Saving Our Streets: How to Protect the Government’s £1 Billion Tree Investment

The UK is currently undertaking one of its most ambitious environmental projects in history. With the government allocating over £1 billion during this parliament to tree planting and forestry; including the creation of new National Forests and the expansion of urban canopies, the scale of operation is unprecedented.

However, planting is only half the battle. A street tree typically costs between £1,500 and £3,000 to source, plant, and secure (including pits, crates, and topsoil). With public money fuelling this "green revolution," there is a massive responsibility to ensure these assets survive.

Yet, statistics show we are facing a silent crisis.

The Challenge: High Mortality in Urban Trees

Research from bodies like the Forestry Commission and Fund4Trees suggests that failure rates for newly planted urban trees in the UK can be as high as 30% to 50% within the first few years.

If we apply that failure rate to the current £1 billion investment, hundreds of millions of pounds of public funding could literally dry up. The primary killer is not vandalism or disease, it is drought stress.

The "First Three Years" Rule

In the UK, the critical establishment window for a tree is three years.

Climate change has altered the rules of the game. Our summers are becoming hotter and drier (witness the 40°C peaks of 2022), and groundwater levels are fluctuating. Young trees, lacking deep root systems, cannot survive this without help.

Recognising this, UK water companies almost universally provide exemptions for young trees (typically newly planted to 3 years old) during Temporary Use Bans (hosepipe bans). You are legally permitted and professionally obligated to keep these investments alive.

Mastering the Investment: UK Watering Guidelines

To ensure this national investment yields a return, precision watering is non-negotiable. The London Tree Officers Association (LTOA) and the Arboricultural Association provide clear benchmarks:

Young Trees (Years 1–3):

1. Quantity: 50–100 litres per watering (depending on tree size/pit volume).
2. Frequency: Weekly during the growing season (May–September), increasing to bi-weekly during drought alerts.

From Year 4 onwards:

1. Generally tolerant of natural rainfall, though "veteran" trees may need support during extreme heatwaves.

To hit these targets across thousands of new planting sites without wasting water or labour, manual watering is no longer viable.

The Solution: Smart Irrigation with Kersten

As municipalities race to meet government planting targets, they face a "perfect storm" of more trees, longer droughts, and limited staff. Kersten Solutions provides the efficiency needed to protect this £1 billion natural asset.

1. High-Efficiency Application

Our large-volume trailer systems and specialized sprinkler arms allow a single operator to water hundreds of trees in a shift, effectively "insuring" the planting investment.

1. FS 3000 Sprinkler Arm: Perfect for verges and street trees. Pivots hydraulically 180° with a 7m reach.
2. HTG 4000 Sprinkler Arm: Heavy-duty performance with a 50 l/min pump and 8m reach for difficult-to-access locations.

Both units use Shower Heads to deliver water softly to the root ball, ensuring deep percolation rather than wasteful runoff.

2. Precise Volume Control

Water is a precious resource. Our intuitive in-cab control panel allows operators to pre-programme exact volumes (e.g., 75 litres per tree).

1. Zero Waste: The system shuts off automatically once the dose is delivered.
2. Consistency: Every tree receives exactly what the specification requires; no guesswork.

3. Accountability & GPS Traceability

With £1 billion on the table, accountability is key. If a tree fails, stakeholders will ask: "Was it maintained properly?"

The Kersten GPS tracking option provides the answer. It records the precise location, time, and quantity of water dispensed to the Cloud.

1. Visual Reports: View your rounds on Google Maps or as a data table.
2. Audit Trail: Provide indisputable evidence to councils or grant bodies that the maintenance schedule was followed.
3. Dispute Resolution: Protect your revenue and reputation in the event of planting failure.

The government is planting the trees. It’s up to us to keep them alive. Don't let a £3,000 asset die for lack of a £5 watering visit.

Find out more about our watering arms here;

https://kerstenuk.com/tractor-mounted-watering-arm