Consulting

Urban Arborists brings specialized expertise in diagnosing the causes of tree and branch failures in both urban and suburban environments. Our daily fieldwork exposes us to a wide range of structural and environmental stresses affecting city trees, giving us an exceptional depth of practical knowledge about how different shocks impact tree health and stability. We also have extensive experience with species-specific responses to these challenges. In addition, our strong relationships with scientific researchers and municipal partners allow us to access reliable, up-to-date guidance for unique or complex cases.

Tree inventories are one of Urban Arborists’ signature services, giving clients a clear understanding of their entire landscape. Our team expertly locates, identifies, and measures each tree and shrub, providing a detailed assessment of health, condition, and long-term prospects. When needed, we also recommend targeted treatments or actions to enhance safety, longevity, and beauty. These inventories become a powerful roadmap for smart, proactive, long-term care—helping clients protect and elevate their landscapes for years to come.

Urban Arborists is familiar with and uses the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation TIVR standard for reporting.

Building on the insights gained from our inventories, we love imagining the future of a landscape’s canopy and understory. As venerable trees naturally retrench, we carefully introduce new specimens to grow into the next generation of the landscape. Through thoughtful succession planning, those who steward landscaped spaces can preserve or restore aesthetic and historical character, enhance environmental benefits, and rejuvenate aging treescapes—ensuring that each landscape continues to thrive for generations to come.

The best way to avoid tree loss during construction is to begin with a professionally prepared Tree Protection Plan. These plans define the space and conditions each existing tree needs to survive construction activity, outline specific protection measures, and can help stakeholders decide which trees offer the greatest value for preservation. They can also detail remediation recommendations for trees impacted directly or indirectly by construction activity.  

Our arborists are qualified to develop Tree Protection Plans as required by NYC Parks.

We use root crown investigations in several situations—most often to confirm the presence of girdling roots when they’re suspected, to determine the impact of construction on a tree’s root system, or to evaluate how planned excavation might affect critical roots. In a dense urban environment, construction frequently encroaches on a tree’s limited growing space. A root crown investigation allows us to determine the size, number, and depth of roots at risk, giving clients the clear information they need to make informed decisions.

Determining whether a tree poses a risk is serious work. It involves far more than completing a standard form or tallying numbers. Because we evaluate every tree from a broad, holistic perspective, we bring extensive experience in assessing condition, stability, and long-term viability. And while our passion for trees makes us conservative—preserving them whenever possible—we do not hesitate to recommend removal or deep retrenchment when a genuine hazard is present. We are also highly skilled in advanced risk assessments through aloft inspections, where our climbing teams work directly with our arborists to identify defects that can only be seen from within the canopy.

Our arborists are ISA and TRAQ certified.