Many tree companies will offer an inspection service, however, often their recommendation is simply to remove the tree. Woodland TreeWorks has an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Arborist on staff. This means that our experienced licensed and certified arborist team has the training to properly inspect your trees to determine any health or safety concerns.

Our Tree Risk Assessment services are designed to identify potential hazards before they become a serious problem, helping you prevent property damage, injury, or costly tree removal. Whether you have a single tree in your yard or a whole grove on your property, a professional tree risk assessment provides valuable insights into the structural integrity and overall health of your trees.

What is a Tree Risk Assessment?

A Tree Risk Assessment (TRA) is a thorough evaluation conducted by a certified arborist to assess the health, stability, and safety of trees on your property. During the assessment, we carefully inspect the tree’s structure, condition, and surrounding environment to identify potential risks that could threaten your home, business, or loved ones.

Key areas evaluated in a Tree Risk Assessment include:

• Tree Stability: We check for signs of weak or decaying trunks, leaning trees, cracked branches, and structural instability.
• Health of the Tree: Our arborists assess any evidence of disease, pest infestations, and other factors that could weaken the tree.
• Environmental Stress: We take into account the surrounding environment, including soil quality, weather conditions, and root systems, to determine the potential for failure.
• Proximity to Property: Trees near structures, walkways, or power lines are carefully inspected to evaluate the risk they pose to your property and safety.

Why you May Want a Tree Risk Assessment

• Interested in knowing the health condition of your tree.
• Concerned about a neighbors' tree bordering your property.
• Determine if something can be done to preserve a tree of yours instead of remove it.
• Inspect populations of trees on large properties such as condominiums.
• Determine the extent of storm damage.

Why You Need a Tree Risk Assessment

• Prevent Hazards: Trees can sometimes pose significant risks, especially if they’re diseased, damaged, or located near structures. A Tree Risk Assessment helps you spot hazards before they escalate into major problems.
• Protect Property & People: Falling branches, weakened trunks, or entire trees can cause serious injury or damage. Assessments help mitigate the chances of accidents or damage to your home, vehicles, or business.
• Early Detection: With regular risk assessments, you can catch issues early on, allowing you to take preventive action (e.g., pruning, cabling, removal, or other methods) before costly repairs or tree failures happen.
• Increase Property Value: A healthy, safe tree enhances your property’s curb appeal and value. Proper tree maintenance and risk management ensure that your landscape remains an asset.

Our Tree Risk Assessment Process

1. Initial Consultation: We begin by discussing your concerns, understanding the specific trees on your property, and identifying areas that might require attention.
2. Comprehensive Tree Inspection: Our certified arborists conduct a detailed inspection of each tree equivalent to the Level of Assessment chosen. We examine factors such as size, structure, signs of disease, and overall health. We also evaluate environmental conditions and surrounding risks.
3. Risk Assessment Report: After the assessment, you’ll receive a clear, detailed report highlighting potential risks, tree conditions, and our expert recommendations for care or mitigation.
4. Recommended Actions: Based on our findings, we will provide you with tailored recommendations, such as pruning, cabling, treatment options, or, in rare cases if deemed absolutely necessary, tree removal. Know that our main goal to ensure the ongoing health and safety of your trees.

Notice the images here. Some may see these and think the tree MUST come down. A qualified Tree Risk Assessor may be able to determine a way to mitigate the risk so that you are able to continue to enjoy your trees.

There are 3 different levels of assessment that we offer. Each varies in thoroughness as well as price. Here is a basic breakdown of the different levels.

Tree Risk Assessment Level 1: LIMITED VISUAL ASSESSMENT

This is the quickest but least thorough assessment service. The arborist will assess visually from a predefined perspective the individual tree or population of trees. The arborist might not walk around the entire tree for this level of inspection depending on the circumstances.

Purpose: To identify obvious defects or adverse conditions. The focus is on identifying trees with an imminent or probable likelihood of failure.

Services Included:

• Visual Inspection of at least one side of the tree from a 'walk by' or 'drive by'.
• Identification of possible targets if tree failure occurred.

Ideal Circumstances:

• Assess neighbor's tree possibly threatening your property.
• Assess large populations of trees.
• Assess for possible damage immediately following a storm.

This is the quickest, but least thorough means of assessment.

Tree Risk Assessment Level 2: BASIC ASSESSMENT

This is a more detailed visual inspection of a tree and the surrounding site. The arborist will walk all around the tree, visually inspecting visible roots, trunk, and branches as well as the overall site where the tree is located. Simple tools might be used.

Purpose: To gain basic knowledge of the general health condition of the tree in question. Any simple means of inspecting deeper into possible issues may be employed. This level of assessment is beneficial to have performed every few years to follow a trees possible change in condition.

Services Included:

• All-around visual inspection of the tree(s) as well as site conditions that may affect the tree(s).
• Soil Density Testing.
• Identification of possible targets if tree failure occurred.
• Mitigation plans to avoid impact with possible targets.
• Use of basic tools such as binoculars, Magnifying glass, mallet, probe, trowel, etc.

Ideal Circumstances:

• Desire a basic assessment of individual trees on your property.
• Decide if you can keep the tree instead of removal.
• To follow a tree's possible change in condition (when performed every few years).

The main limitation of this level of assessment is that it includes only conditions that can be detected or seen visually from standing on the ground.

Tree Risk Assessment Level 3: ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

This assessment option yields a much more in depth understanding of the tree and specific issues with it. Specialized equipment and services at this level will be used on an as-needed basis to look further into a specific area of concern with the tree or site. This level of assessment would usually follow a basic assessment where more information is desired than the basic assessment can achieve.

Purpose: To have the best knowledge of the state of a tree and its health condition as well as site details. With this level, the arborist can explore more in-depth into certain possible issues with the tree or site.

Possible Services Include:

• Root Inspection and evaluation with a specialized air tool.
• Aerial Inspection into any cavities or questionable areas in the canopy by means of climbing or UAV (drone).
• Tree measurements will be recorded.
• Crown foliage density rating.
• Decay Testing.
• Risk evaluation Chart.
• Load Testing.
• Identification of possible targets if tree failure occurred.
• Use of a variety of specialized tools for specific purposes as needed to gain more knowledge of an issue.
• Recommendations of mitigation by the arborist.

Ideal Circumstances:

• Following a basic assessment to find out more information about a specific concern.
• When issues are present high in the canopy and a simple visual inspection is unsuitable.

This level of assessment will give the homeowner the best idea of the risk level for their tree.

Having a tree Assessed is much less expensive than having a tree removed.

CONTACT US TODAY

to request a quote for Tree Risk Assessment. We offer these services throughout ALL of Connecticut. Knowing the state of your trees will allow you to make the best decisions for them going forward.