With society becoming ever more litigious, there is an increasing need to be aware of hazards contained within trees, and levels of risk that these hazards pose to members of the public.

People who own or manage trees have a duty of care to ensure so far as is reasonable that the trees do not cause injury to other people. This duty of care is set out in the Occupiers Liability Acts, 1957, and 1984. By having a tree condition survey carried out by us, and by implementing any recommendations contained within the report, you will be able to demonstrate that you have acted reasonably in order to satisfy your duties under the Occupiers Liability Acts. By taking a pro active, forward planning approach, tree stocks can be better managed. If required, the survey can be tied in to a longer term tree strategy or management plan, which will provide guidance on future tree management. See Management Plan page.

	This beech tree is approximately 30 metres in height, and 9 metres from the house in view. Patrick Stileman carried out an inspection of it, and found a deep cavity at its base, with extensive basal decay caused by Ustulina deusta, a fungus which can cause dangerous decay. This tree represented a serious threat to the house, and people living within it. The inspection identified the risk, and swift action was implemented with the removal of the tree.	A tree condition survey will involve an assessment of the risk presented by the trees. This assessment is made in a consistent manner, using a system under licence called Tree Hazard Rating, Evaluation and Treatment System (THREATS). This system provides a mechanism for mathematically quantifying arboricultural judgement, and is based on an assessment of the likelihood of failure, the ‘target'(what is beneath the tree), and the likely severity of the potential injury. It is recommended that people / organisations who own, or manage trees, particularly where members of the public come close to them, have an assessment made of the condition of the trees on a regular basis. We have carried out tree safety surveys for organisations such as schools, hotels, public houses, estates, Local Authorities, property management companies, and for many private households. A tree survey may highlight the need for a detailed tree inspection, where more information is required in order to make adecision on the future management of the tree. See Detailed Tree Inspection page.
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