Tree Reports & Assessments

For any new developments there needs to be careful consideration for the retention value of any trees located onsite and the impact the new development will have on their health and longevity. Trees need to be evaluated for their health, species type, useful lifetime, significance and retention values, whether it is likely they can be removed to accommodate the development or it is more likely they will need to be retained and protected according to AS-4970-2009 (Protection of Trees on Development Sites). The final decision on the retention or removal of certain trees is always down to the local council but our AQF Level 5 certified arborist’s can give a good indication as to the likelihood of various outcomes. By doing a preliminary tree survey and arborist report for the site the developers and architects have a good idea of any design constraints they may face regarding the trees onsite before too much time and consequently money is wasted on preparing architectural designs that may not be possible due to trees that need to be protected.

The majority of the tree reports we do at Sydney Tree Solutions are further along the design process where plans for the new development have already been finalised and the client has had a request from council for an Arboricultural Report to assess the impact on trees onsite. The trees are assessed for health, species type, useful lifetime, significance and retention values. We can then determine which trees can be removed to accommodate the development and which trees should be retained and protected according to AS-4970-2009 (Protection of Trees on Development Sites) if possible. A full Tree Protection Plan is provided with every report. Part of the report will include some design suggestions or construction techniques that can be used to ensure the development can still proceed whilst ensuring a high value tree can still be retained and integrated within the site. It is the benefit of an experienced AQF Level 5 arborist that can minimise any of these conflicts that may occur between the wishes of the property developer and council regulations. In most cases our clients are on a strict deadline to get the DA submitted since the tree report is often overlooked in the process so we are used to working and delivering tree reports within limited timeframes. Our clients for tree reports and consulting include councils, schools, commercial developments and residential homeowners.

** All tree reports for new developments that will be submitted as part of a DA will require architectural plans and surveys of the site prior to engaging one of our AQF Level 5 arborists to inspect the site and complete the arboricultural impact report.

In many cases as part of an arboricultural impact report there may be a requirement for root mapping to determine the location of structural roots of certain trees that have to be retained. This enables buildings to be constructed across tree root zones (TPZ – Tree Protection Zones and sometime even SRZ – Structural Root Zones) using piering techniques or may identify that a building can be constructed closer to the tree that calculated according to AS-4970-2009 regulations without pruning many roots. Excavation techniques such as air spades or hydrovacs are used to carefully remove the soil in certain areas of the root zone whilst leaving the roots undamaged. Whilst Tree Root Mapping is very time consuming and can be expensive it provides the architect and the developer with very clear specifications as to how close the development can get to the tree, saving a lot of money in the long term and allowing the property owner to maximise the available space they have for the development.

As part of the DA requirements for any new development with trees onsite there is often a need for a project or site arborist to be present during certain stages of the development and to oversee all works that are within the TPZs (Tree Protection Zones) for any trees to be retained and protected. Sydney Tree Solutions provides AQF Level 5 project arborist services for numerous development sites across Sydney. We provide onsite supervision of critical excavation works, on call consultation via phone or email for any questions or issues that may arise during the construction phases and will document each milestone of the project or as requested by the DA conditions. Upon completion of the development Sydney Tree Solutions will provide a report that documents all construction works that occurred within the TPZs, details of tree protection measures and a final certification that everything was completed according to AS-4970-2009 (Protection of Trees on Development Sites) or the DA conditions if they differ. This certification is essential to obtaining the occupancy certificate for the new development.

Sydney Tree Solutions works for several schools, commercial sites and larger residential properties providing tree audits and annual risk assessments. This is often for insurance and liability requirements and also to pick up early signs of tree decay, stress or structural issues so that appropriate tree care, remedial pruning or removals can be scheduled. Sydney Tree Solutions AQF Level 5 arborists are certified risk assessors with training in ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), an industry standard for risk assessment in urban arboriculture. All tree audit reports and tree risk assessment reports are done according to the scope and budget of the client and the frequency they require for risk mitigation.

Many residential and commercial properties have specific concerns regarding certain trees that may be close to their buildings or high traffic areas (areas where people congregate). Sydney Tree Solutions can provide comprehensive reports and use a variety of diagnostics tools and technologies to determine the structural integrity of trees and provide a detailed risk assessment according to ISA TRAQ and several other industry standards as required. If after analysis of these results it is recommended that certain trees or remedial pruning need to be done as a safety concern then Sydney Tree Solutions can liaise with council to help get approvals if necessary. Please note we do not recommend that trees are removed because they are dropping leaves or the roots are lifting a driveway since councils are unlikely to approve removal of a tree for these reasons.