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www.arborage.com ARBOR AGE OCTOBER 2014 19 Tree Appraisal TRAINING & EDUCATION Tree appraisal is the term used to describe the valuation of trees in the landscape. And although many an ol' crusty climber or feller may jump to discussions of board feet, tree appraisal is actually something quite different than how many truckloads of clear grain lumber might be gotten out of that big oak. Tree appraisal puts a value on trees either existing in the landscape, or removed from the landscape. And although timber value could play a role, more often the question to be decided is how much the tree adds, or did add, to the value of the property along with what monetary value it would take to replace the tree if possible. Tree appraisal is not necessarily a precise process; and can be quite problematic if litigation is involved. In reality, the valuation of trees is a skill — like so many in the tree care industry — that takes a good deal of education, training and experience to master; and in many cases is best left to specialists such as consulting arborists who focus on tree appraisal. However, some basic knowledge of terms and methods can assist crew members in not only understanding tree appraisal, but also help them realize whether or not it is a subspecialty in which they are interested in pursuing further training and education. BASIC METHODS There are a variety of methods for tree appraisal. An excellent primer to the whole process is the "Guide for Plant Appraisal" available from the International Society of Arboriculture. But three basic methods are replacement cost, loss in assessed value, and formula. Arborists new to the idea of tree appraisal should not only get a copy of the "Guide for Plant Appraisal," but also select whichever of the three basic methods is simplest and most appropriate to the tree(s) to be appraised. Replacement cost This method is often the simplest to compute, but also one that is only going to be appropriate in very specifi c circumstances. In short, the appraiser gathers information on what would be the cost of replacing the trees from a local nursery — factoring in all the costs involved such as planting, removing the damaged/ dead trees to be replaced, etc. Obviously this method is primarily going to be applicable to smaller trees in a landscape, as even the most experienced and motivated arborists do have some limits on how large a tree can be purchased, moved and transplanted. In some cases, the appraisal may not involve trees that have been damaged or removed, but simply a curious customer wishing to know the value of their woody friends. Once again, for smaller trees this is a fairly simple estimation, but one that does not necessarily take into account the value the trees bring to the ecosystem of the landscape or aesthetically. Loss in assessed value This is also a fairly simple method, but one that in most cases will involve consulting with another professional such as a Realtor or property assessor. The goal in this method of tree appraisal is to come up with a monetary amount that the tree or trees add, or did add, to How much you reckon that puppy's worth? BY MICHAEL "HOUSE" TAIN Just as there are several methods available for tree appraisal, there are also different formulas available. But a relatively simple one involves the following factors: cross section area, base value, species class, condition class, and location class.