Tree Inventories in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tree Inventory Versus Tree Risk Assessment

A tree inventory and a tree risk assessment are different services.

Tree Inventory

A tree inventory records selected information across a tree population.

It may identify:

• Species
• Size
• Condition
• Visible defects
• Management needs
• Priority
• Trees requiring additional evaluation

Tree Risk Assessment

A formal tree risk assessment evaluates:

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

An inventory may flag trees for further assessment, but a general condition rating or priority code is not automatically an ISA TRAQ risk rating.

The services may be combined when appropriate.

Tree Inventory Versus Tree Health Evaluation

A tree inventory provides standardized information across multiple trees.

A tree health evaluation provides a more detailed diagnostic assessment of a specific tree or group of trees.

An inventory may identify:

• Crown thinning
• Chlorosis
• Branch dieback
• Insect signs
• Fungal fruiting structures
• Root-zone concerns
• Construction impacts

A separate health evaluation may then investigate:

• Likely causes
• Contributing factors
• Treatment options
• Laboratory testing
• Root investigation
• Monitoring needs

What Information Can Be Collected?

The inventory should collect only information useful to the intended management purpose.

Tree Identification

The inventory may include:

• Common name
• Botanical name
• Genus
• Species
• Cultivar when identifiable
• Species confidence or uncertainty
• Native or introduced status where relevant

Accurate identification matters because species may influence:

• Growth
• Longevity
• Structural tendencies
• Site suitability
• Pest and disease concerns
• Maintenance needs
• Preservation priority
• Appraisal inputs

When identification cannot be confirmed, uncertainty should be documented rather than concealed.

Tree Number or Tag

Each tree may be assigned:

• A unique inventory number
• A physical tag
• A map label
• A database identifier
• A GIS feature number

Tags may be useful for long-term management but are not required for every assignment.

Tag material and placement should avoid unnecessary injury and account for future tree growth.

Location and Mapping

Tree location may be documented using:

• GPS coordinates
• GIS mapping
• Site plans
• Aerial imagery
• Property maps
• Survey references supplied by the client
• Digital field mapping
• Tree-location diagrams

Consumer or handheld GPS accuracy varies.

Inventory mapping should not be represented as a legal survey unless prepared and certified by an appropriately licensed surveyor.

Trunk Diameter

Trunk diameter may be measured at standard breast height or another appropriate point when trunk form prevents standard measurement.

The report should identify:

• Measurement method
• Measurement height
• Multi-stem method
• Whether diameter is measured or estimated
• Any limitations caused by fences, vines, cavities, or access

Tree Height

Height may be:

• Measured
• Estimated
• Assigned to a height class
• Omitted when it is not needed for the assignment

The method should reflect the required accuracy and intended use.

Crown Spread

Crown spread may be measured or estimated when relevant to:

• Construction planning
• Clearance
• Tree Protection Zones
• Canopy analysis
• Landscape management
• Appraisal
• Risk screening

Condition

Condition may include consideration of:

• Crown vitality
• Foliage
• Annual growth
• Branch dieback
• Trunk condition
• Root flare
• Structural defects
• Site conditions
• Pest and disease indicators
• Previous damage
• Expected longevity

The rating system should be defined in the report.

Terms such as good, fair, poor, or dead should not be used without explaining what they mean within the inventory.

Management Recommendations

Recommendations may include:

• No immediate action
• Monitoring
• Pruning
• Dead branch removal
• Clearance pruning
• Structural pruning
• Tree health evaluation
• Formal tree risk assessment
• Advanced diagnostics
• Root-zone management
• Pest or disease monitoring
• Tree Protection Zone development
• Removal
• Replacement planting
• Reinspection

Recommendations should be appropriate to the inventory scope.

A rapid inventory should not imply the same diagnostic certainty as a detailed individual-tree evaluation.

Developing the Inventory Scope

Before fieldwork begins, the client and arborist should define:

• Property or management boundaries
• Included trees
• Minimum tree size
• Whether shrubs or other plants are included
• Required measurements
• Mapping requirements
• Condition-rating system
• Risk-screening expectations
• Photograph requirements
• Management priorities
• Report format
• Data format
• Required software compatibility
• Deadlines
• Future update needs
• Intended users
• Intended use

Clear scope prevents unnecessary data collection and helps ensure the final inventory is practical.

Inventory Levels and Detail

Not every inventory requires the same level of detail.

