As a homeowner, you’re responsible for the trees on and around your property. You need to take care of their health and appearance so they can thrive and live as long as possible. And while you can manage to do some smaller tasks by yourself, hiring a professional to do the job is always a good idea.
Some situations, such as starting a development project, require a professional tree approach. An arborist report, for example, is required by law in many cases. What are some of the most typical arborist consulting services? And why it’s best to hire a qualified arborist for them?
Essential Arborist Services
Risk Assessments
Tree risk assessments are one of the most common arborist consulting services offered. As the name implies, a risk assessment inspects the risk that a tree or multiple trees pose to people or properties. The main goal of the arborist is to find out if there’s an urgent threat or not. If there are chances of a tree or its branches falling, the next step is to inspect its consequences. The final goal is to determine some options for you as a tree owner or a person responsible for the tree.
There are two main risk assessment methods: observation and detailed assessment. The first one includes a basic overview of the tree’s health, while the second is a detailed analysis made using diagnostic tools. Sometimes, it includes soil and moisture inspection, as well.
Why are tree risks assessments important for you? It can be beneficial to regularly assess your trees in this way and make it a part of your tree care routine. Knowing a tree’s health condition and its likelihood of failure will help you decide what to do with it before it falls and hurts someone or cause damage to your property.
How often should you inspect your trees depends on the level of risk and the age of the trees. The general recommendation is that trees are inspected every 1-5 years. Many tree owners also decide to get a tree risk assessment when they move into a new house. If you live in an area where storms and extreme weather occur regularly, it can be helpful to inspect trees before the forecasted event.
Arborist Reports
Tree reports are also known as tree surveys. You can get a tree report solely or following your risk assessment. When do you need a report? Whether planning anything from small construction work in your garden to starting a new building project, you’ll most likely need to provide a tree report if there are trees nearby. The main goal is to help you quickly manage the trees on your property for any development project.
An arborist report can help you make well-informed decisions that can broadly impact your project. For example, you may find out that a particular tree is among the species protected by law. Since you have to keep the tree, you can incorporate it into the future designs so it blends nicely into them.
Or, you may learn that a tree near the house has some decay or fungal infection. As these factors might cause its fall at any point, the best decision would be to remove the tree before you start building.
Such tree problems are often invisible to the common eye. Therefore, they need a professional approach. With their special tools and knowledge, arborists can provide you with the best tree survey report.
Why Hire a Consulting Arborist?
What is a consulting arborist? Professional consulting arborists are qualified to give tree advice, management and construction around trees. Although qualifications may vary, the standard is an AQF Level 5 (Diploma level) qualification in arboriculture. A level 5 qualification contains the vast amount of soil and tree structure information that arborists must know to base their assessments. It’s an applied science; ideally, even arborists with higher qualifications (such as AQF Level 8) should have an AQF Level 5 as well. What are some of the reasons why you should hire a qualified arborist?
They Have the Knowledge
A knowledgeable arborist can help you decide by providing you with more alternative solutions other than “remove or retain”. In many cases, achieving your goal without removing a tree is possible. Such tree management goes beyond tree removal and pruning; it considers the bigger picture – the urban forest. A professional will also consider the context and reasonable alternatives before making a decision, without a perceived bias towards tree work.
They Have the Equipment
Certified arborists have the proper tools for tree removal and pruning to do the job with minimal damage to your tree and property. Also, they have the right diagnostic tools, such as resistographs, 3D imaging and rubber mallets. By using these tools, they can go deep into the tree to inspect it thoroughly. That way, you’ll have the complete information to make an informed decision.
They Care for Trees
The main goal for most tree-cutting companies is to sell their services. Although there are tree care companies that mean well, most of them only care to get a job done (or a tree removed). While hiring a consultant may seem like an unnecessary step for you, it can protect both you and the trees. It’s like a buffer between the homeowner and the tree industry. Consulting might be an extra step, but it’s important to save you money in the long run. In addition, it will result in a healthier outcome for the tree while providing you with an unbiased and professional opinion.
