18/07/2018
What is an Arborist?
Arborists are sometimes called "tree doctors" because they know how to treat diseased trees without harming them. Arborists are much more than just tree doctors, though. They can also:
Prune trees
Do "tree surgery," which might include bracing a tree limb, injecting trees to boost nutrients, installing possum guards and other "surgical" procedures
Deadwood (remove dead branches)
Thin trees to allow more light through
Raise a tree's canopy
Do root management without killing the tree
Transplant trees
Remove trees
Remove stumps
That's the short list of what arborists can do. They also do administrative work such as:
Filing tree reports
Doing data collection
Working out tree protection strategies
Doing hazard assessments
Monitoring tree performance and protection during construction
Providing safe, useful life expectancy (SULE) reports
In short, a qualified arborist knows everything about trees. Some are hands-on arborists and others supervise workers. The important thing to remember is that we are amateurs and they are experts. You wouldn't treat your child's broken arm yourself. Nor should you attempt to treat your trees yourself. It's just too risky.
