reports and assesments

[jimmyq]

So I had an email today via the ISA website arborist list...
"We are looking for a certified arborist to provide us with Arborist Report/Tree Retention Plan/Value Assessment to be submitted to municipal governments..."

Where do I learn how to do these things? does the ISA report writing book give good guidelines or templates? I am interested in learning what to the paperwork things are all about so I can take on work like this. Any suggestions out there?

 

[duff]

Go to ASCA Academy. American Society of Consulting Arborists
I highly recommend it, particularly for getting one's mind around the ethics of this end of the profession.
Texts to consider for that:
Guide to Report Writing for Consulting Arborists, by Dorothy Abeyta and the Example Report Book.

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Value assesment is so subjective that 5 reports could give only 2 that come close to each other. Sometimes one can diligently follow the guidelines and have a valuation of which the entire property is but a multiple of that valuation.

Get the "Guide" 9 the ed., read it like a text book, highlight, annotate. Reread and take notes, reread and discuss with peers and your SO...

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Agree ASCA Academy best investment going to learn report writing. I went in 96, still refer to the report-writing book.

Many cities are requiring CA's to write pre-construction reports now. If they don't have some training and turn out a quality report, that'll set back the movement to get good tree care around construction.

They require value assessment too? Yeah then the Appraisal Guide is mandatory. Search tree-tech.com's Knothole forum under appraisal archives if you want to explore the fine print. Warning--this stuff gets really technical!

Subjective, yes, but often we get really close. One oak I had at $23,000, called in a 2nd opinion and he put it at $22,250.
Other times yes the disparity is ludicrous, too easy for an appraiser to bias Ratings to please the customer which is a big NONO

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

It's not just intentional bias, but the unintentional where it is such an awesome specimine.