PLANT HEALTH CARE
One of the most complex aspects of the green industry is plant health care; that is, the management of valued trees in the landscape. To provide good plant heath care, the manager must control unwanted pests and damage caused by careless people and equipment. The manager also must control water availability, nutrient availability and soil conditions to provide the proper environment for tree growth.
The plant health care program starts with the inventory of the trees.
A tree survey only identifies certain trees in a group. The most common tree survey in urban areas is the hazard tree survey. For the hazard tree survey the arborist performs a general visual review of all trees on the site, but inventories only the hazardous and potentially hazardous trees.
The tree survey data is presented in a written or database list. The arborist offers to present the hazard tree inventory in a tree management plan and provide contract administration to mitigate the hazard.
The arborist identifies and reviews every tree on a property for a tree inventory. The inventory documents tree species, location and condition. Most inventories are presented in conjunction with a site inventory; that is, an inventory of the site hardscape, utilities (above and below the surface) and soil under the limbs of the tree. The information is then combined with recommendations in the tree management plan.
The tree management plan also identifies hazardous and potentially hazardous trees and recommends remedial action to mitigate the hazards.
The tree inventory reviews all trees on a site; the tree survey only reviews particular trees on a site.
TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The recommendations for mitigating the hazardous trees or managing the health of desirable trees are presented in a report. The report on multiple trees is usually provided in a tree management plan. The report of an individual tree is usually provided in a tree report with photographs.
The arborist also offers to develop specifications, bid the project and supervise the green-contractor performing the physical work under a contract administration service.
PLANT HEALTH CARE
Plant health care is the environmental evaluation of the pest, people and mechanical conflicts that occur in the life of the tree. The arborist documents the concern and provides an organic and/or synthetic solution to the conflict.
The plant health care review occurs during the active-growth period of the year. Ten monthly reviews are provided during the growing season. The concerns and the recommended solutions are documented in a monthly Plant Health Care report.
The arborist also monitors the progress of the contractor implementing the solution and documents the progress in the monthly Plant Health Care report.