ESG Report 202223 - Flipbook - Page 19
Industry leading
Case Study 3
Not costing the Earth
Conserving valuable trees in the heart of the nation’s capital
When working in London, we are aware of the wealth of architecture and history
around us. We are also mindful that the city is home to some of Britain’s most
treasured and diverse collections of trees. Species from all over the world are
an integral part of London’s parks and streets, with many individual trees being
older than the capital’s original gas supply.
As impressive as trees might be above the ground, their root systems are just as extensive
under the pavement, with vast expanses of roots extending in all directions in search of water
and nutrients, often forcing their way through existing utility infrastructure. Many well-laid gas,
water, electricity and data services have been disrupted in this way.
In the shallow soils of London, most tree roots are found in the first 600mm below ground,
occupying the same space in which many utilities are buried. Modern day utility infrastructure
projects can be exercises in arboreal husbandry as much as in engineering.
Our Cadent gas contract alone requires Morrison Energy Services to call in the services of
arboricultural consultants on a more-than weekly basis, with a similar number being deployed by
our colleagues in Morrison Water Services on behalf of Thames Water, and our operational teams
from Magdalene working to lay optical data cables that keep
the capital connected to the rest of the world
Our teams have implemented and delivered
tree-specific training programmes, proposing
innovative trials and playing a key role in the
development of new methodologies with the
arboricultural experts in our supply chain.
We also work hard with our clients to ensure
the design phase includes impact and
assessment reports on tree health so that we
can challenge the existing design and plan the
works with the preservation and safety of trees
being a foundation principle.
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