TREE SURGEON
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Tree Surgeon Job Description and Duties:

What Tree Surgeon could help You the Homeowner with:
-Pruning;
-Transplanting;
-Structural support;
-Preventing and diagnosing and treating phytopathology or parasitism;
-Prevention or interruption of grazing or predation;
-Installing lightning protection;
-Removing vegetation deemed as hazardous, an invasive species, a disease ridden trees, or a weed.
Tree surgeons may also plan, consult, write reports and give legal testimony in a court.
Some aspects of this work are done on the ground or in an office, much of it is done by tree surgeons who perform treeservices and who climb the trees with ropes and other equipment. Lifts and cranes may be also used. The work of all tree surgeons varies. Some tree surgeons provide a consulting service; others may perform physical part of the job- climbing, pruning and planting, other tree surgeons provide a combination of all of these services mentioned above.
Tree surgeons gain qualifications to practice arboriculture in a variety of ways and some tree surgeons have a variety of qualifications. All of them learn how to work safely and effectively in and around trees. Tree surgeons specialize in one or more disciplines of arboriculture, such as diagnosis and treatment of pests, diseases and nutritional deficiencies in trees, climbing and pruning, cabling and lightning protection, or perhaps consultation and report writing. All these disciplines are related and some arborists are very well experienced in all areas of treework.
Trees in urban landscape are often subject to disturbances human or natural, both above and below ground. They would require care to improve their chances of survival following damage from either biotic orabiotic causes. Tree surgeons can provide appropriate solutions and countermeasures, such as pruning trees for health and good structure, for aesthetic reasons, and to permit people to walk under them, or to keep them away from wires, fences and buildings. To work out the best practices, a thorough knowledge of local species and environments and local weather conditions is essential.
There can be a vast difference between the techniques and practices of professional arborists and those of inadequately trained tree workers who simply "trim trees". Some commonly offered "services" are considered unacceptable by modern arboricultural standards and may seriously damage, disfigure, weaken, or even kill trees.
Pruning by tree surgeons should only be done with a specific purpose in mind. Every cut of a treeis a wound, and every leaf lost is removal of some photosynthetic potential. Proper pruning can be helpful in many ways, but should always be done with the minimum amount of live tissue removed.
In recent years, research has proven that treewound dressings such as paint, tar or other coverings are unnecessary and may harm trees-they may encourage growth of decay-causing fungi. Proper pruning, by cutting through branches at the right location, can do more to limit decay than wound dressing of the tree. Special chemicals can be applied to trees for insect or disease control through soil application, stem injections or spraying.
Compacted, disturbed or exhausted soils can be improved in various ways. Arborists can also assess trees to determine the health, structure, safety or feasibility within a landscape and in proximity to humans. Modern arboriculture has progressed in technology and sophistication from practices of the past. Depending on the jurisdiction of the country, there may be a number of legal issues surrounding the practices of arborists, including boundary issues, public safety issues, "heritage" trees of community value; and "neighbor" issues such as ownership, obstruction of views, impacts of roots crossing boundaries, nuisance problems, disease or insect quarantines, and safety of nearby trees.
Before undertaking any works in the UK, tree surgeons have a legal responsibility to survey trees for wildlife, especially bats, which are afforded particular legal protection. In addition, any treein the UK can be covered by a tree preservation order and it is illegal to conduct any work on a tree, including deadwooding or pruning, before permission has been granted from the local council.
All written above shows that it is highly benefitial for You as Homeowner to hire a specialist tree surgeon to care for Your trees- it would pay off in the long run.