Premier Construction

Arboricultural Association

Arboricultural Association
Written by Roma Publications

The Arboricultural Association

Arboricultural Association

Since 1964, the Arboricultural Association has been the national body in the UK and Ireland for the amenity tree care professional in either civic or commercial employment – at craft, technical, supervisory, managerial or consultancy level.

There are currently 2,000 members of the Arboricultural Association in a variety of membership classes. The objectives of the Arboricultural Association are to: advance the study of arboriculture; raise the standards of its practice; foster interest in trees through publications, exhibitions and the stimulation of research or experiment; assist in the training of students in disciplines where arboriculture is a major subject and to co-operate with other bodies having similar aims.

People able to care for trees are generally either consultants (tree advisors or arboriculturists) or contractors (tree surgeons or arborists).

Consultants provide specialist opinions on tree health, safety, preservation, trees and buildings, planning and other law. Subjects on which arboricultural consultants will commonly advise include:

 

* Assessing trees for hazard and where appropriate specifying remedial work

* Investigating cases where trees are alleged to be involved in structural damage to buildings

* Providing advice in relation to tree preservation law and where necessary, expert evidence to the planning inspectorate

* Providing advice in relation to trees and development and when necessary, expert evidence to the planning inspectorate

* Formulating tree and woodland management plans

* Investigating accidents caused by tree failure

Services typically required of an arboricultural contractor are:

* Tree maintenance (pruning, bracing or fertilising operations) to a relevant British Standard

* Tree felling including dismantling of dangerous trees or trees in confined spaces.

* Pest and disease identification and control.

* Advice on the above.

A spokesperson for the Arboricultural Association, said:

“The AA’s vision is that by 2018, we will convert current concern about the welfare of our nation’s amenity trees in to a passion to ensure trees are demanded amongst our built environment to such an extent that urban greening becomes a priority in urban planning.

“We will grow our resource and service offering to ensure that highly skilled professionals are within easy reach of those within all parts of the UK and that professional service is valued in the maintenance of our natural capital, the trees.

“We firmly believe that amenity trees are of such importance that our organization should be dedicated to ensuring they are planted, pruned, managed and replaced to the highest standards possible.”

For further details, see the Arboricultural Association’s web site: www.trees.org.uk.

 

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Roma Publications