Meet The Staff And Management Of Midland Forestry Ltd

Steve Walker

(Managing Director) Midlands & North West


Having moved to Birmingham in 1982 from Newmarket, Steve started working for his uncle who owned Bournville Garden Centre working on the growing unit. He gained valuable knowledge of trees and shrubs and then moved over to the tree surgery department and was employed as a secondary climber.
Within 3 years, he became lead climber and moved on to run the Tree surgery side of the business.
In 2000 he set up own tree surgery company Bournville Landscapes Tree Care Limited and went to Morton Morrell college to study for RFS Cert Arb.

In 2001 he became a FASTCO instructor then followed very shortly to become a LANTRA instructor where he taught to individual companies and later a lecturer at Morton Morrell College.

In 2004 formed Midland Forestry Limited with Steve Wingrove

Contracts


Sandwell Metropolitan Council
, a varying degree of urban tree management, specialising in large tree removal which we carried out at Smethwick Council offices which was to fell 9 very mature Poplar trees adjacent to other properties, the safest way to remove these trees was with a 100 ton crane and carry out the work over a weekend

Birmingham Airport
carried out various site clearance works on the site to facilitate expansion to the Airport. This included large forestry machinery such as whole tree chippers, tracked mulchers and whole tree shearers.

Calthorpe Estates,
Mainly health and safety work, carrying out tree works in line with veteran tree management and providing specialist tree management in the Edgbaston area around offices and residential properties.

Edgbaston Priory club
, Carried out the initial survey for the re-development of the site, works was partially funded by Lawn Tennis Association, when completed it will make the tennis club facilities second to none in the country.

Sport England
(Lilleshall) Carried out initial tree survey and provided tree management to prestige sports facility estate.

Steve Wingrove

(Managing Director) Bristol & South West, Cotswolds & London



Married with three children, after leaving West Bromwich Albion FC, he joined the Royal Navy; marriage brought him back to Birmingham.

In 1986, following a chance meeting with Steve Brooker ("whom I owe a lot") a forestry contractor/training provider he started his own business, Bryanston tree surgery . His desire to provide quality arboriculture through the employment of superb arborists his business gained a reputation for outstanding tree work and reliability.

Tree work allowed him to travel to Australia and Europe. In 2000 he became both a LANTRA instructor and NPTC assessor for all forestry and arboricultural operations.

Professional development brought him back to college where he meet Steve Walker ("my now business partner") and in 2003 Midland Forestry Ltd was created.

AA approval and many accreditations later with UK coverage from Sheffield to Exeter including London, Midland Forestry Ltd continues to provide a professional attitude and quality arboriculture services to both existing and new clients. 

Paul Nowell

(Contracts Manager) Midlands



Paul has been in the arboricultural Industry for 16 years with a wealth of experience.  Being a climbing arborist for 12 of those years he has an in-depth knowledge of arboriculture within the urban environment and the requirements needed in carrying out tree works in different situations, dealing with small domestic clients to large scale commercial contracts, each being dealt with the same professional approach.  He has recently obtained the Arboricultural Associations Technicians Certificate which backs up my experience within this sometimes difficult and demanding industry.

Contracts


Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Midland Forestry has been the direct contractor for the borough for 7 years re-winning the contract after an initial 5 year term; we carry out works from street tree maintenance to maintaining parks and open spaces as well as providing 24 hour call out.

Some notable points Midland Forestry has assisted Dudley MBC.

Chris Shortis

(Associate Director) Arboricultural Consultant Dip.Arb.(RFS), M.Arbor A

Chris holds the Royal Forestry Society's professional diploma in Arboriculture (2005) Arboriculture Association Technician Certificate (2005)
National Certificate of Arboriculture & Forestry (Double distinction) (2004)
Also qualified in Autocad tree mapping, site plans & graphical representation. BS5837:2012
He is a member or the Arboriculture Association, Royal Forestry Society and Institute of Chartered Foresters.

An Arborist covering all aspects of tree & woodland management; from historic landscape restoration & advice to tree risk assessment to planning & development consultation.
Chris has been a consultant since 2005 and has been instructed on a diverse range of projects, many related to the restoration & management of urban parks, and as such, has developed an in depth knowledge of the arboricultural issues in relation to such projects.

Chris is retained arboriculturist for Warley woods Community Trust (West Midlands) Following a detailed arboricultural risk management plan for the 100 acre site and a woodland management plan. Chris  provided all arboricultural advice for restoration & construction works during the Heritage Lottery funded restorations of this Humphrey Repton landscape.  Worked with Birmingham International Airport as part of the environmental impact assessment team, on-going works include; producing tree treatment
specification documents for the letting of tree works, contact & liaising with affected third party property owners.

Awarded contract by Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council to provide arboricultural surveys & management advice for parks & public open space, these include The Walks, grade 11 historic park & the only surviving town wall in Norfolk.

Chris is experienced in providing tree surveys, preliminary constraints advice-detailed tree inspections (Some to entail test boring, extraction of increment cones) Use of tree hazard risk evaluation & treatment system (THREATS)

Chris can also supply advice charged on an hourly basis if required.
Our Approvals
Head Office & Solihull Depot:
Rear of Eastcote Hall Farm,
Barston Lane,
Hampton-in-Arden,
Solihull,
West Midlands,
B92 0HR
London Forestry:
A division of Midland Forestry Ltd
Covering the Inner and Greater London area
Tel: 08450 766546

Bristol Depot:
Bristol, Elberton. BS35
Tel: 01675 443400
Midland Forestry Limited All Rights Reserved