In our team we have an ISA Master Arborist, a Data Scientist and an ISA Arborist. While the Arborist determines what needs to be observed, assessed, and prescribed. Data and software design determine how those observations are stored, validated, transformed, mapped, and reported.

One of the practical challenges in tree risk assessment is that species failure profile information is real, useful, and widely referenced, but it is not available in one complete, authoritative source. Assessors often carry this information through experience. Over time, they develop a sense of which species are associated with certain branch habits, structural issues, storm responses, or recurring failure patterns.

Tree risk assessments don’t happen at a desk. They happen outside. In the rain. On uneven ground. Sometimes wearing gloves. Typing notes into a phone or navigating dropdown-heavy forms isn’t just annoying — it slows the work down and breaks focus. Paper notes aren’t much better when it’s wet or windy.

Notes from ISA study session Within the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ 3.0) methodology, overall tree risk is evaluated as a function of four interacting components: Target, Likelihood of Failure, Likelihood of Impact, and Consequences . Collectively, these elements determine the probability and severity of harm associated with a tree or tree part failure. The session summarized here focused primarily on the Target component and the factors that influence targe

Accurate tree identification relies heavily on vegetative characteristics, particularly when reproductive structures such as flowers or fruits are absent. Bud arrangement, twig anatomy, leaf morphology, and growth form provide reliable diagnostic features that remain visible for much of the year. Understanding how these traits vary among angiosperms allows for systematic identification across seasons and habitats.

Notes from ISA exam study session Soils function as chemically active systems largely because soil particles carry electrical charges. Clay minerals and organic matter possess a net negative charge, which allows them to attract and temporarily retain positively charged nutrient ions. This property underlies cation exchange capacity, the soil’s ability to hold and exchange nutrient cations such as calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), potassium (K⁺), ammonium (NH₄⁺), iron (Fe