John Pape Consulting has consulted on many different residential properties for a variety of arboricultural scenarios. The most frequent request is identifying and mitigating potential tree hazards for the property owner. The process to identify hazardous trees and conditions is called a Tree Risk Assessment. This assessment is a systematic process, which consists of hiring a Certified Arborist/Registered Consulting Arborist to locate and identify the trees to be assessed, determine the targets and target zone for the tree or branches of concern and review site history, condition, and species failure profile. In addition, the potential load on the tree, its parts, and the general health are part of the overall assessment. The information collected during the tree risk assessment is presented to the customer with conclusions and recommendations to help them make informed decisions about managing the trees on their property.

It is very important for any property owner to remember:

• The Home Owners Insurance Company should be contacted if damage to a property occurs due to a tree failure.
  • Claim damages and coverages would have to be assessed by a claims agent, which may or may not include an Arborist report.
• There is no such thing as an absolute ‘SAFE’ tree.
  • Trees can and will fail under many different types of conditions and circumstances.
• Assessments are only valid on the day they are performed.
  • Regular assessments may be necessary depending on the location of the tree being assessed. Factors affecting trees can change rapidly after an assessment is performed.
• The property owner is responsible for maintaining their trees in a safe and healthy way.
  • A Certified Arborist/Registered Consulting Arborist is qualified to help a property owner make decisions on how to maintain their trees in a safe and healthy manner.
• A tree risk assessment is not intended to justify removal of a healthy and safe tree.