Basic Inventory

A basic inventory may include:

• Tree number
• Location
• Species
• Trunk diameter
• General condition
• Basic management recommendation

This may be appropriate for:

• Preliminary planning
• Small properties
• Budget development
• Initial tree-population screening

Detailed Management Inventory

A detailed inventory may include:

• Species
• Diameter
• Height
• Crown spread
• Condition
• Structural observations
• Health observations
• Targets
• Maintenance needs
• Priority
• Photographs
• Reinspection interval

This may be appropriate for:

• HOAs
• Commercial properties
• Campuses
• Municipal properties
• Parks
• Institutions

Construction Inventory

A construction inventory may include:

• Tree location
• Species
• Diameter
• Crown spread
• Condition
• Preservation suitability
• Tree Protection Zone considerations
• Root-zone constraints
• Proposed-impact notes
• Removal or retention status
• Monitoring needs
• Photographs

It may also support:

• Site design
• Utility routing
• Grading review
• Hardscape planning
• Preservation specifications
• Contractor coordination

Risk-Screening Inventory

A risk-screening inventory may identify trees that require:

• Immediate restriction
• Prompt mitigation
• Basic tree risk assessment
• Advanced assessment
• Routine monitoring
• No immediate action

A screening inventory is not automatically a formal tree risk assessment for every tree.

Post-Storm Inventory

A post-storm inventory may document:

• Failed trees
• Broken branches
• Suspended branches
• Split trunks
• Root-plate movement
• Blocked access
• Immediate mitigation needs
• Trees requiring follow-up assessment
• Debris or access concerns
• Photographs

Emergency screening may use limited methods because of access, weather, safety, and the number of trees involved.

Our Tree Inventory Process

1. Project Scoping

The project begins with review of:

• Property boundaries
• Tree population
• Client objectives
• Existing maps
• Previous inventories
• Construction plans
• Required data fields
• Reporting needs
• Software or database requirements
• Deadlines

2. Field Data Collection

Fieldwork may include:

• Tree identification
• Measurement
• GPS location
• Site-map tagging
• Condition observations
• Structural observations
• Health observations
• Target notes
• Photographs
• Management recommendations
• Priority assignment

3. Data Review and Quality Control

Collected information may be reviewed for:

• Duplicate records
• Missing fields
• Mapping errors
• Species consistency
• Measurement errors
• Recommendation consistency
• Photograph matching
• Priority logic
• Formatting

4. Mapping and Database Preparation

Depending on the project, deliverables may include:

• Spreadsheet
• PDF report
• GIS-compatible data
• Digital map
• Interactive tree-management platform
• Site map
• Tree profile pages
• Summary tables
• Prioritized work list

5. Management Planning

Inventory findings may be translated into:

• Immediate work priorities
• Annual maintenance plans
• Multi-year budgets
• Preservation priorities
• Reinspection schedules
• Construction recommendations
• Replacement planting plans
• Pest-monitoring programs
• Risk-assessment referrals

Tree Inventory Mapping

Mapping allows clients to locate and track individual trees.

Mapping methods may include:

• GPS points
• GIS layers
• Aerial imagery
• Site-plan references
• Digital field maps
• Numbered tree locations

Mapping accuracy depends on:

• Equipment
• Satellite reception
• Tree canopy
• Buildings
• Terrain
• Site obstructions
• Base-map accuracy
• Field conditions

Inventory maps are intended for tree management.

They should not be used as legal boundary, utility-location, or survey documents unless prepared by the appropriate licensed professional.

GPS and GIS Deliverables

Depending on client needs, inventory data may be prepared for use in:

• GIS platforms
• Tree-management software
• Asset-management systems
• Spreadsheets
• PDF maps
• Construction plans
• Municipal databases
• HOA records
• Campus-management systems

Before fieldwork, the client should identify:

• Required file type
• Coordinate system
• Data fields
• Naming conventions
• Software platform
• Import requirements
• Photograph-linking needs
• Update procedures

Compatibility should be confirmed before assuming that data can be imported directly into every third-party platform.

Photographic Documentation

Photographs may include:

• Full-tree view
• Tree tag or identifier
• Trunk
• Crown
• Root flare
• Structural defects
• Health symptoms
• Fungal fruiting structures
• Construction impacts
• Nearby targets
• Site conditions

Photographs help:

• Confirm tree identity
• Document baseline condition
• Communicate defects
• Support board or municipal review
• Compare future condition
• Support insurance or legal matters

Photographs do not replace on-site evaluation and may not capture every defect.

Condition Rating

A condition rating should be based on a defined method.

