.

Straight answers

We tell you what the job actually needs, not what is easiest to sell. If the honest answer is to do less, that is the answer you get.

A tidy site

Boots, barrows and waste are our problem, not yours. We leave the place the way we found it, apart from the work itself.

Pride in the finish

If it is not right, we do not call it finished. The last hour of a job matters as much as the first.

The process

What happens after you get in touch

Three stages. The same on every job, whether it is an hour or a fortnight.

01

We talk it through and come out

Tell us roughly what you are looking at. We come and see it in person, because nothing sensible gets quoted off a description alone.

02

You get a quote and a date

You will know what is included before anything starts, and the date goes in the diary once you are happy.

03

We do it, and we tidy up

The work gets done as agreed, and everything we brought or created leaves with us.

Our patch

Working out of Hereford

Most jobs are within about half an hour of here. Further afield is not impossible, it just depends on the size of the job.

01HerefordBase
02Ledbury
03Ross-on-Wye
04Leominster
05Malvern
06Worcester
Get in touch

Tell us about your tree

Ring us, or leave your details and we will get back to you. Tell us roughly what you are looking at and we will take it from there.

01432 860839

Or call and speak to us directly.

Goes straight to Acer Tree Services, and never to anyone else.

Common questions

The things people ask us most

Do I need permission to cut down a tree in my garden?

Sometimes. A Tree Preservation Order can apply to any tree, and inside a conservation area any tree with a trunk over 75mm across is protected automatically. In both cases the council needs notice before work starts, six weeks in a conservation area or five days where the tree is genuinely dangerous. Your council will confirm which applies to your address, usually free of charge.

What is the difference between a crown reduction and thinning?

A reduction makes the whole canopy smaller while keeping the tree’s shape. Thinning removes selected branches from inside the canopy to let light and wind through without changing the outline. If a tree is too big, you want a reduction. If it is casting too much shade, you probably want thinning.

When is the best time of year for tree work?

Most deciduous trees are pruned while dormant, roughly November to March. Some species, including cherries and plums, are pruned in summer instead to reduce disease risk. Nesting birds are protected, so work between March and August has to take account of that and may be postponed if an active nest is found. Genuinely dangerous trees are dealt with whenever they are found.

Will you take the wood away?

That depends what you want. Chip can be left as mulch for your borders or taken away, trunk sections can be cut into logs and stacked, and good timber can sometimes be milled into boards. Removing it costs money either way, so it is worth agreeing what happens to it before the work starts.

Do I have to have the stump ground out?

Only if you want to use the ground. Grinding takes the stump below the surface so you can turf or plant over it. If the stump is somewhere out of the way, leaving it is perfectly reasonable. The exception is species that throw up suckers, such as poplar, willow and cherry, where leaving the stump can mean years of shoots appearing.

How do I know whether a tree is dangerous?

Fungal brackets on the trunk or base, a sudden lean with lifted soil on the opposite side, large dead limbs, or deep cracks in the stem are all worth a professional opinion. Ivy, some deadwood in a mature canopy, and movement in high wind are usually not problems in themselves.

Worth knowing

Four things worth knowing before you ask for a quote

Useful whether you call us or not. These are the parts of tree surgery that cost people money when they are not known in advance.

01

Your tree may be legally protected

A Tree Preservation Order can protect any tree, and inside a conservation area any tree with a trunk over 75mm across is protected automatically. Either way the council needs six weeks written notice, or five days if the tree is dangerous. Skipping it is a criminal offence with fines up to £20,000. One free call to your council tells you if it applies to you.

02

The words on your quote have specific meanings

A reduction makes the whole canopy smaller. Thinning lets light through without changing the outline. Lifting clears the lowest branches from a path or roof. Pollarding cuts hard back and commits you to repeating it. Felling takes the tree down. Very different jobs at very different prices, so check which one your quote is actually for.

03

Timing matters more than people expect

Nesting birds are protected by law, roughly March to August, so a hedge job may be postponed if a nest is found. Most trees are best pruned dormant in winter; cherries and plums are the exception, cut in summer to avoid disease. If your job is not urgent, ask about the season.

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