About Southfleet Tree Services
More Than Tree Surgeons. Professional Stewards of Kent's Landscape.
Southfleet Tree Services exists because we believe tree surgery can, and should, be better.
Every day across the country, thousands of decisions are made about trees. Some preserve them for future generations. Others remove them unnecessarily. Most happen quietly, without anyone questioning whether there might have been a better solution.
We believe those decisions matter.
Trees are not simply obstacles to be cut down or assets to be maintained. They are part of a living landscape that has existed long before us and, if managed responsibly, should remain long after we are gone.
That belief shapes every quotation we provide, every recommendation we make and every tree we work on.
Our Story
Southfleet Tree Services began life in 2016 under a different name before evolving into the company it is today.
For co owner Jackson Moran, arboriculture was never the obvious career path.
After working in property consultancy and building a successful business within the industry, he realised something was missing. The work was financially rewarding but personally unfulfilling. The ethics, culture and environment no longer aligned with the life he wanted to lead.
Searching for something different, he contacted colleges without really knowing what he was looking for. A conversation with a member of staff at Hadlow College introduced him to a subject he had never even heard of before: Arboriculture.
The decision was immediate.
Jackson completed his Level 3 studies at Hadlow before founding his first tree surgery business straight from college. Years spent working within the industry gradually changed his perspective. What began as a practical trade became a lifelong fascination with trees, ecology and the role arborists play in protecting the wider environment.
That journey eventually led him back into education to complete a Level 4 qualification in Arboriculture at Merrist Wood College and to become a Technician Member of the Arboricultural Association.
Today, his ambition is simple:
To help lead positive change within the arboricultural industry.
Meet the Team
Southfleet Tree Services is owned and operated by Jackson Moran and Greig Fish.
Between them they bring more than 30 years of practical experience in tree work, alongside formal arboricultural education that remains relatively uncommon within the industry.
Unlike many businesses where management and operations are separate, both owners remain actively involved in delivering projects, meeting clients and making decisions on site.
Every recommendation carries personal accountability.
Why We Do Things Differently
Tree surgery in the UK is largely unregulated.
Anyone can purchase equipment and advertise themselves as a tree surgeon.
We don't believe that should be enough.
Our approach begins with understanding the tree before reaching for the chainsaw.
If pruning is sufficient, we'll recommend pruning.
If management is the better long term option, we'll recommend management.
If removal is genuinely necessary, we'll explain exactly why.
Our responsibility isn't simply to complete work.
It's to ensure that work is justified.
Because our clients work hard for their money, we believe they deserve advice that serves their interests rather than ours.
We Advocate for the Tree
One of the greatest misconceptions about our profession is that tree surgeons exist to remove trees.
We don't.
We exist to manage them.
A mature beech tree in Walderslade recently lost several branches following extensive squirrel damage. The owner believed the tree had died and expected it would need to be removed.
After inspection, we recommended selective pruning and management rather than felling.
The tree remains standing today and has largely recovered.
Stories like this happen more often than many people realise.
Not every damaged tree is dangerous.
Not every dead branch means a dying tree.
Not every ivy covered stem requires removal.
Sometimes the best tree surgery is knowing when not to carry it out.
Ecology Comes First
As our understanding of trees deepened, so too did our understanding of their place within wider ecosystems.
Every tree supports countless forms of life.
Every unnecessary removal affects far more than timber alone.
Before every project we complete an ecological checklist.
We actively check for nesting birds, protected species and habitat considerations because legal compliance should be the minimum standard, not the aspiration.
Birds can nest at any time of year.
Disturbing active nests is unlawful regardless of season.
Professional tree surgery means understanding these responsibilities and acting accordingly.
From Railway Infrastructure to Historic Estates
Our experience spans everything from domestic gardens to technically demanding infrastructure projects.
We've carried out hazardous night time removals alongside the Docklands Light Railway under engineering possessions.
We've worked above historic tram tunnels in Croydon where root systems threatened structural integrity.
We've participated in large ash dieback programmes around Mereworth, advising which trees should be retained while safely removing those presenting genuine risk.
Yet some of the projects that stay with us most aren't the largest.
One memorable commission involved working around a historic house in Mereworth, where the owner shared centuries old drawings showing woodland workers managing the very same landscape.
The tools had changed.
The responsibility had not.
That sense of stewardship remains central to everything we do.
Why "Southfleet"?
The name Southfleet is rooted in place.
Derived from the tributary of the River Fleet, a watercourse that still flows beneath modern London despite centuries of change, it serves as a reminder that landscapes evolve while their history remains beneath our feet.
For us, Southfleet represents continuity.
Places endure because generations before us chose to care for them.
We believe our responsibility is to continue that tradition.
Looking Beyond Individual Trees
Our ambition isn't simply to build another successful tree surgery company.
Our ambition is to demonstrate what modern arboriculture can become.
An industry where ecological thinking sits alongside technical competence.
Where honest advice is valued above unnecessary work.
Where professionals advocate for trees as well as clients.
Where stewardship replaces short term thinking.
If Southfleet leaves any legacy, we hope it is this:
That we showed others how the profession should be done.
Giving Back
Not every contribution comes with an invoice.
We regularly provide timber to local forest schools where it can continue to educate and inspire.
Many quotations become conversations rather than contracts, because advising someone that work is unnecessary is sometimes the most valuable service we can provide.
We see these moments not as lost opportunities but as part of our duty.
Inspired by the Landscape
Jackson's favourite place in Kent is Beacon Wood Country Park in Bean.
It's a modest woodland, but one rich in biodiversity, careful management and personal significance, it is also where he met his wife.
Books such as The Arbornaut by Margaret Lowman and Trees: Their Natural History by Peter Thomas continue to shape our understanding that trees deserve curiosity as much as management.
They remind us that every mature tree represents centuries of ecological relationships, many of which remain only partially understood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Southfleet Tree Services?
Southfleet Tree Services is owned and operated by Jackson Moran and Greig Fish, who remain actively involved in both management and practical tree work.
Are you qualified arboriculturists?
Yes. Jackson holds a Level 4 qualification in Arboriculture from Merrist Wood College and is a Technician Member of the Arboricultural Association. Both directors studied Arboriculture formally.
Why do you emphasise education?
Because understanding trees leads to better decisions. Practical skill is essential, but arboricultural knowledge allows us to recommend the right intervention rather than simply the biggest one.
Do you recommend against unnecessary work?
Absolutely. We frequently advise clients that trees can be retained through management rather than removal.
Why is ecology so important to Southfleet?
We believe tree surgeons operate on the front line of environmental stewardship. Every decision affects habitats, biodiversity and the wider landscape.
Do you inspect for nesting birds?
Yes. Every project includes ecological checks because protected species may be present at any time of year.
What areas do you cover?
We work throughout Kent, including Meopham, Gravesend, Wrotham, Maidstone, Rochester, Mereworth and surrounding areas.
What types of clients do you work for?
We undertake work for homeowners, businesses, schools, estates and local authorities across Kent.
Why is the company called Southfleet?
The name reflects our connection to the landscape and the enduring history of the River Fleet and its tributaries, symbolising stewardship, continuity and responsibility.
What is Southfleet's mission?
To demonstrate that professional tree surgery can combine technical excellence, ecological responsibility and honest advice while helping shape a better future for the arboricultural industry.
Our Philosophy
We are stewards of a great landscape, and its care, at our hands, is crucial.
If you're looking for a tree surgery company that values expertise, honesty and long term stewardship as highly as practical skill, we'd be delighted to talk with you.
Get In Touch 01474 391371
