How Arborists Support Your Project From Start to Finish
If you’ve ever had a project suffer delays or grind to a halt because of a single tree, you already understand the stakes. And living in the Pacific Northwest, you know that trees are everywhere, showing up in nearly every project, whether you’re building public infrastructure or a private development.
Today, we’ll discuss trees using a project-lifecycle approach. We won’t focus on specific protection measures but instead on the role that trees—and, by extension, arborists—play at each project stage, from feasibility to construction.
Not all projects require an arborist from the start, but understanding the whole lifecycle can help you make better decisions and achieve greater project outcomes.
Learn more about our consulting arborist services.
Phase 1: Feasibility
Goal: Understand early risks and opportunities to control the narrative and reduce surprises.
In these early stages, it’s essential to start by identifying if there are trees on-site and the likelihood of significant tree impacts based on the proposed project. By involving an arborist early on, you can quickly identify valuable or protected trees on your property before you do anything that may endanger them.
It’s also critical at this point to consider the surrounding community and stakeholder priorities, and if any issues need to be addressed. Some jurisdictional requirements are highly specific, like limits on the number or size of trees you can cut. Involving an arborist helps you balance these often competing factors and lets you plan your arborist involvement in future phases so you can budget realistically.
We’ve seen projects where trees were preserved during construction, but hidden root damage led to unexpected decline a few years later. Issues like this are difficult and costly to fix after the fact, which is why it’s so important to catch them early.
Getting the facts about your trees early gives you a clear head start, setting the stage for a smoother planning process and fewer surprises.
Phase 2: Planning & Assessment
Goal: Identify valuable trees and explore options early.
Gathering early tree data during the planning stage can help you and your design team make informed decisions about the project. Our arborists conduct tree inventory surveys (typically part of the topographic survey) to map the locations of existing trees accurately. That way, the field and plan can be cross-referenced, especially when dealing with thousands of closely packed trees. Our approach aligns with the standards outlined by the American Society of Consulting Arborists, who define best practices for objective, science-based arborist consulting.
After the topographic survey, we’ll conduct a detailed tree evaluation including the tree species, size, structure, health, and special conditions. This information is critical for engineers because it can directly affect design decisions. The special conditions might include specific construction techniques—like observation or root-bridging methods—that are critical for the engineers to be aware of while designing plans. Our team typically layers this data directly onto the construction plans because we want the information in a place where contractors will actually see it: on the plans they already use. If the tree information is on a separate document, it’s easy for contractors to miss it, which can lead to damage that will be difficult to fix later.
Conducting Tree Health Assessments
When we evaluate trees, we look at two key factors: health and structural stability. Tree health refers to the tree’s vitality. How well it’s growing, if it’s diseased, and how much decay is present. Structural stability is whether the tree can physically support itself and its limbs.
Both are critical to evaluate because a tree can be structurally sound but unhealthy, or healthy but structurally unsound. Understanding the difference is critical, especially when assessing risk during and after construction.
The planning phase is also where multiple options—like route alternatives and layout shifts—can still be explored without impacting the project schedule or budget. With the right collaboration between our arborists and the full design team, tree protection can seamlessly integrate into your plans and the public narrative.
When trees are likely to be a public concern, having a certified arborist attend neighborhood or planning commission meetings can make a real difference. Instead of relying on a planner or engineer to speak on tree issues, our arborists bring technical expertise and credibility that helps earn trust from review boards, stakeholders, and the surrounding community.
Our detailed evaluations don’t just look for trees to preserve; they also identify trees that may be at risk or could become liabilities. Preserving a structurally unsound or vulnerable tree can create ongoing safety concerns and costly maintenance, so our recommendations balance protection with practicality.
Once the big-picture decisions are made in Planning, the focus can shift to refining the details—and that’s where Design begins.
Phase 3: Design
Goal: Refine plans and finalize protection strategies.
During the design phase, our arborists work closely with engineers, planners, surveyors, and landscape architects to refine preservation strategies. By creating formal plans, specifications, and permit-ready documentation, AKS certified arborists ensure trees are thoughtfully integrated into the site and the project approach.
But tree conflicts can’t always be solved with simple layout adjustments. When this is the case, our team can perform exploratory excavations to locate the root area and identify alternative construction techniques. For instance, we have assisted teams in implementing root-bridging foundations, allowing us to preserve important trees even when infrastructure is constructed nearby. When guided by an arborist, slight shifts to lot lines or layouts can make a big difference in avoiding unnecessary removals and protecting valuable canopy.
Beyond preservation, our arborists bring a broader understanding of how trees interact with their surrounding ecosystem and vegetation, contributing valuable insight during planting plan development and landscape coordination. The outcome is a design that supports the trees’ long-term health and the broader site environment.
Finally, we bring it all together. This phase is when we finalize the tree preservation and removal plans, specify protection measures, and prepare arborist reports required for permitting. These materials are layered directly into the plan set so contractors don’t overlook them. The more seamlessly tree protection is integrated, the more likely it is to be implemented successfully in the field.
A phone call to our arborist team to request observation the day before excavation is too late. Bringing in a certified arborist during design review is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
Phase 4: Construction
Goal: Ensure preservation practices are followed and protect trees during the most disruptive phase of your project.
Construction is where plans meet reality—and where tree damage is most likely to occur. Regardless of whether an arborist has been involved in earlier phases, this is a critical time to involve them in the project. Even minor missteps during construction can lead to long-term tree health issues, and unfortunately, these impacts often don’t show up until years later.
During the pre-bid and pre-construction meetings, our arborists help set expectations with the entire team, from project managers to contractors. We walk them through the specific protection measures in place, call attention to special conditions, and clarify any site constraints that could impact the health of nearby trees. When everyone is on the same page early, contractors can provide more accurate bids and avoid costly change orders later.
Before work begins, our arborists inspect tree protection fencing, identify potential conflicts, and advise on construction techniques to avoid root zone damage. We also conduct periodic site visits—especially during high-risk activities like trenching, excavation, or staging—to ensure protection strategies work in the field.
We’ve seen it before: tree protection fences moved “just a few feet” for equipment access. Or a staging area placed a little too close to the root zone. These minor adjustments in the moment can cause major damage that isn’t easy to fix later. Having an arborist check in during these key moments helps contractors stay compliant, avoid liability, and keep the project moving.
Even if we weren’t involved early on, bringing us in during construction is not too late. A well-timed site visit can still prevent damage and keep your project on track.
Phase 5: Post-Construction
Goal: Evaluate final conditions and catch issues early.
Once construction wraps up, it might feel like you’re crossing the finish line—but for your trees, it’s just the beginning of a new phase. Some tree impacts don’t show up right away. Damage to roots, compacted soil, or even subtle grading changes can set off a decline that takes years to reveal itself. That’s why post-construction evaluation is so critical.
At this stage, our arborists return to the site to assess the condition of preserved trees, verify that removal work was completed as planned, and ensure that protection measures were followed during construction. This phase is your last chance to catch any red flags before demobilizing your contractors and closing out the project.
A quick inspection now can save you headaches down the road—whether that’s replanting, liability concerns, or unexpected maintenance costs. Our job is to confirm that your investment in tree protection paid off, and that preserved trees will continue to thrive as long-term assets to your site, not become liabilities.
From Start to Finish, Trees Matter
Don’t let trees hold you back! With a little planning, everything will go smoothly. Our awesome certified arborists are just a phone call away, eager to help you navigate decisions and keep everything on track.
Questions about trees located on your project? We’re here and ready to assist!