What is a Consulting Arborist?
When I tell people that I’m an arborist, I often get a response that goes like: “that’s cool… and what is an arborist?”
Arborists are people that work with trees on an individual level, and we usually work with trees that are located close to where people are. Within the field of arboriculture, people can specialize as tree workers, consultants, municipal specialists and/or urban foresters.
People generally understand what tree workers do, but the role of a consulting arborist isn’t as immediately obvious. It is a field that has grown immensely over the last 20 years or so as more and more municipalities adopt tree bylaws and urban forest plans. In general, consulting arborists assess the health and structure of trees and come up with solutions to mitigate any issues that we find - kind of like tree doctors. Sometimes consultants assess trees that have been damaged by people in order to determine if anyone should be held liable for the damage, if the tree can be safely retained, and if any mitigation work is required - kind of like tree investigators. Another important task is to provide tree management plans for construction projects.
If you own or manage a property with trees, there are three main considerations for why you might want to hire a consultant: safety, legal and tree health.
Safety
You may have found yourself wondering “is my tree safe?”. A quick look from a consultant can help identify any hazards or health issues that may not be immediately obvious to the untrained eye. If specific issues are found, a more detailed risk assessment can be completed. This might entail a climbing inspection, removing soil to inspect the roots, or using various methods to assess the extent of decay within the trunk. Having an arborist inspect your tree(s) could prevent damage to people and property (including the tree itself), and at the very least it should give you some peace of mind.
If there is a structural issue making your tree hazardous, often a consultant can help come up with solutions to help retain the tree so you can make an informed decision about the tree’s fate. Selective pruning, cabling and bracing can help extend the life of your tree and reduce the risk to you and your family. A defect in the tree isn’t always an immediate death sentence, sometimes it just takes a little creative problem solving and a willingness to put in some effort.
Legal
Most municipalities in the Lower Mainland have a Tree Protection Bylaw of some sort - and you could be liable for trees that are damaged or removed illegally from your property (even if the damage was done by a contractor or other third party). Hiring a consultant can help you understand which trees on your property are protected by the Bylaw, and what is and is not allowed to be done to them. Municipalities with Tree Bylaws can issue fines for damaged or illegally removed trees, and in extreme cases can take people to court where the fines can be over $10,000 per tree. Many people don’t understand how far a tree’s roots grow - and in my experience often end up damaging trees without intending to. A quick visit from a consultant could save you a big headache later on.
Additionally, if you are planning on applying for a building permit of any kind, you may be required to submit an arborist report as part of your application. If you want to remove a tree (or trees) for any reason you will also most likely need an arborist report. A consultant who is experienced in applying for permits can help you navigate the “green tape”.
Tree Health
This section will be a little less practical, but hopefully if you’ve found this website it’s because you care deeply about trees. Trees are complex biological organisms that are often unpredictable. Any changes we make to them or their environment can have long term implications. Even an act as simple as pruning can either reduce or create significant hazards years down the road. Getting to care for a tree and learning more about it year after year can be deeply fulfilling, but if you don’t have a background in horticulture it can be overwhelming. A consulting arborist can help you get to know your trees better - what are their characteristics, what do they need, and what should be avoided? You most likely have the capacity to take good care of your tree(s), you might just need a little guidance.
Trees are also prone to pests and diseases that can be treated if caught early enough. Tree health and structure are two very different aspects of tree care (think of how having a broken bone is different from having a disease). Many tree diseases don’t affect tree structure, but can affect the vitality of the tree or make a mess of your yard. In these cases, a tree check-up is in order! Just like humans, preventative tree care is the most important so learning what kind of issues to look out for can help you respond to an issue before it gets out of hand.
Conclusion
As we have covered in this article, there are safety, legal and health considerations that go into caring for trees, and a consulting arborist can help you navigate all three. If you have decided you would like help from a consultant, that’s great! Here are some questions and resources to help you choose someone:
Ask if the company has general liability insurance, and errors and omissions insurance if you will be submitting an arborist report to your municipality
If you will be submitting a report to your municipality, the company should have a valid business license in that municipality
The work should be completed (or supervised by) someone who is an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist and who has a valid TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification). You can check someone’s credentials here: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
You should also get along well with the person/people assessing your trees - relationships and communication are an important part of good tree care
Lastly, a common conflict of interest in the industry is that companies that do tree work may complete an assessment and suggest work that is profitable for them but is not in your (or your tree’s) best interest. Hiring a consultant is one way to ensure any recommendations are unbiased.
If you need help caring for your trees, reach out to Branching Out today!
