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UPM Tilhill celebrates its role in M1 widening project success

UPM Tilhill, the UK's leading landscaping, arboriculture and environmental works company, joined celebrations to mark completion of the Highway Agency’s £300 million project to widen one of Britain’s busiest stretches of motorway.

UPM Tilhill, played a key role in the widening of a 17 kilometre stretch of the M1 between Junction 6A (M25) and Junction 10 (Luton) since securing a £1.9 million roadside clearance and landscaping contract with Balfour Beatty Skanska, the main contractor on the project working for the Highways Agency.

In June 2008, UPM Tilhill became the first UK company to achieve registration against National Highway Sector Scheme 18 (NHSS 18) for the Environment and Landscape including Ecology on highway schemes.

To undertake the clearance operation, UPM Tilhill transferred technology from its timber harvesting operations to the roadside environment and used a grapple harvester operating alongside conventional heavy chippers and mulchers to clear large areas quickly and effectively.
Measures were taken to avoid disturbing birds during the nesting season and where protected species, such as bats and badgers, were believed to be present the company implemented the client's thorough mitigation measures to protect them. These included ecologist inspection of potential bat trees and section felling, and buffer zones around potential badger setts.

From March 2007, soft landscaping and planting began. UPM Tilhill was responsible for almost 1,000,000 m² of landscaping that included planting of:
• 190,000 native trees and shrubs including oak, ash, beech, hornbeam, field maple, blackthorn, hawthorn, dogrose and privet.
• 60,000 bulbs, including 2,000 native English bluebells, as well as daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops.
• 43,000 aquatic/marginal plants around the balancing ponds along the motorway.

A particular challenge faced by UPM Tilhill prior to Christmas 2008 and with the deadline for the project opening fast approaching, was the creation of green cover along two very steeply banked roadside areas adjacent to bridges. This led to further innovative thinking.

“Establishing grass on these areas had caused our client problems, and they looked to us for a solution. We suggested that instead of trying to establish grass, they instead tried using hardier species that would be better able to withstand the site’s harsh conditions,” said David Collender, Contracts Manager, UPM Tilhill. “Together with the client we agreed on an attractive mix of Ivy, Honeysuckle and Clematis. The logistics of the operation then posed further challenges, working at height, adjacent to a motorway, involved planting using a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) , however this alone was simply too slow. By drafting in some of our tree surgeons to assist with the planting using their climbing and rope skills, and qualifications, we were able to access the slopes with ropes and harness. The ultimate solution combined both approaches and enabled us to proceed effectively.”

“UPM Tilhill has done an excellent job in fulfilling this challenging brief, and have particularly impressed me throughout the project in the way they have reacted to site challenges and our requests, with a positive and constructive partnering approach,” said Stuart Millington, Section Engineer for Balfour Beatty Skanska, responsible for the co-ordination of the landscaping works.

Peter Middleton, Commercial Director, UPM Tilhill, said: “In both the clearance and planting operations, contract managers have demonstrated innovative thinking and expertise to overcome challenges and add efficiency. The result is an attractive and bio-diverse roadside environment that, as it grows and matures, will increasingly benefit road users, local communities and wildlife. We are delighted to have successfully completed, right on schedule, such a challenging brief for a valued client.”

UPM Tilhill will now oversee a five year maintenance programme.

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon officially opened the road on Friday 23rd January 2009, unveiling a plaque located beside the original plaque installed when the first section of the M1 opened in 1959.
ENDS

Notes to editors
For further information please contact:
Ruth Roy, Head of Marketing, UPM Tilhill. Tel: 01892 861008, Mob: 07771 940494.

UPM Tilhill is the UK's leading landscaping, arboriculture and environmental works company. The company provides a full range of consultancy and contracting services to civil engineers, developers, landscape architects and local authorities as well as landowners. The company is a member of BALI and is registered with Construction Line, Achilles and Link-up, and has a CSCS Gold Standard Certificate.

UPM Tilhill was the first UK company to achieve registration against National Highway Sector Scheme 18 (NHSS 18) for the Environment and Landscape including Ecology on highway schemes. The company achieved registration against all seven categories of NHSS18: Arboriculture; Landscape construction; Landscape maintenance; Environmental management activities; Pesticide application; Amenity management activities and Ecological management activities. Any landscaping works being completed on new trunk road schemes must be completed by a company that conforms to the full requirements of the current scheme.

UPM is one of the world's leading forest industry groups. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and Pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. Our competitiveness is based on cost leadership, change readiness and leading innovation. The Group employs around 25,000 people and it has production facilities in 14 countries. In 2008, UPM made sales of EUR 9.5 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki stock exchange.