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Tree Assessment is Wise Risk Management
Assessing risks early can reduce liability as trees age or deteriorate

By Tim A. Johnson, Registered Consulting Arborist and Andrew Backhaus, Ph.D.

For all the beauty and character that trees lend to a town, development project or other public space, they also can cause great concern and potential liability when their condition becomes questionable. Municipal risk managers face the responsibility and challenge of reducing the risk of aging or diseased trees injuring people or damaging property. Reducing tree hazards is not just a smart way to minimize accident claims and exposure to legal liability, it’s an essential duty in creating a safe, fully functional and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Preemptively chopping down healthy trees is not the best solution to managing this risk. This horrific result is what happened in the case above. All the trees at this Phoenix elementary school were topped after one of the limbs broke and damaged a teacher's car. As a consequence the school board decided to eliminate all branches on all large trees on the school grounds. You can see the results for yourself.

Trees not only enhance the charm and appeal of a property, but they also attract birds and other wildlife, provide shade, help to reduce energy costs, and increase landscape value. Finding the right balance in tree management is made more complex when you consider legal risks, which can prove substantial in cases related to tree maintenance. Several courts around the country have help property owners responsible for personal injury or property damage when they knew of – or should have known of – the potential for tree hazards on their property.

Fortunately, a Registered consulting Arborist (RCA) can help you sort out the risks and make sound decisions about the trees in your public spaces. As the most authoritative experts on tree care issues, RCA’s undergo intensive training and skills development to earn the industry’s highest professional designation. By conducting a comprehensive tree risk assessment, the RCA can measure tree damage and evaluate tree health and risk factors to recommend which trees to sacrifice and which to salvage.

Identifying Tree Risk Potential

When you retain a RCA for a tree risk assessment, you can expect to receive an identification of potential tree hazards and recommendations for corrective action. The RCA will assess existing tree defects and forecast the possible chances of tree failure and the threat to public safety. In most cases, visual examination by the RCA is enough to provide a good review of tree health and viability. The RCA will look for defects at the tree roots, trunk, branches and leaves. In a high-risk situation or one where defects are suspected but not readily identified, the RCA may conduct an in-depth tree assessment using specialized tools and techniques.

Typically, the risk assessment includes a ranking of the assessed trees on the property ranging from low- to high-risk. The highest risk trees are those at imminent risk of failure. If a serious tree hazard is identified, immediate removal is warranted to avoid danger to people who come in close proximity to the tree. If there is any question, the safety of residents and visitors is always identified and should receive prompt corrective action.

When no immediate danger is posed, tree defects can be addressed through corrective maintenance, such as pruning of defective branches. I an aging tree is of special historical or landscaping value, cabling or bracing can be employed to help it remain standing. Other recommended maintenance may include watering, mulching and pest control, all with the goal of producing stronger, more sustainable trees while improving public safety. Early detection and correction of tree defects not only reduces tree hazards, but also decreases maintenance costs. A healthier tree population means less pruning, less removal and less replanting.

Without question, even a trained expert such as an RCA cannot predict with complete certainty whether a tree will fail or continue to grow and thrive. Extreme weather conditions, such as strong winds or a heavy ice or snowstorms may cause tree failure. In addition, even the most thorough assessment may not uncover internal defects in a tree with a healthy and structurally sound appearance. Nonetheless, with training and experience in arboriculture, the failure of limbs or entire trees often can be predicted, detected and prevented.

Beyond the tree risk assessment, RCAs can provide other useful tree services, including comprehensive tree management plans complete with planting and pruning programs. Consulting with an RCA to monitor new plantings or young trees can provide an early opportunity to shape trees to prevent problems from the outset. RCAs also can provide tree value appraisals and offer expert legal testimony in cases regarding tree issues. What’s more, they can train your grounds keeping and maintenance staff to detect and correct common tree hazards and properly conduct standard maintenance, such as lawn mowing, around trees without wounding tem at the base.

Preserving Your  “Community Forest”

Like an actual forest, the trees in your community are always changing, due to storm damage, disease or simple aging. With the suddenness of a strike of lightning, a once harmless tree can become a hazard. Before you remove trees that grace your entrance or shade your grounds, consider obtaining a professional tree risk assessment to evaluate and correct possible tree hazards on the property. The payoffs include healthier, longer-living tree; lower landscaping costs; and most importantly, fewer tree-related accidents and injuries – resulting in reduced risks, claims and liability for your company. And the ultimate benefit is that the community will enjoy a safer, greener environment for business, lining, relation and recreation.

For more information, contact the American Society of Consulting Arborists at 301-947-0483, or www.asca-consultants.org

Tim A. Johnson, a Registered Consulting Arborist in Phoenix, AZ, is President of the American Society of Consulting Arborists.