Choosing a tree surgeon

Few people employ a tree surgeon (or ‘arborist') on a regular basis, but many will need to do so from time to time; so who should you trust to care for your trees?

If you need any tree-related work carried out, whether by an arborist hired to remove branches, or by an arboriculturist employed to assess the condition of your tree(s) - for a mortgage report for example, it is critical that the individual or company is competent, safe, insured and reliable.

The Arboricultural Association is a body charged with promoting the proper care of amenity trees (like the trees in your garden), and its Directory of Approved Contractors and Registered Consultants lists many specialists who meet its rigorous standards of expertise. The Directory (sponsored by STIHL), is available from the Association on request, and the listing is on its website: www.trees.org.uk. Alternatively, the ISA run a Certified Arborist scheme (www.isa-uki.org), or you could speak with your Local Authority Tree Officer - they should have a list of recognised tree surgeons in your area.