Depending on the assignment, condition may consider:

• Health
• Structure
• Form
• Crown vitality
• Root condition
• Site suitability
• Defects
• Expected longevity

Potential categories may include:

• Excellent
• Good
• Fair
• Poor
• Very poor
• Dead

The report should explain:

• What each category means
• Which tree components were considered
• Whether the rating is qualitative or quantitative
• Whether risk is included or evaluated separately
• Important limitations

Condition is not the same as risk.

A tree may be in poor health while presenting relatively low current risk. A vigorous tree may contain a significant structural defect.

Work Priorities

Inventory recommendations may be organized by timeframe.

Examples may include:

Immediate

Conditions requiring prompt action, such as:

• Active failure
• Suspended branches over occupied areas
• Blocked access
• Extreme-risk conditions
• Immediate public-safety concerns

High Priority

Work recommended within a defined short timeframe, such as:

• High-risk conditions
• Significant dead branches over targets
• Important structural concerns
• Trees requiring urgent additional assessment

Routine Priority

Work that should be addressed through scheduled maintenance, such as:

• Structural pruning
• Clearance pruning
• Tree health evaluation
• Root-zone management
• Monitoring

Long-Term or Monitor

Trees requiring:

• Reinspection
• Routine maintenance
• Long-term preservation
• No immediate action

Priority categories should be defined clearly and should not be confused with formal ISA risk ratings unless a formal risk assessment was completed.

Tree Inventories for HOAs

HOAs may use tree inventories to:

• Document trees in common areas
• Prioritize pruning and removal
• Prepare annual budgets
• Address resident concerns
• Track tree condition
• Identify preservation priorities
• Plan replacement planting
• Develop vendor scopes
• Schedule inspections
• Manage storm recovery
• Support board decisions

A useful HOA inventory should provide information that can be understood and acted upon by:

• Board members
• Property managers
• Landscape committees
• Contractors
• Residents
• Insurance professionals

The inventory should avoid collecting technical information that will not be used.

Tree Inventories for Municipalities and Public Agencies

Municipal and public-tree inventories may support:

• Public-tree maintenance
• Risk screening
• Storm planning
• Budget development
• Tree planting
• Canopy goals
• Infrastructure planning
• Pest monitoring
• Construction coordination
• Grant applications
• Public communication
• Contractor management
• Asset tracking

Inventory areas may include:

• Parks
• Streets
• Rights-of-way
• Public facilities
• Campuses
• Trails
• Parking areas
• Civic properties
• Utility corridors
• Other managed public spaces

Large municipal inventories may require:

• Defined data standards
• GIS integration
• Quality-control procedures
• Tree-tagging protocols
• Standardized condition ratings
• Risk-screening rules
• Update procedures
• Staff training
• Data ownership provisions
• Software compatibility

Tree Inventories for Commercial Properties

Commercial and institutional inventories may help with:

• Maintenance budgeting
• Risk management
• Capital planning
• Construction
• Insurance documentation
• Landscape planning
• Tenant and visitor safety
• Contractor specifications
• Tree preservation
• Replacement planning
• Multi-site management

Properties may include:

• Office parks
• Retail centers
• Apartment communities
• Industrial sites
• Hotels
• Medical facilities
• Schools
• Religious properties
• Campuses
• Institutional grounds

Tree Inventories for Developers and Construction Projects

A pre-construction inventory establishes what trees are present before disturbance occurs.

It may help identify:

• Trees suitable for preservation
• Trees with limited preservation potential
• Existing defects
• Tree Protection Zone needs
• Root-zone constraints
• Design conflicts
• Trees requiring advanced diagnostics
• Trees requiring removal
• Replacement or mitigation needs
• Monitoring requirements

A construction inventory may be combined with:

• Tree preservation planning
• Tree Protection Zone development
• ArboRadix® Root Detection
• AirSpade root investigation
• Root Collar Excavation
• Tree risk assessment
• Construction monitoring
• Post-construction evaluation

The inventory itself does not protect trees. Protection requires implementation, contractor compliance, monitoring, and appropriate site management.

Tree Inventories for Estates and Historic Properties

Estate and historic-property inventories may document:

• Significant trees
• Historic trees
• Specimen trees
• Legacy plantings
• Tree condition
• Preservation needs
• Replacement priorities
• Long-term management
• Tree value
• Construction concerns
• Monitoring schedules

A tree inventory can help preserve continuity when:

• Property ownership changes
• Estate management changes
• Maintenance contractors change
• Construction is planned
• Long-term budgets are developed

Pest and Disease Monitoring Through Inventories

An inventory may help identify tree populations requiring species-specific monitoring.

