Arborist Consulting – Preserving Your Trees During Construction

Whether you’re a homeowner planning a new landscape or a developer overseeing a large residential or commercial project, an Arborist Consulting expert can provide valuable services that ensure your trees remain healthy and safe during construction. Providing both pre-construction recommendations and on-site supervision, Arborist Consultants work directly with the site’s contractors to make sure all the proper precautions are taken during tree removals and plantings. With years of experience, a qualified Arborist Consulting professional can help avoid costly mistakes that could otherwise destroy the integrity and value of your property’s mature trees.

Practicing arborists are focused on the hands-on care and maintenance of individual trees, while consulting arborists offer analysis and advice for various types of landscapes, including urban forestry, horticulture, and environmental science. Although both can be certified in their fields, consulting arborists are generally required to hold a formal education or training, such as a bachelor’s degree in forest management, urban forestry, or related subject. Additionally, a consulting arborist must hold the credentials of a Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA).

An RCA is an independent contractor who provides consulting arborist services, such as writing specifications and evaluating tree impact during construction projects. To earn this credential, an individual must have a minimum of five years of industry experience and a four-year degree in arboriculture. The RCA title is also associated with the American Society of Consulting Arborists, which requires members to meet specific criteria regarding qualifications and experience.

A qualified consulting arborist can also help homeowners and developers by completing tree appraisals. This allows individuals to see the monetary value of their trees, and may be useful in the event that their trees are damaged or destroyed by an act of God or by human error. Additionally, a qualified consulting arborist can also provide insurance consultations and create emergency mitigation plans to reduce risk for tree-related issues.

Preserving mature trees during construction can be a challenging task for contractors, designers and property owners. With the help of a skilled Arborist Consulting, the process can go smoothly and leave behind a finished building with shade, privacy, and property value that are all enhanced by existing mature trees. It takes a team effort from all parties, however, and consistent collaboration throughout the process to preserve as many trees as possible. This includes coordinating with design firms, architects, engineers, landscapers and municipalities to coordinate and prioritize the preservation of existing mature trees during construction. In addition, the consulting arborist will review the job plan and complete detailed Tree Impact Surveys for a construction project, file tree work permits, and create daily reports to document tree activity during the construction phase. Lastly, the Consulting Arborist will monitor the construction progress and address any unforeseen problems that might arise during the construction phase. This can include identifying hazards, directing construction workers and creating tree protection plans. If the problem is serious enough, the consulting arborist can even serve as an expert witness in legal cases involving the damage of trees.

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