Steep Slope Specialists Since 2005
Commercial Steep Slope Tree Felling Glasgow
✓ NPTC-qualified climbers✓ £5m public liability✓ Free site risk assessment
NPTC-qualified climbers trained in large tree felling, windblown trees and rope-and-harness rigging
£5 million public liability cover on every steep slope job
Free, no-obligation site risk assessment before any price is agreed
Introduction
Steep, unstable ground around a commercial site changes what a tree job actually involves - felling the tree is only part of it. If the site also needs an up-to-date look at tree condition before work starts, our commercial tree risk assessment service can run alongside the felling programme, and where a storm or an exposed root plate has already brought a tree down on a slope, our emergency tree service covers same-day response.
For sites that need gradient trees kept stable and monitored after felling finishes, our ongoing tree health monitoring picks up where the felling contract ends, so the slope doesn't just get cleared once and forgotten.
Key Selling Points
- NPTC-qualified climbers trained specifically in large tree felling, windblown trees, and rope-and-harness rigging
- £5 million public liability cover on every steep slope job
- Free, no-obligation site risk assessment before any price is agreed
What's In the Day Rate
- A site risk assessment and written method statement covering slope gradient, ground stability, tree condition and nearby infrastructure, carried out free before any felling is agreed
- Winch and rigging equipment matched to the gradient - portable winches from 3 to 10 tonnes pulling capacity, plus blocks, pulleys and control lines for graduated sectional removal
- Climbers trained in large tree felling and windblown trees work, sectioning stems from rope and harness on ground too steep and unstable for a MEWP or cherry picker, with aerial rescue cover on site for the full duration of the felling
- Full removal of felled timber and brash from the slope, with usable material chipped or taken for mulch or biomass rather than left on site
- Erosion control measures during the work and reinstatement of temporary access routes and equipment stands once felling is finished
- £5 million public liability cover and photographic/written job documentation, useful for your own insurance, planning or health and safety records
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Stump removal - once a tree on the slope is down, grinding the stump out is booked as a separate visit rather than included in the felling day rate (see our commercial stump grinding service)
- New planting - we'll recommend suitable native species for slope stabilisation where trees come out, but supplying and planting new stock is quoted and instructed separately
- Out-of-hours, weekend/bank holiday and severe-weather callouts, which carry the published emergency premiums rather than sitting inside the standard day rate
Trained to Read a Slope Before We Touch a Chainsaw
Glasgow Trees has been felling trees on difficult ground since 2005, and the judgement call on any steep slope job - whether a tree comes down whole, gets sectioned, or is left alone - is made under the NPTC Professional Tree Inspection qualification the team holds, not guesswork. On a gradient that decision hinges on root plate exposure and lean angle as much as tree size, which is exactly the kind of assessment that qualification is there for. Rigging on a slope also needs matching to the ground rather than a single standard setup: the portable winches we bring range from 3 to 10 tonnes pulling capacity, so a mature tree on a steep bank gets a different anchor point and pulling line than a smaller stem on a gentler rise, worked out on site rather than guessed from photographs. Every steep slope contract runs to British Standard BS3998 for tree work, under full insurance cover, and the risk assessment that starts each job is free.
Working Glasgow's Drumlin Hills, Gorges and Valley Sides
Most of the steep ground we're called out to in Glasgow comes from one of two sources: the drumlin hills the city is built on - Cathkin Braes on the south side is the highest point in the city and typical of the gradient found on parkland across Glasgow - and the valleys cut by the Kelvin, the White Cart and the Clyde's smaller tributaries, where the bank drops sharply to the water over silt and clay rather than solid ground. That distinction changes the job: a slope shaped by moving water usually has a root plate already undermined at the toe, which affects where a winch gets anchored and how much erosion control goes in once the tree is down, rather than the site simply being a steeper version of level ground. We take on the same kind of terrain further out across the service area too - the escarpment edge of the Campsie Fells in East Dunbartonshire, the Kilpatrick Hills above Old Kilpatrick and Bowling in West Dunbartonshire, and Gleniffer Braes above Paisley in Renfrewshire - alongside the more familiar steep parkland and roadside cutting sites nearer the city centre.
How a Steep Slope Felling Job Runs
1. Free site risk assessment
Gradient, ground stability, tree condition and nearby infrastructure assessed on site before any price is agreed2. Method & day rate agreed
A written method statement and rigging/winch plan matched to the gradient is confirmed before work starts3. Felling, rigging & clearance
NPTC-qualified climbers section the tree using winch and rope systems, with all timber and brash cleared from the slope4. Site handover & documentation
Erosion control and temporary access reinstated, with photographic and written records provided
Standard Felling vs Steep Slope Felling
| Aspect | Standard / Level-Ground Felling | Steep Slope Felling (Glasgow Trees) |
|---|---|---|
| Rigging & equipment | Standard notch-and-back-cut, gravity-assisted controlled felling | Winch and rigging equipment (3-10 tonnes) with graduated sectional removal matched to the gradient |
| Climbing team | Standard climbing techniques | NPTC-qualified climbers sectioning from rope and harness, with aerial rescue cover on site for the full duration |
| Ground & site work | No erosion control required | Erosion control measures during the work, plus reinstatement of temporary access routes and equipment stands once felling is finished |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every tree on a slope need to come down, or can some just be reduced?
Not always. If a tree's structure and root plate are sound and it isn't undermining ground stability or blocking a development footprint, crown reduction or thinning can be the safer, cheaper option (see our commercial crown reduction service). On steep ground the decision comes down to root exposure, lean angle and what's directly below the tree - the free risk assessment tells you which option actually applies to your site rather than defaulting straight to felling.
Is steep slope felling a different job from felling on a site with restricted access?
Yes - they're not the same problem, even though they can look similar from the outside. Steep slope felling is about the ground itself: gradient, root plate stability, drainage and how you stop loose material and erosion once the trees are down, which is what the scope and day rate on this page cover. A site where the ground is flat but you can't get a crane, MEWP or wood chipper anywhere near the trees - a walled yard, a tight lane, no vehicle access at all - is a different job with different equipment and a different plan, even though some of the same NPTC-qualified crew and rigging skills carry across both. Tell us on the phone which problem you've actually got - slope or access - and we'll scope the right job rather than quoting a generic difficult-site day rate.
What happens to the felled timber and brash once the trees are down?
Everything is cleared from the slope as part of the job rather than left in a pile at the bottom of the gradient - usable timber is sectioned out, and brash is chipped on site for mulch or taken away for biomass. On a steep site this matters more than on level ground, since loose material left on a gradient can itself slide or block drainage, so full clearance is standard rather than an add-on.
Will we get a written risk assessment and method statement we can keep on file?
Yes. Every steep slope job starts with a written site risk assessment and method statement covering gradient, ground stability, tree condition and nearby infrastructure, and photographic/written records are kept as the work progresses. Commercial clients typically need this paperwork for their own health and safety files, insurers or the property owner, and it's provided as standard rather than only on request.
Do you need to see the site in person before you can give a firm price?
For the free risk assessment, yes - gradient, soil condition and access can't be judged accurately from photos alone, and getting that wrong affects both safety and the equipment brought to site. We can give a realistic indication of cost over the phone based on tree numbers and rough terrain, but the confirmed day rate and timescale follow the site visit, not before it.
Book Your Free Steep Slope Site Risk Assessment
Gradient, ground stability and access can't be judged from photos - get an NPTC-qualified team out to assess the slope and agree the day rate before anything is booked.
0141-483-7485
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