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Project details The Stags Holt windcluster project is an 18MW wind energy project near Cambridgeshire, UK. Once complete, the nine-turbine project will be able to supply the electricity needs of approximately 9500 homes. The Stags Holt windcluster would be expected to have an operational life of approximately 25 years. After this time, the development would be decommissioned in order to return the site to its former use as arable land. The construction of the windcluster would be completed within a period of approximately 30 weeks. Challenge The 80m diameter wind turbine blades at Stags Holt are mounted on 59m high towers. Each turbine would be accessed by approximately 8km of internal access tracks that would be approximately 5 metres wide, with areas of hardstanding adjacent to each turbine for use by cranes during construction. The tracks and hardstanding areas, which mainly utilise soft existing farm tracks, would need reinforcing so that they were able to withstand the loads generated by the cranes during the commissioning and decommissioning of the turbines. Solution Geosynthetics worked together with the Tenax Geosynthetics Technical Office to produce the designs for the site access roads which incorporated the use of two layers of lime cement stabilisation followed by the installation of a 200mm of Type 1 road stone reinforced by a single layer of Tenax LBO330 bi-oriented geogrid. The designs ensured: The site access road would be strong enough to withstand loadings of the wind turbines and heavy vehicle usage for the duration of the site (25 years). A reduction in costs of fill material required (up to 40%). A reduction on the environmental impact of construction traffic that would be mitigated due to the reduced quantities of aggregate required. Benefits of Using Bi-Oriented Geogrids in Road Bases Horizontal layers of geogrid are commonly used to reinforce the base of road structures on soft soils with poor bearing capacity and reduce settlements that could occur under the distributed load transmitted by the passage of the construction vehicles. Increase in initial stiffness Decrease in long-term deformation (creep) Increase in tensile strength Reduction of cracking Increase in soil subgrade strength Improved load distribution to the soil subgrade due to the load spreading.   Using Tenax LBO330 provided a solution that would maximise the sustainability of the site whilst reducing costs and minimising environmental impact. For more information about Tenax or any of our other products please contact our sales office on 01455 617 139 or email sales@geosyn.co.uk

I am immensely proud to have represented the UK in this important arboricultural fund generating and awareness raising event, and indeed to have been the only non-American/Canadian rider. The objective of the ride is to raise funds for the Tree Research & Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) which was established in 1975 to provide a reservoir of money from which important arboricultural research could be funded. The TREE Fund has supported research that has developed more environmentally sensitive methods of plant management, produced genetically superior trees that can withstand the stress of urban environments, advanced strategies for tree disease suppression and insect resistance and improved techniques for planting and adapting amenity trees to poor soils. I am indebted to the sponsors who made this possible, particularly for the support of Roy and the team at Geosynthetics. Having had a break of five years since my third Tour des Trees in 2002, I had serious doubts about getting inshape and raising the sponsorship for this year’s 600 mile ride. However, these misgivings quickly evaporated once I arrived in Sacramento and met up with my riding partner, room mate and former Leicester lad Rob Williams, and got acquainted with the other riders I hadn’t ridden with previously. The first morning’s relatively flat ride out to a 60-mile lunch break lulled us into a false sense of security. The afternoon ride into Clearlake involved three tough climbs in heat that the wet English summer hadn’t prepared me for, but this was more than compensated for by meeting up with my old friend and former tour co-ordinator Karl Parker, whose church generously hosted us not only for dinner, but also the next morning’s breakfast. The following days were physically demanding, but immensely enjoyable and satisfying, especially the tree planting and other promotional events that punctuated the ride The scenery along the route was awe-inspiring and the humour and camaraderie of the riders was, as previously, incredible. The long and tough final day tested several of us with aching limbs to the limit, but at the end you would be hard pressed to find a rider who would have had it any other way. This is a great event, bringing out the best in people who give up their time and put in a serious amount of effort for a cause in which they share a common passion. Whilst I love the physical challenge and camaraderie of the tour, for me the enduring image will be the smiling faces of the children helping Tim Womick to plant a Frontier Elm in the park at Santa Rosa, this is our future – priceless!   Mick Boody, Symbiosis Consulting Ltd       

In situations where there is a TPO (tree protection order) on an existing tree, builders are increasingly finding that the protection of existing trees plays a major part in the planning approval process. It is likely that a Tree Officer or an Arboricultural Consultant will be involved and their preferred solution is preferably a “no-dig” method. CellWeb Tree Root Protection is the ideal solution in these circumstances and its ease-of-use and environmental benefits are making it an increasingly popular choice. So what exactly is CellWeb? CellWeb is a cellular panel often used to build roads over weak ground – this also makes it ideal for tree root protection. Fill the cells with clean gravel or stone and you’ve got yourself a high load-bearing surface without any need for excavation. Why use CellWeb instead of traditional methods? When you find yourself having to create driveways or parking over the roots of mature trees, traditional methods usually involve excavation, hardcore and finishing with a non-porous surface. All of these can contribute towards damaging trees, but the biggest problem of all is soil compaction… Why is soil compaction such a problem? Soil compaction can be devastating to the long term health of trees because it reduces or even cuts off air and water reaching the roots through the ground. This results in the tree being starved of the vital oxygen and nutrients essential for its survival. Heavy construction traffic can make the situation worse too by increasing compaction during the work. How does CellWeb solve these problems? The unique hoop design of CellWeb significantly increases the load-bearing capacity of any infill material used with it. This means that clean, open graded granular materials can be used which avoid the need for compaction. At the same time this open structure allows water and air to penetrate to the roots ensuring the health of the tree. How can CellWeb help me? Save time and money – CellWeb removes the need for excavation as it can be placed directly on top of the existing ground. In most cases the depth of the sub-base required can be cut by over 50%! What’s more you’ll find it quick and easy to install without any special equipment. Greater versatility – As well as being placed directly on the ground CellWeb can be surfaced with a wide variety of paving and natural vegetation to suit existing landscaping. A longer lasting result – Because of its cellular construction, CellWeb also significantly reduces surface rutting, increasing the long-term performance of the finished surface. What else do I need to know? CellWeb is supplied in panels of just over 20m² and Geosynthetics carry thousands of square metres in stock at any one time - all available for delivery within 24 hours. You can choose from thicknesses of 75mm, 100mm, 150mm and 200mm to suit a wide range of ground conditions and required finish – f or more advice and information on CellWeb and how it can help you contact our sales office on 01455 617 139