Arborist reports
North Sydney Council may require an arborist report to be submitted to support an application for tree work, or to detail how the tree will be managed or protected on a development site.
The reports must be prepared by a qualified arborist who holds the Diploma of Horticulture (Arboriculture) Australian Qualification Framework (AQF 5) or has equivalent demonstrated experience in high-level tree assessment and diagnosis.
They must also be a 'Consultant Member' of Arboriculture Australia or the Institute of Australian Consulting Arboriculturists.
Note: There’s a difference in the qualification and skill level between an arborist that prunes or removes a tree (tree worker) compared to an arborist that diagnoses tree health and structure (consultant arborist). A consultant arborist is a specialist in the diagnosis and reporting of trees.
The following details are required in an arborists report:
- name, address and telephone number of company providing the report
- qualifications and experience of the arborist who conducted the tree inspection and prepared the report
- address of the site containing the trees and name of the client for which the report was prepared
- a plan of the site showing:
- all trees on the site and any trees on adjoining land that are within five metres of the boundary
- the location of any above or below ground services or structures on the site or within five metres of the boundaries (existing and proposed).
- a table showing for each tree surveyed:
- scientific name and common name
- age class
- tree dimensions – estimated height, trunk diameter at 1.4 metres (DBH), canopy spread to the four cardinal points
- summary of tree health and structural condition including estimate of useful life expectancy and tree hazard assessment details.
- methods or techniques used in the inspection
- a summary of relevant site information such as soils, drainage, pests and diseases, proximity to bushland, habitat values, landscape and amenity values
- supporting evidence such as annotated photographs and laboratory results if relevant
- a discussion of all options available, including why they are recommended or not recommended (for example, can a built structure be relocated, repaired and tree(s) retained?)
- a description of the recommended protection measures to be put in place to ensure the protection of trees to be retained
- the sources of technical information referred to in the report
- the scientific and common names of all tree species proposed for planting, including recommendations on the size and quality characteristics of trees to be planted.