tree reports

[ QUOTE ]

I prefer to go with my gut, enormous as it is, and go with the phloem.

[/ QUOTE ]Stephan's gut (did your wife talk you into carrying the next kid, seahorse-style?) hits the nail on the head.
grin.gif


The phloem being just outside the cambium, where cell division happens, this is where the go-juice moves up and down and all around. If there is active phloem around the trunk irregularities that the author notes (are there cavities visible in the pic?), strong growth and function of the phloem layer can build strength in those areas that improves the tree's prognosis.

Stephan it was at the Academy that the usefulness of a Background & History section early on was driven home to me. An aerial inspection could have assessed the old wounds, and other details about prior failures would also add credibility to the report.

The stated Objectives were to get input on arboricultural works and maintenance, but those were left out.
frown.gif

Getting really real, to *complete the assignment* is to at least mention other options above a basal cut.

Recommendations are assertions and as Sean notes these must be supported, or changed. Best yet to maintain humility and stick to offering Management Options. Let the responsible party decide. It is their asset, and it should be their liability (as all trees are both).

smile.gif
 
Also a consideration, sad but often true is the $$$$

What value does the client put on getting this information???

Most reports i do i find myself having to draw the line somewhere short of where i'd like to go with it.

I'd love to present the most in depth, roundly considered report the world has ever seen, one that would even blow Guys mind!!!! (could there be such a report???)

If every consulting/reporting client had an open checkbook and gave authority to do whatever it takes to present the best case possible it would be nice.

But often a client has rang around a few places and been told a few varying prices. And if you are 5X the average price you'll only be writing those reports in your dreams!

Almost every report i do incurrs some unbilled time, sometimes hours worth, learning, looking for ways of improving, evolving etc.

Whoops, that reminds me, i'm supposed to be working on one right now!!!

Do treebuzz distractions count on the bill??? Ahh, lets just call it research!
 
It is very true Trev, it is still a struggle to be recognised by some as a profession with equal standing to Geotechs, engineers and architects, but one thing is for certain......ONLY by ensuring that our reports stand up to critical scrutiny can we begin the process of demanding equal standing with these other professionals.


For those clients that do not wish to pay the basic profession fees that are charged by the company I work in...they desire something other than professional reporting
frown.gif
, there is nothing I can do to help them.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

O and hey rob don't take offense ok? A lot of the report is just fine, and i do not know the expectations of your client. Some here might accept it as is, but many muni/govt folks would require more facts to base a decision on.

At any rate, that tree does not look Urgent, unless a major cyclone is on the way.
ooo.gif
and even then a branch failure on the wires seems possible but not probable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Guy no offense taken ...I was looking for feedback.Oh but using words like "dirty" and "negligence" could easily offend someone less resilient,perhaps they were ill chosen.

In "Guide to Report Writing for consulting arbortists " it talks about (on page 6 under the heading :Level of Knowledge and depth of detail)determining your audience and says "the report must be readable and easily understood by the audience and/or user"
Rather than give my clients large passages of jargonistic gobblygock with a five page glossary I like to be as succinct as possible without being too simple.
Also the tree did lose another large limb over the driveway (250mm dia. x 5m long) from about 15 meters high.It definitely had major fungal infection which had weakened it structurally although it was fairly vigorous looking.
Also "Wasted" seems a bit emotive as regards this trees eventual removal but rather it than "wasting" some one driving/walking under it.

RjM
Ps How about some one else putting up a report to look at?
perhaps anonymously?

grin.gif
 
this is not a simple report but the basis of an australia arbor age article from last year. I gotta update it after tomorrow--another mushroom found, another round of pruning to do.
frown.gif
 

Attachments

succinct; no complex factors in this one.

CORK REPORT 080105

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
Homes were built 17 years ago.
ASSIGNMENT
On 1-5-08 I went to the Cork residence. I was asked to assess the condition of the trees, and review management options for them.
OBSERVATIONS
One loblolly pine leans slightly toward the neighbor. Most of the branches grow in that direction. The trunk and roots have no visible defect.
DISCUSSION
Trees respond to adjacent clearing by growing in that direction. The tree is at a low to moderate risk to fail in a severe storm.
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Five small branches could be removed, and others could be shortened, to balance the crown. This would decrease the risk to approximately the level of risk posed by adjacent trees.

