Advanced Tree Diagnostic Services in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Our Advanced Diagnostic Services

Arbotom® Sonic Tomography

Arbotom® Sonic Tomography evaluates stress-wave travel through a selected cross-section of a trunk or major branch.

Sensors are positioned around the circumference of the tree at the testing level. Mechanical impulses are introduced at each sensor, and the system records how the stress waves travel between sensor locations.

The software uses those measurements to generate a color-coded tomogram representing relative stress-wave velocity patterns across the selected cross-section.

Tomography may help identify patterns consistent with:

• Cavities
• Cracks
• Internal discontinuities
• Decay
• Altered wood
• Changes associated with old wounds
• Areas that may warrant targeted confirmation

A tomogram is not:

• An X-ray
• A direct photograph
• A complete image of the tree
• A guarantee of structural performance
• A stand-alone tree-removal decision
• A formal tree risk rating

Each tomogram applies only to the tested cross-section and requires professional interpretation.

Resistograph® Resistance Drilling

A Resistograph® records drilling resistance as a thin needle travels through a selected path in the wood.

The instrument produces a graph showing relative resistance along the drilling pathway.

Resistance drilling may help evaluate:

• Relative wood density
• Possible cavities
• Possible cracks
• Decayed or altered wood
• Approximate transitions between higher- and lower-resistance areas
• Remaining wood along the selected drilling path

Each test evaluates a narrow pathway rather than the entire tree.

Resistance drilling is minimally invasive, not non-invasive. It creates a small-diameter wound and should therefore be limited to locations where the expected information justifies the testing.

ArboRadix® Root Detection

ArboRadix® is a specialized root-detection application used in conjunction with the Arbotom® sensor system.

It is not a stand-alone ground-penetrating-radar unit.

ArboRadix® uses the Arbotom® sensors and associated software to investigate probable locations of significant roots within selected areas around a tree.

Potential applications include:

• Construction planning
• Utility routing
• Sidewalk and driveway design
• Retaining-wall planning
• Hardscape installation
• Tree Protection Zone development
• Root-conflict evaluation
• Planning exploratory AirSpade trenches
• Construction tree preservation
• Root-related forensic investigations

ArboRadix® may help identify likely root locations, but it does not:

• Map every root
• Determine the health of every detected root
• Measure root strength
• Establish property ownership
• Replace a legal survey
• Guarantee root avoidance during excavation
• Determine whole-tree stability by itself

Physical verification may still be appropriate before excavation near important roots.

AirSpade Root Investigation

AirSpade excavation uses compressed air to loosen and remove suitable soil from selected areas while reducing the likelihood of severing woody roots compared with conventional excavation.

It may be used to investigate:

• Root location
• Root depth
• Root wounds
• Construction damage
• Root severance
• Stem-girdling roots
• Soil layering
• Excess fill
• Root-flare development
• Soil compaction
• Utility conflicts
• Root relationships near hardscape or structures

Air excavation is minimally disruptive rather than completely non-invasive.

Fine roots may be exposed or disturbed, and the work should account for:

• Soil moisture
• Air pressure
• Nozzle distance
• Root exposure
• Underground utilities
• Site restoration
• Post-excavation care

The excavation reveals selected areas rather than the entire root system.

Root Collar Excavation (RCX)

Root Collar Excavation is the careful removal of excess soil, mulch, or accumulated material around the base of the tree.

RCX may help evaluate:

• Buried root flares
• Stem-girdling roots
• Root-collar wounds
• Decay indicators
• Improper planting depth
• Excess mulch
• Construction fill
• Abnormal root development
• Buttress-root condition

RCX may be performed with compressed-air excavation when site and soil conditions are suitable.

The information may support:

• Tree health evaluation
• Tree risk assessment
• Root management
• Construction planning
• Long-term preservation
• Tree forensic investigation

Aerial Inspection

Some structural concerns cannot be adequately evaluated from the ground.

Aerial inspection may be recommended when important conditions involve:

• Major branch unions
• Cavities aloft
• Cracks
• Lightning damage
• Previous branch failures
• Suspended branches
• Supplemental support systems
• Decay in first-order branches
• Upper-crown storm damage
• Areas hidden from ground view

Aerial inspection may involve:

• Rope-based climbing
• Aerial-lift access
• Close-range photography
• Sounding
• Probing
• Measurement
• Drone imagery where appropriate

Drone imagery may provide useful overview information but does not replace close physical inspection when direct access is necessary.

