A: The committee meet regularly to develop standards and respond to comments from tree care professionals like yourself. The committee is comprised of representatives from green industry organizations, such as TCIA, ISA, SMA, PGMS, UAA, ALCA, ASLA, ANLA, and ASCA, governmental agencies, such as USFS and NPS, and private tree care companies.As standards are being developed, each organization and company asks members and employees to review and comment on each draft. Before a draft standard is approved as an ANSI standard, the draft is submitted to at least one public comment period so all affected parties can review the draft. Public comments are often incorporated into the draft standard.With this open process, the committee develops a fair, industry-consensus standard.
A: These standards were developed so arborists and plant maintenance managers can write accurate work specifications that follow accepted tree care industry practices. With written work specifications you can compare "apples to apples" and "oranges to oranges."Arborists should include pruning specifications as part of their estimates and/or contracts. In this way, professional tree care companies can clients a way to compare one bid to another, giving reputable businesses protection from dishonest competitors. Those who say they will deliver the same service at a lower price, but only provide a fraction of that service can be exposed with written work specifications.Managers can put work out to bid with specifications already included or can require that work specifications be included in the bid. In this way the manager: 1.) requires that accepted tree care practices are followed and, 2.) will be able to compare bids from different companies in a fair manner, based on work specifications.For more on how A300 standards can help your company read Ron Rubin's article A300 Improves Business (PDF).
A: Some clients desire a lot of information about how their trees are cared for. To see how the A300 Standards relate to what a typical client wants to know about tree pruning, please visit the Tree Care Frequently Asked Questions web page.
Incorporating A300 into your operations and your thinking makes good business sense. Increasingly, contracts for governmental, institutional and large commercial projects are specifying that tree care maintenance shall be performed according to the ANSI A300 Standards. There is another benefit of A300: crew training.
Remember the first time you climbed a tree to prune it? If you were like most green climbers, you got into the tree and thought, "What am I doing?" After you climbed for a while, you developed a methodology: You sized up the tree from the ground, chose your tie-in points and figured out where most of the work was. Then you climbed to the top of the tree and tied in.
At that point, if you were like most arborists, you started to eliminate the most obvious problems first, then evaluated what was left. With A300, the arborists you train will be better able to focus on and prioritize what they are doing. For instance, if the tree is to be cleaned and the new climber understands what that means according to ANSI A300 Pruning standards, then the work can be done properly. The clarity of communication between the tree owner, the sales representative, and the arborist is tremendous.
A: Learn how to write pruning specs in a step-by-step process at TCIA’s Tree Care Academy! Click here to sign up. Or, if you prefer to learn via video, order TCIA’s ANSI A300 (Part 1) - Pruning video and workbook – complete with a helpful pruning pad and sample pruning specifications.
How do I write pruning specifications with ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning standards?
The ANSI A300 standard requires the specification writer to consider the growth habits of individual tree species within the local environment. With that knowledge the writer can then write pruning specifications.
-
The work order should state: "All pruning shall be done in accordance with ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning." With this statement the arborist asserts that the work procedures will follow the requirements (indicated by the word "shall") and recommendations (indicated by the word "should") of the Pruning standards. On occasion, the arborist may deviate from a recommendation based on the unique needs of a particular job, a tree species, or the local environment.
- The pruning objective must be defined. This is the part of the specification where the goal of the work being proposed is stated for the client. Here are some example of possible pruning objectives:
- to reduce a hazard
- to improve structure
- to provide a vista
- to improve health
The writer can be more specific, based on the amount of information that the client wants to receive. The type of pruning needed to accomplish the objective must be specified.
- Size of material, amount of material, and/or location of material to be pruned is specified for each pruning type. What you specify depends on the type of pruning you will use to meet the objective:
- Cleaning - Specify location and size range of parts to be removed.
- Thinning - Specify location and size range of parts to be removed as well as percentage of foliage to be removed.
- Raising - Specify vertical clearance, location, and size range of parts to be removed.
- Reducing - Specify clearance, location, and size range of parts to be removed.