This concludes my report. I am available to clarify any portions of it.

Respectfully Submitted,
 
the succinctest. the owner needed a report to get a permit. this tree looked, as they say in the UK, truly fecked. i never saw it; had a colleague email photos and assessed from them.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
The sugar maple tree, Acer saccharum, belonging to , and located at , has dropped a limb. I have been asked to assess its condition.
OBSERVATIONS and DISCUSSION
There is active decay evident at the base, on the trunk, and in the main fork. Large stubs remain from utility clearance pruning. There is no way to reverse the decay process, which is advanced enough to put this tree in a high risk condition. This disease is severe enough to satisfy the Town’s criteria for removal. I recommend removal and replacement with species that will not get tall enough to interfere with the power lines.

This concludes my report. I can clarify any portions of it upon request.

Sincerely Yours,
 
Hi Guy,
Just for the sake of discussion (since this is a great thread) and knowing how brutal lawyers can be.
I have two questions regarding some statements made in the above 'Cork' report. If this report was to be used in a legal case:

[ QUOTE ]
The tree is at a low to moderate risk to fail in a severe storm.

[/ QUOTE ]

1) Wouldn't a risk assessment report need to be included to show how you came to this conclusion?




[ QUOTE ]
This would decrease the risk to approximately the level of risk posed by adjacent trees.

[/ QUOTE ]

2) Wouldn't you also need to show/do an assessment report on each of these other trees before making (what a lawyer might term) 'assumptive comparison'?


Thank you for taking the time to clarify this.

-Diane-
 
[ QUOTE ]
the succinctest. the owner needed a report to get a permit. this tree looked, as they say in the UK, truly fecked. i never saw it; had a colleague email photos and assessed from them.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
The sugar maple tree, Acer saccharum, belonging to , and located at , has dropped a limb. I have been asked to assess its condition.
OBSERVATIONS and DISCUSSION
There is active decay evident at the base, on the trunk, and in the main fork. Large stubs remain from utility clearance pruning. There is no way to reverse the decay process, which is advanced enough to put this tree in a high risk condition. This disease is severe enough to satisfy the Town’s criteria for removal. I recommend removal and replacement with species that will not get tall enough to interfere with the power lines.

This concludes my report. I can clarify any portions of it upon request.

Sincerely Yours,

[/ QUOTE ]

Superbly splendidly salubriously succinct.
grin.gif

You mentioned Disclaimers?
 
Diane, this case was highly unlikely to go legal. If somehow it did, i'm comfortable with the degree of observation, since i usually keep pictures on file and could interpret from those if i was called to deposition for instance

[ QUOTE ]
1) Wouldn't a risk assessment report need to be included to show how you came to this conclusion?

2) Wouldn't you also need to show/do an assessment report on each of these other trees before making (what a lawyer might term) 'assumptive comparison'?

[/ QUOTE ]Well first of all i googled that phrase and found nothing--could it be californiaese? what does it mean?

Second, quick observations/vta were adequate to fit the client's goals. Yes it involved assumptions; all reports do. I could write a book about every tree I see but should not be expected to.

But you're right about documentation; i usually attach pics and have a more expanded system for inspecting; maybe next i'll post a mediumm sized report.

Disclaimer? You mean like

ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITING CONDITIONS

1. Any legal description provided to the consultant/appraiser is assumed to be correct. Any titles and ownerships to any property are assumed to be good and marketable. No responsibility is assumed for matters legal in character. Any and all property is appraised or evaluated as though free and clear, under responsible ownership and competent management.

2. It is assumed that any property is not in violation of any applicable codes, ordinances, statutes, or other governmental regulations.

3. Care has been taken to obtain all information from reliable sources. All data has been verified insofar as possible; however, the consultant can neither guarantee nor be responsible for the accuracy of information provided by others.

4. The consultant shall not be required to give testimony or to attend court by reason of this report unless subsequent contractual arrangements are made, including payment of an additional fee for such services as described in the fee schedule and contract of engagement.

5. Loss or alteration of any part of this part of this report invalidates the entire report.

6. Possession of this report or a copy thereof does not imply right of publication or use for any purpose by any other than the person to whom it is addressed, without the prior express written or verbal consent of the consultant/appraiser.

