Match the report to a question
A tree condition concern, a site inventory, a development proposal and a maintenance programme call for different information. Tell the consultant what has prompted the request. If someone has asked for an “arborist report”, obtain their written requirements and share them rather than choosing a report title without that context.
Four common starting points
- Concern about a tree: discuss a safety or health assessment and whether written advice is needed.
- Need a site record: discuss a survey or inventory with tree IDs, photographs, a map and a schedule.
- Proposed works near trees: discuss development advice and the information needed to assess the proposal.
- Need to plan ongoing care: discuss management recommendations, priorities and monitoring requirements.
These are starting points for scoping, not interchangeable report packages. The site, question and available evidence determine the agreed work.
Define the audience and format
Tell us whether the report is for you, a property manager, a project team or another organisation. Explain whether you need a signed document, a tree schedule, annotated photographs or a map alongside it. If a recipient has supplied a template or requested particular information, provide that before the visit. Confirm the deliverable rather than assuming every assessment includes every format.
Example: a property manager's brief
Illustrative brief: “We manage a site with eight trees and need a written record to help plan maintenance. Please confirm the inspection scope, whether a numbered schedule and site map are included, and how recommendations and follow-up timing will be presented. We can provide access and our earlier tree records.”
Clarify the boundaries
Agree which trees and areas are included, how access will be arranged and what the inspection can cover. Ask how limitations will be recorded and what happens if additional information or investigation is needed. Confirm whether follow-up queries, revised plans or a later visit are included or would require another agreement.
Prepare for a useful quote
Send the location, tree count, the question, the intended audience and any deadline with your enquiry. Include previous reports and current plans where relevant. For a project or approval process, explain the request you have received; an assessment cannot promise an approval outcome.
See Sorbus reports and management plans, tree safety and health assessments, or how to compare assessment quotes.
Prepared by Sorbus Arbor Consulting.