There are several official systems for assessing the condition of trees, but the Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) is fast becoming the system of choice for owners of land with high concentrations of people, or adjacent to roads – such as a campus, public park, campsite or woodland with footpaths. These clients have a duty under English law to take reasonable measures to minimise the risk their trees might pose to people and property.
QTRA is ideal for this scenario because it applies proven risk management principles to tree safety. Instead of focusing solely on a surveyor's descriptive assessment of a tree's condition, it takes into account its condition plus its value and risk to the site and the users of that site, then numerically quantifies the level of risk on an industry-accepted scale. As well as informing tree management plans, QTRA assessments can help with siting buildings, car parks, outdoor seating and play areas - and policies such as whether access should be limited during periods of higher risk such as if it is windy.
With nearly twenty years of combined experience of QTRA inspections, and now this Advanced certification, JPA’s consultants provide a sensible approach to tree assessments that both owners and site users can trust. They prevent over-zealous reactions to potential risk so that trees are not felled or pruned unnecessarily, while nevertheless ensuring public safety.