Kamil Witkoś-Gnach, Tree Institute (PL) Increasing social, political and scientific interest in trees results in a vibrant development of arboriculture, increasingly supported by modern technology. The emergence of specialization is visible in content (e.g. veteran vs young trees, single tree vs urban forest) and roles (consultants vs practitioners, contractors vs managers). The process of caring for trees is often divided into stages. Assessment and diagnosis are distinguished activities – leading to guidelines for further maintenance. It is implemented as a separate process/stage, especially for problematic and valuable trees. The industry responds to these needs, although not always in a structured manner. Based on a review and desk research, we have found competency and technological gaps internationally across the industry. Our work concentrates on Central and Eastern Europe, but the results and models can be used elsewhere.
In the TREE ASSESSOR project funded by ERASMUS+, we have developed a proposal for a complete training and certification program for tree assessment professionals: from site survey to basic tree assessment to specialist/ advanced assessment. It is free and includes training guidelines, syllabuses, textbooks, tests, and trainers’ guides. The results of the project will be presented together with an implementation plan.