What is an arborist report?

An arborist report is a formal written assessment of a tree’s health, structure and risk, prepared by a qualified arborist. Councils, insurers, solicitors and courts accept it as expert evidence.

It is not a quote and it is not an opinion given over the fence. A report follows a recognised assessment method, records what was observed on site, and reaches a conclusion the author is professionally accountable for. That is why councils ask for one before approving work on a protected tree, and why insurers ask for one after a tree has failed.

A report may recommend removal. It may equally conclude that a tree is sound and should stay, which is not what every homeowner hopes to hear. An arborist who only ever recommends removal is not writing reports, they are writing sales documents.

When do you need an arborist report in Redland City?

You need one when Redland City Council requires evidence before approving tree work — usually where the tree is protected by a Vegetation Protection Order, sits within an Environmental Significance overlay, or is covered by a development condition or covenant.

The situations we are asked about most often:

• Removing or significantly pruning a tree that is protected under the Redland City Plan.
• Supporting a development application, where Council needs to know which trees are being retained and how they will be protected during construction.
• Demonstrating that a tree is hazardous and needs to come down.
• A dispute with a neighbour about a tree on or near a boundary.
• An insurance claim after a tree has dropped a limb or come down in a storm.
• Buying a property with large trees close to the house, and wanting to know what you are taking on.

Not every tree is protected, and plenty of jobs need no report at all. We will tell you which situation you are in before you pay us anything.

What is included in an arborist report?

A report identifies the tree, assesses its condition and risk, and sets out a recommendation with the evidence behind it. Most reports run to between eight and twenty pages depending on the number of trees.

Ours include:

• Species identification, height, canopy spread and trunk diameter at breast height.
• An assessment of health and structural condition.
• Any defects observed — decay, included bark, cavities, fungal fruiting bodies, root damage, previous poor pruning.
• A risk assessment using a recognised methodology, covering likelihood of failure and what would be struck.
• Tree protection zone and structural root zone calculations, where the report supports a development application.
• A clear recommendation — retain, prune to AS 4373-2007, monitor, or remove — with reasoning.
• Site photographs and a plan showing tree locations.
• The assessing arborist’s name, qualification and signature.

What is a Level 5 Arborist, and why does it matter?

A Level 5 Arborist holds an AQF Level 5 Diploma in Arboriculture — the qualification councils require for hazardous tree assessments and development application reports. It is the difference between a report a planning authority accepts and one it sends back.

Arboriculture qualifications run from AQF Level 3, which covers climbing and pruning work, up to Level 8. Level 3 qualifies someone to work in a tree. Level 5 qualifies someone to assess a tree, quantify the risk it presents, and stand behind that judgement in writing.

The distinction matters because there is no qualification required to call yourself a tree lopper, and no shortage of operators who will offer an opinion on whether your tree is dangerous. A report from someone without Level 5 can be rejected — which means paying twice and losing weeks off your approval.

Our reports are written by a Level 5 Arborist. Before you engage anyone else, it is worth asking three questions: what is your AQF level, are you listed with a professional body, and have you written reports this council has accepted before?

Which Australian Standards do our reports follow?

Our reports are produced in accordance with AS 4970-2009, Protection of Trees on Development Sites, which is what planning authorities assess development applications against. Pruning recommendations follow AS 4373-2007, Pruning of Amenity Trees.

The two standards do different jobs. AS 4970 governs how trees are protected when building work happens nearby — tree protection zones, structural root zones, and what can and cannot occur inside them. AS 4373 governs how a tree should actually be cut. A report that cites neither is not a report a council will rely on.

What types of tree assessment reports are there?

Different situations call for different reports. Asking for the wrong one is the most common reason a report gets knocked back.

We produce four. Asking for the wrong one is the most common reason a report gets knocked back.

Arboricultural Statements

The one most homeowners need. A statement on a tree’s health or environmental impact, prepared for residential customers applying to Redland City Council for permission to remove or reduce a tree covered by Local Laws. Short, focused, and written to what Council actually assesses.

Tree Hazard and Risk Assessment Reports

Produced where risk is the primary concern — trees in public or private open space, and anywhere a failure would put people or property in the way. We write these regularly for schools, residential and commercial complexes, and homeowners with a tree they are worried about.

Construction Impact Assessment Reports

For residential and commercial development. Trees potentially affected by the works are assessed and assigned retention categories, then design modifications, tree protection zones and construction requirements are specified so that valuable trees can be retained on the site. This is the report a planning authority expects with a development application.

Tree Management Plans

A record of an entire treescape, with a schedule for reviewing and maintaining it over a five year period. Used by schools, body corporates and large complexes that need to demonstrate they are managing their trees rather than reacting to them.

If you are not sure which you need, describe the situation and we will tell you. Asking for the right report the first time is usually the difference between a two-week approval and a two-month one.

How much does an arborist report cost?

The cost depends on:

• The number of trees being assessed.
• Whether the report is for a simple removal application or a development application with protection zones and construction staging.
• Site access and whether a climbing inspection or decay testing is needed.
• How quickly you need it. 

How to get an arborist report

• Tell us about the tree and what you are trying to do — remove it, prune it, build near it, or settle a dispute.

• We confirm whether a report is actually required, and which type. Sometimes the answer is that you do not need one.

• We quote a fixed price and a delivery date before any work starts.

• We inspect the tree on site.

• You receive the written report, ready to lodge with Council or hand to your insurer or solicitor.

Ring 07 3829 2331 or request a quote online. We service Redland Bay, Cleveland, Capalaba, Alexandra Hills, Victoria Point, Thornlands, Wellington Point, Birkdale, Sheldon and the surrounding Redlands and bayside Brisbane suburbs.

FAQs

Do I need council approval to remove a tree on my own property in Redland City?

Only if the tree is protected. Approval is required where a tree is covered by a Vegetation Protection Order, sits within an Environmental Significance overlay, or is subject to a covenant or development condition. Removing a protected tree without approval is an offence.

How long is an arborist report valid for?

There is no fixed expiry, but trees change. Councils generally expect a report to be recent – within twelve months is a reasonable guide, and sooner if the tree has been damaged since the inspection.

Will an arborist report guarantee my removal is approved?

No. A report presents the evidence; Council makes the decision. An honest report that concludes a tree is sound will not get a removal approved, and no reputable arborist will write one that says otherwise.

Can you remove the tree as well as write the report?

Yes. We are a working tree care business as well as a consultancy, so once approval comes through the same team can carry out the work. 

What is the difference between an arborist and a tree lopper?

An arborist holds a formal qualification in arboriculture and works to Australian Standard AS 4373-2007. There is no qualification required to call yourself a tree lopper. Only a qualified arborist can write a report a council will accept.

Talk to us about your tree. Ring 07 3829 2331 or request a free quote – we will tell you whether you need a report before you spend anything.