Laboratory and Soil Testing

Laboratory testing may be recommended when visual symptoms alone cannot confirm the diagnosis.

Potential services include:

• Fungal identification
• Plant-pathogen analysis
• Insect identification
• Soil analysis
• Foliar nutrient analysis
• Herbicide screening
• Wood identification
• Other assignment-specific testing

Laboratory results should be interpreted in relation to:

• Tree symptoms
• Species
• Site history
• Root condition
• Soil moisture
• Construction
• Previous treatments
• Other field evidence

A laboratory result is one source of information rather than a complete tree-management recommendation by itself.

How the Diagnostic Process Works

1. Define the Management Question

Before testing begins, the client and arborist identify what decision the information is intended to support.

Examples include:

• Can this tree reasonably be retained?
• Is internal decay present at the suspected location?
• Does the tree need additional risk mitigation?
• Where are significant roots located near proposed excavation?
• Has construction likely affected the root zone?
• Is a removal recommendation supported by measured evidence?
• What should be monitored over time?
• Which areas require confirmatory testing?

A clearly defined question helps prevent unnecessary testing.

2. Select the Appropriate Method

Different methods answer different questions.

For example:

• Sonic tomography evaluates stress-wave patterns across a cross-section
• Resistance drilling evaluates wood resistance along a narrow pathway
• ArboRadix® investigates probable root locations
• AirSpade excavation physically exposes selected roots and soil
• RCX evaluates the root collar and planting depth
• Aerial inspection evaluates upper-tree defects directly
• Laboratory testing may identify organisms or measured soil and tissue conditions

More than one method may be needed for a complex assignment.

3. Perform the Field Investigation

Testing procedures are documented according to the assignment and may include:

• Testing locations
• Sensor placement
• Drilling direction
• Root-investigation lines
• Excavation areas
• Photographs
• Tree measurements
• Site conditions
• Visible defects
• Weather and soil conditions
• Instrument settings
• Other relevant observations

4. Interpret the Data

Diagnostic equipment produces measurements.

The arborist interprets those measurements in relation to:

• Tree species
• Tree geometry
• Wood anatomy
• Wound history
• Crown architecture
• Root and soil conditions
• Load direction
• Visible defects
• Site exposure
• Targets
• Other available evidence

5. Develop Recommendations

Depending on the assignment, recommendations may include:

• No immediate action
• Monitoring
• Repeat testing
• Prescription pruning
• Crown reduction
• Supplemental support evaluation
• Target management
• Access restriction
• Root-zone management
• Construction redesign
• Additional diagnostics
• Formal tree risk assessment
• Removal

The diagnostic result informs the recommendation but does not replace professional judgment.

Combining Diagnostic Methods

Complex tree questions are often better addressed through multiple lines of evidence.

Sonic Tomography and Resistograph® Testing

Tomography may identify broader patterns of altered stress-wave transmission across a selected cross-section.

Targeted resistance drilling may then evaluate wood resistance at selected points within or near those areas.

The methods are complementary:

• Tomography provides a broader cross-sectional model
• Resistograph® testing provides detailed information along selected paths

ArboRadix® and AirSpade Investigation

ArboRadix® may help identify probable root locations within selected areas.

AirSpade excavation may then physically verify:

• Root presence
• Root diameter
• Root depth
• Visible root condition
• Construction damage
• Soil conditions

This combination may reduce unnecessary excavation while supporting more precise construction planning.

RCX and Advanced Structural Evaluation

Root Collar Excavation may reveal:

• Stem-girdling roots
• Basal cavities
• Buried flares
• Decay indicators
• Root wounds

These findings may then support:

• Sonic tomography at the lower trunk
• Resistance drilling
• Root investigation
• Formal tree risk assessment
• Preservation planning

No single tool provides complete information about the entire tree.

Advanced Tree Diagnostics and Tree Risk Assessment

Advanced diagnostics may be used during a Level 3 tree risk assessment when a basic assessment identifies an uncertainty that could materially affect the risk or management recommendation.

