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I just finished my 100th tree risk assessment and I'm starting to question the standard method

Everyone in my company swears by the ISA's basic visual tree risk assessment form, but after using it on 100 different trees in Portland, I think it misses a lot. It doesn't properly account for how soil saturation from our winter rains changes root plate stability overnight. Has anyone else found a better way to factor in rapid weather changes for risk ratings?
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3 Comments
pat_wood
pat_wood1mo ago
Check if your local university has done any soil stability research. Portland State might have data on how rain impacts root plates that the ISA forms don't cover yet. You could be onto something the standard method is too slow to catch.
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violafox
violafox25d ago
Saw a study linking heavy rain to sudden root failure.
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brookes37
brookes371mo agoTop Commenter
Yeah the standard form feels pretty basic sometimes. I started adding my own notes section for soil conditions and recent weather changes. That extra context helped a lot when things got soggy fast.
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