Objective, Science-Based Arboricultural Consulting for Residential, Commercial, Municipal, and Development Projects
Not every tree concern requires pruning or removal.
Sometimes the most valuable service an arborist can provide is an objective evaluation that helps a property owner understand what is happening, why it is happening, and what reasonable management options exist before work begins.
Davis Family Arbor Services provides professional arborist consulting throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby, Sapulpa, and surrounding Oklahoma communities. Consulting services are led by Brad Davis, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® (MW-6328B), ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ), and ISA Florida Chapter Prescription Pruning Qualified (PPQ).
Our consulting services support homeowners, commercial property owners, municipalities, public agencies, HOAs, developers, attorneys, insurance professionals, architects, engineers, and property managers by providing objective arboricultural evaluations and written recommendations based on accepted arboricultural practices.
Professional consulting services are provided by appointment and are separate from free production tree-service estimates.
What Is Arborist Consulting?
Arborist consulting is the professional evaluation of trees, sites, and tree-related issues to help clients make informed decisions before significant work, construction, litigation, or long-term management occurs.
Unlike a production estimate, consulting focuses on understanding the tree and the site before recommending a course of action.
Depending on the assignment, consulting may answer questions such as:
- Why is this tree declining?
- Does this tree require removal?
- Can this tree reasonably be preserved?
- Is the tree suitable for construction retention?
- What is causing the observed defects?
- Does additional diagnostic testing make sense?
- What pruning objective is appropriate?
- How should this property be managed over the next five to ten years?
- What documentation is needed for an HOA, municipality, attorney, or insurance carrier?
Our recommendations are based on careful observation, measured information when appropriate, accepted arboricultural practices, and the client’s management objectives.
Consulting Services
Tree Health Evaluations
Professional evaluation of tree vitality, site conditions, pest and disease indicators, root-zone conditions, nutrient concerns, and environmental stressors.
These evaluations help identify likely causes of decline, distinguish contributing factors from primary causes, determine whether additional testing is warranted, and develop practical management recommendations.
Tree Risk Assessments
Formal tree risk assessments evaluate:
- Likelihood of failure
- Likelihood of impact
- Consequences of failure
- Overall risk rating
- Reasonable management options
Assessments follow ISA Tree Risk Assessment methodology and may include:
- Limited Assessments
- Basic Assessments
- Advanced Assessments
- Written reports
- Photographic documentation
- Prioritized recommendations
Tree Preservation Planning
Long-term management plans for mature, historically significant, construction-adjacent, and high-value trees.
Preservation planning may include:
- Construction tree protection
- Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) planning
- Root-zone management
- Soil improvement
- Scheduled monitoring
- Prescription pruning
- Advanced diagnostics
- Reassessment planning
The objective is to retain valuable trees whenever reasonably achievable while recognizing that some situations ultimately require removal.
Advanced Tree Diagnostics
When visual assessment alone cannot adequately answer an important management question, additional diagnostic methods may be recommended.
Diagnostic capabilities include:
- Arbotom® Sonic Tomography — A non-destructive imaging system that uses sound-wave transmission to evaluate internal trunk condition and identify potential areas of decay or cavities.
- Resistograph® Resistance Drilling — A precision instrument that records drilling resistance through wood to help evaluate internal density and potential decay.
- ArboRadix® Root Mapping — Ground-penetrating radar technology used to locate and map significant structural roots beneath the soil surface, supporting construction planning and preservation efforts.
- AirSpade Root Investigation — Compressed-air excavation used to expose roots for inspection while reducing the likelihood of severing woody roots.
- Root Collar Excavation (RCX) — Careful removal of excess soil around the base of the tree to evaluate root flare development, stem-girdling roots, decay, and planting depth.
- Advanced Structural Evaluation — Comprehensive assessment of structural defects, load paths, branch architecture, and overall tree condition.
These diagnostic methods provide additional measured information when visual assessment alone cannot adequately answer the management question.
Tree Forensic Investigations
Tree forensic investigations evaluate evidence associated with:
- Tree failures
- Storm damage
- Vehicle impacts
- Construction damage
- Root injury
- Utility conflicts
- Herbicide injury
- Pruning history
- Site modifications
- Other tree-related events
Assignments may include:
- Site inspections
- Photography
- Weather review
- Construction-history review
- Records review
- Advanced diagnostics
- Root investigations
- Written reports
- Expert consultation
The objective is to document evidence, evaluate likely contributing factors, and develop professional arboricultural opinions appropriate to the agreed scope of work.