A: Sample Pruning Specifications:
Example #1:
A 2-foot diameter red oak in a back yard. The tree is reasonably healthy but has some deadwood scattered throughout due to mild dieback that occurred after pool construction. The tree has recovered from the dieback and is safe to climb. The client would like one limb over-hanging the pool thinned to allow more light penetration.
Pruning Specification: All pruning will conform to ANSI A300-Part 1 Pruning standards.
Tree: 24-inch diameter red oak in back yard of residence.
Objective: Promote health, prevent decay, and improve aesthetics. Thin branch over pool for greater light penetration.
Pruning: Clean entire tree, clean branches 2-inch diameter or greater. Thin limb on east side of tree hanging over pool, remove approximately 20 percent of foliage, thin lateral branches of 1-inch to 3-inch diameter.
Example #2:
A public street planting of nine silver maples, all approximately 2-foot diameter or slightly smaller. The trees have been somewhat neglected, and have ample deadwood, some hangers, but no major defects. In addition the city has decided to increase vertical clearance for pedestrians and vehicles. There are no overhead utilities or electrical hazards in this row of trees.
Pruning Specification: All pruning will conform to ANSI A300-Part 1 Pruning standards.
Trees: Nine, 20- to 25-inch silver maples on XXX public street.
Objective: Promote health, prevent decay, improve public safety, and improve aesthetics. Provide clearance for vehicles and pedestrians.
Pruning: Clean entire trees. Clean branches 3-inch diameter or greater. Raise to minimum of 15 foot vertical clearance.
Example #3:
A 2½-foot diameter white pine in back yard. The tree is healthy and had been well-cared for, but is in need of routine attention. New clients want to improve the view of a lake without damaging the tree.
Pruning Specification: All pruning will conform to ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning standards.
Tree: 30-inch diameter white pine in back yard of residence.
Objective: Promote health, prevent decay, improve aesthetics. Provide vista of lake through south side of tree.
Pruning: Clean entire tree. Clean branches 2-inch diameter or greater. Vista prune on south side of tree: Clean the vista zone on south side of tree. Clean branches 1-inch diameter or greater. Thin approximately 15 percent of foliage from the vista zone on south side of tree. Create a zone between 20- to 50-feet high. Thin no more than 6 branches over 4 inch diameter. Remove no more than 3 branches over 4 inch diameter.
Example #4:
A 40-inch diameter white oak in front yard of residence. Tree has sentimental value to client and possible historical significance to town. Dieback on central leader due to old age and/or possible lightning strike. Trunk and roots have no defects. Some deadwood scattered throughout crown.
Pruning Specifications: All pruning will conform to ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning standards.
Tree: 40-inch diameter white oak in front yard of residence.
Objective: Reduce hazards. Extend useful life of tree. Promote health, prevent decay, and improve aesthetics.
Pruning: Clean entire tree. Clean branches 1-inch or greater. Reduce central leader back to uninjured tissue. Approximate location to cut back to is 30 feet high at 2½-foot diameter.
Example #5:
A 19-inch diameter red maple in the back yard of a residence with a number of limbs overhanging the house. Although the tree was planted too close to the house, the clients do want to retain the tree for shade. The clients also want more clearance over the house to reduce roof and gutter maintenance and more light penetration for foundation plantings.
Pruning Specification: All pruning will conform to ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning standards.
Tree: 19-inch red maple in back yard of residence.
Objective: Provide clearance for house. Increase light penetration.
Pruning: Thin limbs on west side of tree hanging over house, remove approximately 20 percent of foliage, thin lateral branches of 1-inch to 3-inch diameter. Do not remove more than 3 branches.
How do I learn more about ANSI A300 (Part 2) Fertilization?
Read this TCI magazine article on "How-to use A300 Fertilization Standards" (PDF - 1,693 KB) by Tim Johnson chair of the ASC A300, the committee that develops the standards.
Learn about the A300 Tree Support Systems Standard by reading What's New in Cabling, Bracing, and Guying (PDF - 166 KB), a TCI magazine article written by Michael Roche, certified arborist and TCIA-member Tree Care company owner.
|
