City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/599208
28 City Trees plausible. In fact, it is nonsense, and attempts to define a fact without any evidence to support it. The reader has no idea of the following aspects: ◆ What equipment was used to conduct the tests, was it used correctly, were the tests accurate? ◆ Where were the tests conducted on the tree? Why there and not elsewhere? Was the tester simply drill- ing for the sake of it, or did they have a well-thought- out reason for testing at any one point? If so, what was that reason? ◆ What did the results look like? Have they appended or included the data? Can the reader clearly see the issues described? Were the data properly analysed? ◆ What are "... accepted ISA standards"? In fact there are no accepted standards as described so the writ- er is either ignorant of what they should be doing, or they are deliberately misleading the reader by trying to sound knowledgeable when clearly, they are not. These issues are typical of writers attempting to pres- ent an opinion that is clearly not supported by evidence. Here are some suggested minimum criteria for reports. A credible report will include: ◆ A description of the assignment. The site address (it may include the legal description). The scope of work, and which tree(s) it applied to. The level of effort to be used, and what questions were to be answered in the report. ◆ Text and illustrations sufficient in extent so that the reader can clearly see and understand the present condition of the site and the tree(s), target issues, development plans and their implications for trees and targets, the extent of what was observed, and an explanation of limitations, such as what was not seen. ◆ Copies of development plans, such as survey plans of tree locations, and aerial photographs. If survey plans are used, make sure they have been plotted accurately, with tree trunks, crown spread, and crit- ical root zone correctly portrayed. All such plans must include a North arrow and a scale bar (no exceptions). ◆ If detailed tests were conducted, describe the equip- ment used, the test locations, and the test data. What did these tests seek to prove, and what was the data analysis process used? ◆ The conclusion or opinion should be clearly stated and the evidence produced in the report must clearly support the conclusion or opinion. ◆ Recommended courses of action should be explained and justified. ◆ All applicable limitations should be noted. These items apply in many other scenarios, so before the conclusion or opinion can be accepted, the reader should be asking: ◆ What type of evidence has been documented? ◆ Who collected it, when, where, and how? ◆ Are there data that were not collected? If so explain why (lack of time, money, accessibility to the site). ◆ How were the data analysed? Were there contrary explanations? If so, how did the writer select the preferred explanation? (This is a good place in the process to search for bias!) Dr. Dunster's new book, Documenting Evidence: Practical Guidance for Arborists, includes a com- prehensive description of evidence and how to col- lect, analyse, and present it. Copies are available from the author at www.dunster.ca. The book is complemented with a one-day course available by contacting Julian directly.