Construction Tree Consulting
Trees often decline because important decisions were made after construction had already begun.
Construction consulting may include:
- Tree inventories
- Preservation planning
- Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) development
- ArboRadix® root mapping
- AirSpade investigations
- Construction monitoring
- Root-zone management
- Contractor guidance
- Post-construction evaluations
Early planning generally provides substantially more preservation options than attempting corrective work after construction damage has occurred.
Municipal and Public Agency Consulting
Davis Family Arbor Services provides consulting services for:
- Municipalities
- Public agencies
- Parks
- Campuses
- Schools
- Public facilities
- Utility projects
- Streetscapes
- Community developments
Services may include:
- Tree inventories
- Risk assessments
- Preservation planning
- Construction consulting
- Diagnostic investigations
- Written specifications
- Management recommendations
Expert Witness and Litigation Support
Consulting assignments may support:
- Attorneys
- Insurance professionals
- Property owners
- Municipalities
- Public agencies
- Developers
- Commercial clients
Services may include:
- Technical review
- Arboricultural consulting
- Tree forensic investigations
- Written reports
- Deposition support
- Expert witness services
Acceptance of expert witness assignments depends on project scope, scheduling, potential conflicts, and the specific subject matter involved.
Why Hire a Consulting Arborist?
Many tree decisions are expensive, permanent, or difficult to reverse.
Professional consulting can help clients:
- Understand tree condition before significant work begins
- Avoid unnecessary removals
- Protect valuable trees during construction
- Prioritize maintenance budgets
- Reduce uncertainty
- Evaluate preservation options
- Understand tree-related risk
- Document existing conditions
- Support planning and permitting
- Improve communication among property owners, contractors, engineers, architects, attorneys, insurers, municipalities, and public agencies
The value of consulting is not simply the recommendation—it is understanding the reasoning behind it.
Professional Qualifications
Brad Davis provides consulting services as:
- ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® (MW-6328B)
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ)
- ISA Florida Chapter Prescription Pruning Qualified (PPQ)
- Member, International Society of Arboriculture
- Member, American Society of Consulting Arborists
Recommendations are informed by:
- Applicable ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards
- ISA Best Management Practices
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment methodology
- Current arboricultural research
- Professional field experience
- Advanced diagnostic equipment
- Site-specific evaluation
Advanced Consulting Equipment
Consulting services may incorporate:
- Arbotom® Sonic Tomography — Used to create a visual cross-section of a tree trunk, helping identify internal decay or hollow areas without cutting into the tree.
- Resistograph® Resistance Drilling — Measures resistance as a fine needle drills into wood, providing a graph that helps detect hidden decay or density changes.
- ArboRadix® Root Mapping — Uses ground-penetrating radar to locate major structural roots underground, which is especially useful before excavation or construction.
- AirSpade Root Investigation — Uses compressed air to safely remove soil and expose roots for inspection without damaging them.
- Root Collar Excavation (RCX) — Removes excess soil from the base of the tree to reveal the root flare and identify issues like girdling roots or improper planting depth.
- GPS tree mapping — Records precise tree locations on a property, often used for inventories, planning, or municipal documentation.
- Digital tree documentation — Includes organized records such as photos, condition notes, and inspection history for ongoing management.
- Drone imagery where appropriate — Provides aerial views of tree canopies, storm damage, or large properties that are difficult to assess from the ground.
- Professional photography — High-quality images used for reports, documentation, or forensic investigations.
- Written reporting — Formal documents that summarize findings, explain conclusions, and outline recommended management actions.
These tools provide additional measured information when visual assessment alone cannot adequately answer the management question.
Service Areas
Davis Family Arbor Services provides consulting services throughout:
- Tulsa
- Broken Arrow
- Jenks
- Bixby
- Sapulpa
- Glenpool
- Sand Springs
- South Tulsa
- Tulsa County
- Wagoner County
Statewide consulting assignments may be considered for municipalities, public agencies, attorneys, insurers, developers, and commercial clients.