7. Neither all nor any part of the contents of this report, nor copy thereof, shall be conveyed by anyone, including the client, to the public through advertising, public relations, news, sales or other media, without my prior expressed written or verbal consent.

8. This report and any values expressed herein represent my objective and independent opinion.. My fee is in no way contingent upon the reporting of a specified value, a stipulated result, the occurrence of a subsequent event, nor upon any finding to be reported.

9. Sketches, diagrams, graphs, and photographs in this report, being intended as visual aids, are not necessarily to scale and should not be construed as engineering or architectural reports or surveys.

10. Unless expressed otherwise: 1) information contained in this report covers only those items that were examined and reflects the condition of those items at the time of inspection; and 2) the inspection is limited to visual examination of accessible items without climbing, dissection, excavation, probing, coring, radar, tomography, or drilling. There is no warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, that problems or deficiencies of the plants or property in question may not arise in the future.
 
Thanks Guy.
It all sounds good.

[ QUOTE ]
Well first of all i googled that phrase and found nothing--could it be californiaese? what does it mean?

[/ QUOTE ]

Assumptive comparison = No actions were taken/shown to validate the comparison.

Yeah, you gotta watch out for that 'californiaese'
grin.gif


-Diane-
 
[ QUOTE ]
the succinctest. the owner needed a report to get a permit. this tree looked, as they say in the UK, truly fecked. i never saw it; had a colleague email photos and assessed from them.


[/ QUOTE ]



Got a call to this one today !!
Can you assess this one from a photo?
What do you think?
 

Attachments

[ QUOTE ]
Can you assess this one from a photo?
What do you think?

[/ QUOTE ]No the stakes are too high. On the earlier one, the guy taking pictures was a trained assessor and got other data too.

I think the landscape architects and planners involved should reimburse for the loss of the trees, if they are lost.

Do you have access to the root-cutting/stability studies done at Bartlett Labs?

Thanks for posting pics; saved you 10,000 words.
smile.gif
 
It is always disheartening when you see things like that forshore project that Rob posted. It is almost as of the knowledge gained and understanding dvelopd over the last 25yrs just didn't happen.

Who ever approved such works has very little understanding of tree biology, or scant regard for trees in general.

We used to see similar things happening on the Gold Coast around our Norfolks, but thankfully sanity and modern Arboriculture seems to winning the arguement these days.

Guy is right the work done in the 10yr (I think) study on roots under concrete at Bartlett is important empirical evidence.

James Urban has been explaining exactly how much soil volume free from negative impacts trees require for over 20yrs to audiences across the globe....one of his best presentations is available here...http://www.toronto.ca/planning/pdf/james_urban.pdf
 
I'll do a Hazard Tree Analysis (HTA), if a customer requests a consultation of the amount of risk their tree may have. Or, if I simply don't like number of defects, species, age, and potential targets under the tree, I'll discuss what I see and ask if they want a HTA done or not. This will provide a great tool to determine if the tree should come down, be mitigated in any form or fashion, or nothing at all. I'll charge money for a HTA because I'll climb the tree, take measurements, and have to fill out paper work.
smirk.gif


The Colorado Tree Coalition has great stuff on this subject. This link is helpful. I use a spread sheet to allow me to evaluate trees with no bias. I simply can rate the tree without my emotions getting involved with it. I don't see a spread sheet for this on the link though...
 
Jamin
There is whaT we call them a VTA visual tree assessment..which is what I did.
Hazard Tree Analysis could imply an assumption that the tree is already hazardous?

Oh I handballed the Norfolk Island pines to a consultant arborist who has orderded in a ground radar to help to determine the extent of root damage and possible pull tests on all the 4 trees.
As he looked at them the wind came up and one was moving slightly in the ground.
He called us out to put temporary cable braces( Cobra) on it
last night. So I "nightclimed" one of them and we hooked it up to some large concrete blocks and two excavators.
Bit erie cabling in an unstable tree at night ...wonder what the rate is for that..finshed about 9.30pm.
RjM
Ps Dogs are good security and friends for life too!!
 
Re: Pine update

Thanks for the update Rob, not going to lambast anyone since I don't know the full story....but what a shame that good sound Arb advice was not obtained BEFORE the damage was done to the trees
crazy.gif


Getting things done properly is a sometimes very painfully slow process
frown.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom