LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
Overview
This standard describes standards for protecting the trees within a coppice
from vertebrate pests and unwanted vegetation. In the case of this standard
vertebrate pests will mean rabbits, voles or badgers. The standard covers:
1. carrying out trees' protection against damaging agents and carrying out
maintenance of the young trees
2. identifying and controlling unwanted vegetation around the young trees
3. identifying the presence of vertebrates
4. shooting vertebrate pests to protect the trees
5. identifying and controlling diseases and disorders in trees.
This standard is for those working in the green wood trades as a craftsperson
of coppice worker.
This unit contains the following elements:
6. Carry out tree protection and maintenance
7. Control unwanted vegetation around trees
8. Identify the presence of vermin
9. Control vermin
LANGWT13 Maintain woodland health for coppice
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
Performance
criteria
You must be able to:
Carry out tree protection and maintenance
P1 identify the damaging agent
P2 choose appropriate cost effective protection measures against the likely
damaging agent
P3 select appropriate material to carry out the protection work
P4 transport and store materials in a manner which minimises damage and
ensures safety and security
P5 carry out protection to prevent damage to the planted trees
P6 carry out maintenance avoiding damage to the planted trees and to the
environment
P7 safeguard and maintain your own health and safety and that of others
who are likely to be affected by your work
P8 remove all waste and surplus materials and dispose of them as specified
You must be able to:
Control unwanted vegetation around trees
P9 identify vegetation which requires control
P10 control competing vegetation in line with current industry recognised
guidelines on best practice and with job specification
P11 operate and maintain machinery and equipment as per manufacturers'
recommendations
P12 ensure that damage to the environment is kept within specified limits
P13 safeguard and maintain your own health and safety and that of others
who are likely to be affected by your work
P14 take appropriate action in the event of unforeseen circumstances
P15 record chemical use and user details for every site
You must be able to:
Identify the presence of vermin
P16 carry out work safely in line with health and safety requirements
P17 interpret signs to determine vermin activity
P18 modify monitoring activities to take account of seasonal variations,
prevailing weather conditions and habitat
P19 safeguard and maintain your own health and safety and that of others
around you who are likely to be affected by your work
P20 take appropriate action in the event of unforeseen circumstances
You must be able to:
Control vermin
P21 select control method appropriate to the type of vermin and site
characteristics
P22 minimise the disturbance caused to non-target species
P23 dispose of any dead vermin correctly according to approved codes of
practice
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
P24 carry out work safely in line with health and safety requirements
LANGWT13 Maintain woodland health for coppice
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
Knowledge and
understanding
You need to know and
understand:
Carry out tree protection and maintenance
K1 how to identify the cause of damage
K2 the required quantity, types and condition of materials
K3 how to safely and securely transport and store planting materials
K4 the range of damaging agents and how to protect against them
K5 the range of protection and maintenance methods and how they are
used
K6 the organisational and legislative requirements for disposing of waste
and surplus materials
You need to know and
understand:
Control unwanted vegetation around trees
K7 the damage caused to trees by the different types of unwanted
vegetation
K8 the environmental benefits of some types of weeds
K9 how to identify hazards and comply with the control measures of risk
assessments
K10 how to interpret risk assessments
K11 how to use the relevant safety guides and monitoring procedures
K12 how to apply the content of the current, relevant legislation and industryrecognised guidance
K13 how to prepare, use and maintain tools and equipment (operator daily
and weekly maintenance)
K14 how to plan control work
K15 how to select equipment for vegetation control
K16 the basic implications of terrain, ground conditions, vegetation type,
season, weather and species
K17 how to weed, clear and respace
K18 causes of, and how to prevent, pollution and environmental damage
K19 the capabilities and limitations of the equipment used
K20 types of damage acceptable under various circumstances
K21 the reasons for placing unwanted material clear of crop trees
You need to know and
understand:
Identify the presence of vermin
K22 the individual's specific responsibilities under environmental legislation in
relation to monitoring vermin
K23 common species of vermin
K24 the significance and potential effects of, vermin to the site and its
purpose
K25 behavioural characteristics of vermin and how these can influence the
selected control method
K26 the effects of the seasons and weather conditions on monitoring
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
activities
K27 the effects of vermin on animal/plant populations
K28 the health and safety requirements associated with monitoring activities
You need to know and
understand:
Control vermin
K29 the codes of practice covering all aspects of vermin control
K30 health and safety risks associated with vermin control
K31 the habits of common vermin
K32 how behavioural characteristics of vermin can be used to increase the
effectiveness of control methods
K33 how to safely dispose of vermin
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
Additional Information
Scope/range
1.
Choose protection against the following damaging agents:
1.1.
deer
1.2.
voles
1.3.
rabbits/hares
1.4.
vandalism
1.5.
weather
1.6.
farm animals
1.7.
squirrels
2.
Use the following protection methods for protecting large areas or
individual plants
2.1.
hedging
2.2.
fencing
2.3.
spirals
2.4.
treeguards
3.
Carry out the following types of maintenance
3.1.
maintaining/replacement of protection
3.2.
checking and replacement of trees
4.
Use the following pest control measures:
4.1.
lethal (trapping, poison, shooting)
4.2.
non-lethal (sacrifice crop, pollarding)
5.
Control all of the following kinds of competing vegetation
5.1.
woody
5.2.
herbaceous
5.3.
grass
6.
Work to a specification which covers all of the following:
6.1.
vegetation to be controlled
6.2.
the method of control
6.3.
the degree of control
6.4.
limits of acceptable damage to the environment
6.5.
the desired condition of the site after control operations
6.6.
legislative and organisational requirements
6.7.
the records to be kept by the operator
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LANGWT13
Maintain woodland health for coppice
Developed by
LANTRA
Version number
1
Date approved
November 2009
Indicative review
date
November 2011
Validity
Current
Status
Original
Originating
organisation
LANTRA
Original URN
GWT13Oct09
Relevant
occupations
Horticulture and forestry; Conservation Associate Professionals
Suite
Treework; Crofters and Smallholders
Key words
badgers, vegetation, vertebrates, diseases, vandalism
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