Ask the Arborist

No, a tree consultant (or arboricultural consultant) provides advice on the management of trees and carries out tree surveys. A tree surgeon (or arboricultural contractor) carries out tree felling and pruning.

Although tree surgeons sometimes offer advice on trees, practical tree management is their speciality. Confusingly, both can be described as arboriculturists or arborists.

There is no legal restriction on who can carry out a tree survey. But you are advised to check that the surveyor possesses suitable arboricultural qualifications and insurance, as this is often a requirement of decision makers such as planning departments when they are assessing tree surveys.

Our surveyors are qualified to a degree level or higher in arboriculture and hold the LANTRA professional tree inspection award, plus additional accreditations for tree risk assessment. We also hold professional indemnity insurance and employee and public liability insurance.

There is no standard recommendation for this. However for planning purposes, local authorities typically require reports to be less than two years old.

Where trees are regularly inspected, for health and safety purposes for example, inspection every 18 months is often recommended as it allows trees to be seen in and out of leaf alternately.

Yes - there are more details in Services. 

For more details, you may find the Woodland Trust’s definition of a veteran tree useful.

This depends how many trees need surveying and the purpose of the survey. We recommend contacting us with initial details, the site address, ideally a plan showing the site boundary, and what you are planning to do.

We quote on a project by project basis, as every project is unique. We do offer package prices, so please do enquire.

We have a huge range of services, including:

• tree surveys, assessments, reports and plans
• practical advice on tree planting, protection and mitigation
• tree health and safety advice
• tree preservation order advice
• veteran and ancient tree management

Take a look at our Services section.

Enviroscope is a VAT Registered company, and so we do charge VAT.

We undertake surveys throughout the UK, and have worked from Devon to the Scottish Highlands, and East Anglia to Northern Ireland. We have also undertaken international work in Africa and South America.

The majority of our work is in Yorkshire, Northern England and the East Midlands, but we quote for work anywhere. We are able to price for this work competitively, having roots in York but branches beyond!

We always like to understand your requirements before we quote for work, so we welcome a telephone call before we put a proposal together.

If you have any tree-related questions, then please drop us a line! Your question and our answer may well feature on the next update of “Ask the Arborist”!