Advanced diagnostics may help answer questions about:

• Internal wood condition
• Decay distribution
• Crack location
• Root location
• Root injury
• Basal defects
• Major branch attachments
• Construction impacts
• Changes over time

A formal tree risk assessment additionally evaluates:

• Specific failure scenarios
• Likelihood of failure
• Likelihood of impact
• Consequences
• Overall risk rating
• Mitigation options
• Residual risk
• Reassessment needs

Diagnostic equipment does not independently assign a tree risk rating.

Advanced Diagnostics for Tree Preservation

Advanced testing may help avoid decisions based solely on appearance.

A mature tree may contain:

• Historic wounds
• Localized decay
• Cavities
• Response growth
• Compartmentalized defects
• Structural adaptations
• Root conflicts
• Construction impacts

The presence of a defect does not automatically mean removal is required.

Likewise, healthy foliage does not confirm that the tree has no important structural or root concerns.

Measured information may support:

• Preservation
• Monitoring
• Prescription pruning
• Crown reduction
• Supplemental support
• Target management
• Construction redesign
• Root-zone protection
• Removal when supported by the broader evidence

Advanced diagnostics improve the available information but cannot guarantee future tree performance.

Advanced Diagnostics for Construction Projects

Construction-related tree preservation may require information about both above-ground and below-ground conditions.

Diagnostic services may support:

• Pre-construction tree evaluation
• Tree Protection Zone development
• Root detection
• Utility routing
• Hardscape design
• Foundation planning
• Retaining-wall placement
• Root-conflict evaluation
• Documentation of pre-existing conditions
• Post-construction decline investigation
• Root-loss analysis
• Construction monitoring

Potential methods include:

• ArboRadix® Root Detection
• AirSpade root investigation
• RCX
• Sonic tomography
• Resistance drilling
• Tree health evaluation
• Formal tree risk assessment
• Tree inventory and mapping

Early investigation generally provides more design and preservation options than testing after root damage has already occurred.

Advanced Tree Diagnostics for Tree Forensic Investigations

Specialized testing may support forensic assignments involving:

• Tree failure
• Branch failure
• Root-plate failure
• Construction damage
• Vehicle impact
• Lightning injury
• Fire exposure
• Root severance
• Historic wounds
• Disputed removal recommendations
• Insurance matters
• Legal disputes
• Municipal claims

Testing may document conditions in tree parts that remain available for examination.

It cannot reliably reconstruct material that has already been:

• Removed
• Chipped
• Burned
• Ground
• Discarded
• Substantially altered

Forensic interpretation may also require:

• Failure-surface examination
• Photography
• Measurements
• Weather history
• Maintenance records
• Construction documents
• Laboratory analysis
• Witness information
• Other available evidence

Advanced diagnostics are one part of the broader forensic investigation.

Monitoring Changes Over Time

Repeat testing may be useful when:

• A tree is being retained with known internal decay
• A high-value or historically significant tree is under long-term management
• Previous testing established a baseline
• A fungal decay organism is present
• A significant wound is being monitored
• Construction has occurred nearby
• Mitigation has been performed
• Root conflicts remain under observation

For meaningful comparison, follow-up testing should attempt to reproduce relevant procedures such as:

• Testing height
• Sensor configuration
• Drilling direction
• Root-investigation location
• Equipment settings
• Documentation methods

Natural growth, moisture, temperature, wound response, and measurement variation may affect comparisons.

Testing should not be represented as measuring an exact annual rate of decay or root decline unless the evidence genuinely supports that conclusion.

Advanced Diagnostics for Municipalities and Public Agencies

Davis Family Arbor Services provides advanced diagnostic consulting for:

• Municipalities
• Public agencies
• Parks
• Campuses
• Schools
• Historic properties
• Public facilities
• Streetscapes
• Roadways
• Commercial properties
• HOAs
• Development projects
• Institutional landscapes

Potential applications include:

• Evaluating mature public trees
• Supporting preservation decisions
• Investigating cavities or fungal activity
• Establishing monitoring baselines
• Evaluating trees near public-use areas
• Supporting formal tree risk assessments
• Documenting conditions before or after construction
• Investigating root conflicts
• Supporting board or public review
• Prioritizing management budgets

Project scope and deliverables are tailored to:

