In After the Storm…(but before the cleanup starts) arborist expert witness Russell E. Carlson, RCA, BCMA, writes:
As a consulting arborist, I have been called on many cases long after the trees have been cut up and hauled away, and asked to reconstruct the “scene of the crime.” When there is just a bare patch of soil and a 10-year old picture of the bottom part of the tree, it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine why a tree failed, or what it may have been worth. Sometimes it isn’t even known who removed the tree. You may be called on to perform or help with the investigation. This kind of record keeping can make the process much easier.
By documenting the case before the tree is removed, you may be saving your customer a lot of headaches, and a lot of trouble. You may be saving them a lot of money, too. The time it takes to investigate a tree damage case can actually decrease as more information is available, and the results are more accurate and defensible. So take a few minutes to make some notes, take some pictures, and properly document the damaged tree. The time you spend will be well worth it to your client. Make this a routine part of your service for your customers, and they will be glad they hired you as their arborist.
Read more: treetech.com.