Suitably Qualified Arboriculturist (Tree Bloke)

An Arboriculturist is a emerging profession.

 

As a profession, arboriculture has much to learn from ecology. Ecological consultants have, over the last few decades, moved from relative obscurity to become a recognised established profession. Meanwhile arboricultural consultants, when asked the inevitable conversation starter “what do you do for a living?”  still tend to have some explaining to do.

This professionalism within ecology can be highlighted by the ecological sections of the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM); where it is recognised that ecological work for BREEAM is specialist and should be undertaken by a professional ecologist or what is termed a Suitably Qualified Ecologist (SQE).

For arboricultural consultants, perhaps a comparable survey and report requiring specialist input is the BS5837: Trees in relation to construction – Recommendations; which similarly suggests an arboriculturist should be suitably qualified and experienced.

However, a big difference is that whilst BREEAM explicitly states the criteria of a SQE, the criteria of a suitably qualified and experienced arboriculturist is largely left to the imagination.

So, as a short ‘thought experiment’ I have copied the text from the BREEAM guidelines as to what constitutes a SQE yet altered it for what a revised BS5837 could stipulate as a suitably qualified Arboriculturist (i.e. changed the word Ecologist for Arboriculturist and BREEAM for BS:5837)!

BS: 5837 Supplementary Guidance: ‘Suitably Qualified Arboriculturist’

Where an individual has been appointed to survey and provide advice and recommendations for a development site under BS: 5837, it must be confirmed that either this individual is ‘suitably qualified’, or that the report they produce has been verified by an individual who meets the requirements of a ‘Suitably Qualified Arboriculturist’.

Suitably Qualified Arboriculturist (SQA): An individual achieving all the following items can be considered to be “suitably qualified” for the purposes of the BS: 5837 Trees in relation to construction.

1. Holds a degree or equivalent qualification (e.g. N/SVQ level 5) in Arboriculture or a related subject.

2. Is a practising arboriculturist, with a minimum of three years relevant experience (within the last five years).  Such experience must clearly demonstrate a practical understanding of factors affecting trees in relation to construction and the built environment; including, acting in an advisory capacity to provide recommendations for tree protection, enhancement and mitigation measures. 

3. Is covered by a professional code of conduct and subject to peer review.

Peer review: Is defined as the process employed by a professional body to demonstrate that potential or current full members maintain a standard of knowledge and experience required to ensure compliance with a code of conduct and professional ethics.

Full members of the following organisations, who meet the above criteria, are deemed suitably qualified arboriculturist for the purposes of BS:5837.  

a.  Arboricultural Association (AA)

b.  Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF)

4. As a minimum, a ‘Suitably Qualified Arboriculturist’ verifying a BS: 5837 Report must have read and reviewed the report and confirmed in writing they found it to: 

a. represent sound industry practice 

b. report and recommend correctly, truthfully and objectively 

c. be appropriate given the local site conditions and scope of works proposed 

d. avoids invalid, biased and exaggerated statements.

Additionally, written confirmation from the third party verifier that they comply with

the definition of a suitably qualified arboriculturist will also be required.

It should be confirmed before appointment that the individual meets the criteria for a suitably qualified arboriculturist.  


Food for thought! I’m sure many would think the above definition as too prescriptive and its true there are many individual arboricultural consultants who wouldn’t meet this criteria, yet have more than enough experience and knowledge gained through being ‘on-the-job’. But what is the best way to move towards professionalism? Interestingly, the professional body for ecologists, The Institute of Ecology and Environmental Managment (IEEM) have strongly criticized the above criteria for a SQE as not being robust enough to avoid the use of non-specialists to undertake specialist work i.e. ecological  survey and assessment; noting they will not have its members commit to undertake any further work on BREEAM until they have agreed a joint way forward to make the definition of ‘suitably qualified’ even more rigorous. What would such a definition of ‘suitably qualified arboriculturist’ do for the professionalism of arboriculture?