• Tree count
• Site use
• Management objectives
• Reporting needs
• Procurement requirements
• Construction schedules
• Public access
• Available budgets

What the Written Report May Include

Depending on the agreed scope, the report may include:

• Client and property information
• Assignment purpose
• Inspection date
• Tree identification
• Species
• Tree measurements
• Tree location
• Site and target information
• Visible defects and symptoms
• Tree and site history
• Testing methods
• Testing locations
• Sensor configurations
• Drilling paths
• Root-detection lines
• Excavation areas
• Photographs
• Tomograms
• Resistance profiles
• Root-detection findings
• Laboratory results
• Interpretation
• Management recommendations
• Reassessment recommendations
• Assumptions
• Limitations
• Arborist credentials and signature

Not every assignment requires every listed item.

The written proposal identifies:

• Included trees
• Diagnostic methods
• Testing locations
• Deliverables
• Fees
• Payment terms
• Anticipated schedule
• Optional services
• Assignment limitations

Limitations of Advanced Diagnostics

All diagnostic methods have limitations.

Sonic Tomography

Each tomogram represents one selected cross-section and may be influenced by:

• Tree geometry
• Species
• Sensor placement
• Moisture
• Temperature
• Cracks
• Cavities
• Bark thickness
• Irregular growth
• Software assumptions

Resistograph® Testing

Each test evaluates one narrow pathway and may be influenced by:

• Species anatomy
• Moisture
• Growth rings
• Drilling angle
• Needle condition
• Equipment settings
• Test-point selection

ArboRadix® Root Detection

Root detection may be influenced by:

• Root size
• Root depth
• Soil conditions
• Nearby utilities
• Pavement
• Root clustering
• Site geometry
• Testing configuration

It does not map every root.

AirSpade and RCX

Excavation findings apply only to the exposed areas.

Important roots or defects may exist outside the excavation.

Laboratory Testing

Results depend on:

• Sample quality
• Timing
• Handling
• Laboratory methods
• Detection limits
• Whether the sampled tissue contained the causal organism or substance

No diagnostic method can:

• Guarantee tree safety
• Predict exact failure timing
• Eliminate all uncertainty
• Determine legal liability
• Determine insurance coverage
• Replace professional interpretation

Professional Qualifications

Advanced diagnostic services are led by Brad Davis, whose qualifications include:

• ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® MW-6328B
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
• ISA Florida Chapter Prescription Pruning Qualified
• Member, International Society of Arboriculture
• Member, American Society of Consulting Arborists

Findings are interpreted using:

• Tree biology
• Species characteristics
• Wood anatomy
• Root biology
• Tree architecture
• Site conditions
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment methodology
• Applicable ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards
• ISA Best Management Practices
• Current arboricultural research
• Professional field experience
• Other available evidence

The instruments provide measurements. Professional interpretation connects those measurements to the tree, site, and management question.

Fees, Scheduling, and Deliverables

Advanced tree diagnostics are fee-based professional consulting services.

Fees depend on:

• Number of trees
• Tree size
• Tree geometry
• Number of testing locations
• Number of tomograms
• Number of resistance-drilling paths
• ArboRadix® investigation area
• Excavation scope
• Aerial access
• Laboratory testing
• Mapping
• Reporting requirements
• Intended use
• Travel
• Deadlines
• Legal or municipal requirements

A written proposal may specify:

• Included trees
• Diagnostic methods
• Testing locations
• Anticipated test quantity
• Reporting format
• Fees
• Payment terms
• Schedule
• Optional services
• Limitations

Report delivery timing depends on:

• Project complexity
• Number of tests
• Data review
• Laboratory turnaround
• Mapping
• Documentation needs
• Current workload

Expedited service may be available for agreed construction, municipal, insurance, legal, or real estate deadlines.

Service Area

Davis Family Arbor Services provides advanced tree diagnostics throughout:

• Tulsa
• South Tulsa
• Broken Arrow
• Jenks
• Bixby
• Sapulpa
• Glenpool
• Sand Springs
• Tulsa County
• Wagoner County
• Surrounding northeastern Oklahoma communities

Statewide assignments may be considered for:

• Municipalities
• Public agencies
• Attorneys
• Insurance professionals
• Developers
• Commercial properties
• Historic properties
• Institutions
• High-value or technically complex trees