Trees provide numerous benefits to those living and working in the urban environment. These benefits increase as the age and size of the trees increase. However, as a tree gets older and larger, it is also more likely to shed branches or develop decay or other conditions that can predispose it to failure. In assessing and managing trees, Nature’s Canopy strives to strike a balance between the risk that a tree poses and the benefits that individuals and communities derive from the trees. 

 

With our ISA TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualified) and Certified Arborists, Nature’s Canopy can provide tree risk assessments at different levels and may employ various methods and tools based on these levels.  The three levels of tree risk assessments are: Level 1: Limited Visual, Level 2 Basic, and Level 3: Advanced.  Each level has clear and well defined goals in mind for our client’s outdoor living spaces.

 

Our Level 1 Limited Visual assessment evaluates designated areas of specified trees while conducting our initial walk through with our client. This assessment is intended to cover the client’s outdoor living space with emphasis on trees that were defined by the client as “issues”or the reason for the visit. Level 1 assessments are always a part of our initial walk-through and come at no charge to our clients.  These assessments can provide criteria that can also be used to identify areas or certain trees that may need to have Level 2 or Level 3 assessments conducted.

 

During a Level 2 Basic assessment, our arborists walk completely around the tree(s) that were noted and look for defects in all visible areas of a tree, including the surrounding area. These assessments include the use of a rubber mallet for "sounding" the tree and probes that can be used to evaluate open cavities. Sounding and the use of probes can determine whether some aspect of tree structure or health indicates that a more comprehensive tree structure evaluation (Level 3 Advanced assessment) is needed to more thoroughly evaluate tree condition and risk of failure. Many times this is the basis for a separate project where the tree(s) are presented in a risk assessment and mitigation report with noted defects and observations are developed for the client.

 

Level 3 Advanced assessments are even more detailed assessments of the roots, stem, or crown of a tree. These assessments may include climbing inspections, examination of the root system using a compressed-air tool, or one or more of the following: resistance drilling using a precision drilling instrument called a resistograph or sonic tomography that produces a visual representation of internal conditions based on how sound moved through the tree. The results are presented in a tree risk assessment report that includes all observations, pictures, testing results, and recommendation options.