Discipline 05 · Arboriculture
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry
The care of individual trees and the urban forest: selection, planting, pruning, risk assessment and protection during construction.
Scope4 work areas
Measured by4 metrics
Standards3 references
Regions16
Palette134 regional entries
What practitioners deliver
- Species selection for soil volume, climate and risk.
- Planting, establishment and aftercare.
- Pruning for structure, clearance and risk.
- Tree protection on development sites and canopy targets.
What is measured
- Canopy cover as a percentage of the site or city.
- Tree risk rating and inspection interval.
- Soil volume available per tree (m³).
- Root protection area radius on construction sites.
Standards and bodies
ISA · ANSI A300 · Arboricultural Association
Across 16 regions
| Region | Climate | Taxa | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Europe Cfb · 7–9 | Temperate oceanic | 6 | Region |
| Continental Europe Dfb / Dfa · 4–7 | Humid continental | 9 | Region |
| Nordic & Boreal Dfc / ET · 1–5 | Subarctic and alpine | 5 | Region |
| Mediterranean Csa / CSb · 8–11 | Mediterranean | 8 | Region |
| US Northeast Dfb / Dfa · 3–7 | Humid continental | 10 | Region |
| Pacific Northwest Csb · 7–9 | Warm-summer Mediterranean | 6 | Region |
| California & Southwest Csa / BWh / BSh · 5–11 | Mediterranean and arid | 8 | Region |
| US Southeast Cfa · 7–11 | Humid subtropical | 10 | Region |
| Tropical Latin America Af / Am / Aw · 11–13 | Tropical | 4 | Region |
| Andes & South America Cfb / Csb / ETH · 6–10 | Temperate and highland | 11 | Region |
| Africa Aw / BSh / Csa · 9–12 | Tropical savanna, highland and Mediterranean Cape | 9 | Region |
| Middle East BWh / BSh / Csa · 7–11 | Arid and semi-arid | 12 | Region |
| South Asia Am / Aw / Cwa · 8–13 | Monsoon tropical and subtropical | 8 | Region |
| Southeast Asia Af / Am · 11–13 | Equatorial | 5 | Region |
| East Asia Cfa / Dwa / Dfb · 4–10 | Temperate monsoon | 13 | Region |
| Australasia Cfb / Cfa / BWh · 7–11 | Temperate and arid | 10 | Region |
FAQ
When should trees be pruned?
Most pruning is done in dormancy for structure and in early summer for clearance; avoid fresh cuts in wet autumn, and never prune a protected species without checking the rules.
Why do newly planted trees die?
Often because the root ball dries out, the planting hole is too small, or the tree is staked too rigidly. Water in the first two summers matters more than fertiliser.
How close can I build to a tree?
Closer than the root protection area is a risk to the tree and usually a planning constraint. Get an arboriculturist to mark the area before excavation.