Professional tree inventories

Tree data organized for the decision, permit, plan, or recovery effort in front of you.

Tree inventories can support long-term property management, municipal planning, construction, permitting, design, and disaster preparedness. The scope and deliverables are built around the client’s objectives and the information the project team needs.

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Three common inventory applications

Planning and maintenance inventories

For municipalities, HOAs, apartment communities, commercial properties, campuses, country clubs, and other sites that need tree condition records, maintenance priorities, and long-term planning.

Construction and permitting inventories

For engineers, architects, developers, surveyors, landscape architects, and contractors who need existing trees documented for permitting, design coordination, plan overlays, or construction documents.

Focused or limited-scope inventories

For a project area, right-of-way, construction corridor, tree-protection zone, storm-damaged area, or selected group of trees where a complete property-wide inventory is not required.

Information that may be collected

The exact fields depend on the project scope, local requirements, and intended use of the inventory.

Unique tree identification number
Tree species
Diameter at breast height or the diameter required by the applicable project or ordinance
Tree location
Existing condition and visible structural observations
Maintenance recommendation or project disposition
Priority or timeframe
Risk-related concerns when included in the scope
Photographs and field notes
Conflicts with buildings, utilities, grading, drainage, access, paving, or other proposed improvements

Potential deliverables

Deliverables are developed around the project’s design, permitting, documentation, and management requirements.

Tree inventory spreadsheet or database
Numbered tree schedule
Species, diameter, condition, and recommendation fields
Tree-location data or mapping
Annotated survey or site-plan information
Tree inventory overlay for the design team
GIS, CAD-compatible, or other agreed digital data
Preservation, removal, or maintenance schedule
Photographs when included in the scope
Prioritized work plan
Permit-support documentation
Written report, executive summary, or arborist narrative when required

Municipal tree inventories & disaster preparedness

Build the Record Before the Storm

Before the storm: Know what you have. After the storm: Document what changed.

For Gulf Coast municipalities, a current GIS-based tree inventory can serve a purpose that extends well beyond routine urban forest management. It establishes a documented pre-disaster baseline of publicly managed trees before a hurricane, tropical storm, or other major event occurs.

A documented pre-disaster baseline

Depending on scope, individual tree records can document the information needed to compare pre- and post-storm conditions and maintain a defensible municipal asset record.

Unique tree identification number
GPS / GIS location
Species
Diameter and other appropriate measurements
Tree condition
Known defects or concerns
Photographs
Inspection date
Maintenance recommendations or history
Municipal ownership or responsibility
Relevant targets or public-use areas

Potential FEMA Public Assistance documentation value

Following a declared event, an existing inventory may help a municipality support documentation of incident-related tree damage, immediate threats, municipal responsibility, work locations, and the distinction between storm-caused work and pre-existing or routine maintenance conditions.

Pre-disaster existence and condition
Exact tree location
Municipal ownership or legal responsibility
Incident-related tree damage
Hazardous trees or limbs that create immediate threats
Post-storm inspections and recommended mitigation
Completed tree work and before-and-after photographs
Contractor or municipal work records
Disaster-related costs and work locations

Important FEMA distinction

The inventory itself does not establish FEMA eligibility and should not be represented as FEMA-certified, FEMA-approved, or required by FEMA. Post-disaster documentation is still necessary to identify the incident-related damage, immediate threat, affected target, recommended action, completed work, and associated costs. FEMA determines eligibility based on the declared incident, applicable program requirements, documentation, and the circumstances of the individual project.

A continuous municipal record

Inventory → Maintain → Storm Event → Assess → Document → Recover → Update Inventory

Baseline Tree Inventory

Establish a GIS-based record of the municipality’s publicly managed tree population before a disaster occurs.

Inventory Maintenance & Updating

Keep condition, completed work, removals, new plantings, photographs, and other relevant records current over time.

Post-Storm Assessment & Documentation

Use the existing inventory as a foundation for documenting incident-related damage, immediate threats, recommended actions, completed work, and post-event conditions.

This approach can support public works, parks and recreation, urban forestry, municipal risk management, emergency management, and public-facilities teams by combining asset management, work prioritization, contractor accountability, and disaster documentation in one evolving record.

Inventory process

From project objectives to usable deliverables

1
Define objectives
Identify the permitting, design, maintenance, budgeting, risk-management, or documentation goals.
2
Confirm scope and format
Determine the project limits, required data fields, tree-measurement standards, mapping needs, and final file formats.
3
Conduct field inventory
Assign identifiers and document the agreed tree, site, and location information.
4
Assess and organize findings
Record condition, visible defects, project conflicts, maintenance needs, or risk information included in the scope.
5
Prepare project deliverables
Provide the spreadsheet, schedule, mapping information, photographs, recommendations, and supporting narrative required by the agreement.
6
Coordinate with the project team
Clarify findings and support incorporation of the tree information into surveys, site plans, permit drawings, or management plans.

Need tree data for a permit, plan overlay, property-management program, or municipal preparedness effort?

Email Peter with the project location, approximate number of trees, intended use of the inventory, required data fields, available survey or plan files, and target schedule. The final scope can then be coordinated with the engineer, architect, surveyor, landscape architect, municipality, public works team, or property-management group.

Email Peter About the Project