# estimating monetary damage to trees



## masterarbor (May 4, 2008)

i have a client that is an insurance adjuster and he needs a report of damage done to trees. some need to be removed and an estimate needs to be done for this- that's the easy part. the hard part is estimating the dollar amount of damage done to the other trees. i have seen pictures of it thus far and it looks primarily like a grass fire with only little to moderate damage to trees. i need advice on how to put a dollar amount of "damage to a tree". is there a formula that one uses? these are primarily evergreens in a rural field environment near a fence line. i do have pictures, but they are in an adobe acrobat file with all the concerned parties information and i don't know how to separate the photos from the data. i will continue to try. this is new territory for me, but i'd like to take it on and put the notch in my belt.

thanks,
kevin


----------



## Dadatwins (May 4, 2008)

I strongly advise you edit the attachments to not show personal info over this public website. Unless you have permision to do so. Maybe a Mod can help this out.


----------



## masterarbor (May 4, 2008)

here are some pics


----------



## masterarbor (May 4, 2008)

some more


----------



## masterarbor (May 4, 2008)

thanks dada, good call


----------



## John Paul Sanborn (May 5, 2008)

CTLA - Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers

They have a very good handbook that covers this type of appraising.

The imperfect short description-
You start with the perfect tree for the species, 

discount the defects, 

value it for before the injury loss due to injury to arrive at damage value.


----------



## M.D. Vaden (May 5, 2008)

How long has it been?

Was it a hot grass fire? Bark thick or thin?

The tree attached, was near a small gulley fire that was grass and small incense cedars planted on the edge of the landscaping.

The discoloration to the thin aspen tree bark did not darken much until after a week or two, and the oozing happened after days or weeks too.


----------



## treeseer (May 7, 2008)

I appraised fire-damaged beeches and hickories; it took them a short while to die, every one. do you know how to assess root and bark damage?

Attached is a handout I used when talking to a lawyer's mtg. on appraisal.


----------