Examples may include:

• Ash trees requiring Emerald Ash Borer planning
• Elm populations requiring vascular-disease monitoring
• Pines with species-specific pest concerns
• Trees with recurring foliar disease
• Oaks showing regional decline symptoms
• Trees affected by construction stress
• Species with known structural tendencies

A general inventory may note signs or symptoms.

A detailed diagnosis may require a separate tree health evaluation, laboratory testing, or advanced investigation.

Tree Inventory and Emerald Ash Borer Planning

An inventory can identify:

• Ash species
• Tree sizes
• Condition
• Location
• Treatment history
• Removal access
• Preservation priority
• Replacement needs

This information may support:

• Preventive treatment planning
• Monitoring
• Budgeting
• Removal prioritization
• Replacement planting
• Municipal or HOA communication

Regulated treatment recommendations should be implemented only by appropriately licensed applicators and according to product labels.

Tree Inventory Updates

A tree inventory should be updated as conditions change.

Updates may be appropriate after:

• Severe storms
• Construction
• Tree removal
• New planting
• Significant pruning
• Pest outbreaks
• Rapid decline
• Ownership or management changes
• Infrastructure projects
• Several years of normal growth and change

Update frequency depends on:

• Tree population
• Site use
• Public occupancy
• Known concerns
• Management objectives
• Budget
• Data accuracy needs

A static inventory becomes less useful as trees are added, removed, or changed.

Reinspection and Long-Term Management

An inventory may recommend reinspection intervals based on:

• Tree condition
• Species
• Site use
• Targets
• Known defects
• Construction
• Pest concerns
• Management priority
• Expected rate of change

Earlier evaluation may be appropriate after:

• Wind
• Tornadoes
• Ice
• Lightning
• Flooding
• Drought
• Root disturbance
• New construction
• Branch or whole-tree failure
• New fungal fruiting structures
• Rapid decline

No inventory eliminates the need for observation between scheduled inspections.

What the Written Tree Inventory Report May Include

Depending on the agreed scope, deliverables may include:

• Executive summary
• Property overview
• Inventory date
• Assignment purpose
• Methodology
• Tree-location map
• Tree data table
• Species summary
• Size distribution
• Condition summary
• Structural observations
• Health observations
• Pest and disease indicators
• Work priorities
• Management recommendations
• Budget categories
• Reinspection recommendations
• Photographs
• Tree profile pages
• GIS or spreadsheet data
• Assumptions and limitations
• Arborist credentials and signature

Not every project requires a long narrative report.

For some clients, a clean database, map, and prioritized work list may be more useful than a large written document.

Limitations of Tree Inventories

Tree inventories have important limitations.

Depending on scope, an inventory may not include:

• Detailed tree risk assessment for every tree
• Aerial inspection
• Internal-decay testing
• Root excavation
• Laboratory analysis
• Utility locating
• Survey-grade mapping
• Legal boundary determination
• Tree ownership determination
• Appraisal
• Treatment
• Construction monitoring

Inventory observations are generally limited to:

• Conditions visible on the inspection date
• Accessible portions of the property
• The level of detail authorized
• The tools and methods identified in the proposal

Tree condition and risk may change after the inventory is completed.

Professional Qualifications

Tree inventories 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

Inventory work may be informed by:

• Tree biology
• Species identification
• Site-specific observations
• ISA Best Management Practices
• Applicable ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment methodology
• Current arboricultural research
• GPS and digital mapping tools
• Professional field experience
• Advanced diagnostics when separately scoped

Fees, Scheduling, and Deliverables

Tree inventories are fee-based consulting services.

Fees depend on:

• Property size
• Tree count
• Minimum tree-size threshold
• Required data fields
• Mapping requirements
• GPS accuracy
• Tree tagging
• Photographs
• Condition detail
• Risk screening
• Report format
• GIS or software compatibility
• Construction involvement
• Travel
• Deadlines
• Update requirements

Pricing may be:

• Flat-rate
• Per-tree
• Hourly
• Project-based
• Phased by work area

A written proposal may identify:

• Inventory boundaries
• Included trees
• Data fields
• Measurement methods
• Mapping
• Photographs
• Condition system
• Recommendations
• Deliverables
• Fees
• Payment terms
• Schedule
• Optional services
• Assumptions and limitations

Large inventories may be completed in phases.

Service Area

Davis Family Arbor Services provides tree inventories 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
• Developers
• Commercial properties
• Parks
• Campuses
• Institutions
• HOAs
• Historic properties
• Large or technically complex tree populations