Arborist report types: what three councils say each one is and who may write it
The report kinds that North Sydney Council, the District of Saanich and Camden Council each name in their own tree guidance, when each says a report is needed, and what they say it must contain.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes three councils' published tree guidance, two in New South Wales and one in British Columbia. Each council sets its own names, triggers and writer rules, so the same words do not mean the same report from one council to the next. For the consulting role itself, see the guide on the consulting arborist.
At a glance
| Council | Report kinds it names | Who may write it |
|---|---|---|
| North Sydney Council, New South Wales | Preliminary Tree Assessment, Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Tree Protection Plan and Specifications, Pruning Specifications, Root Mapping | Consultant arborists with an AQF Level 5 qualification, Diploma of Arboriculture or equivalent |
| Saanich, British Columbia | Arborist Report with a Tree Management Plan, Impact Assessment, Tree Risk Assessment (Levels 1 to 3), post-construction supervision memos | An arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture and qualified as a Tree Risk Assessor, or qualified by the Province as a Wildlife/Danger Tree Assessor |
| Camden Council, New South Wales | Preliminary Assessment, Impact Assessment, Tree Protection Plan, Health Assessment, Risk and Hazard Assessment | AQF Level 5 Diploma in Horticulture (Arboriculture) or AQF Level 5 in Arboriculture |
North Sydney Council
North Sydney's page on trees in development applications describes a Preliminary Tree Assessment as work "undertaken at the beginning of the development project" that identifies trees on the site and on neighbouring land where works may fall in their Notional Root Zone. It says an Arboricultural Impact Assessment is needed where works will occur in the Notional Root Zone of one or more trees, once the final design is complete, and that it assesses likely impacts, justifies removals and sets out protection measures for retained trees. A Tree Protection Specification gives written instructions and a Tree Protection Plan is a graphical site plan; the page says they may sit inside the impact assessment on smaller projects and be separate documents on complex ones. A Pruning Specifications Report details pruning, its effect on building clearances and tree health, and equipment access. A Root Mapping Report is described for cases where the assessment cannot decide whether the tree would stay viable, and locates significant roots by non-destructive methods such as hand or air excavation. The page cites AS 4970:2025 throughout and AS 4373:2007 for pruning. It says the council only accepts reports from consultant arborists with an AQF Level 5 qualification, Diploma of Arboriculture, or equivalent.
Saanich
Saanich's General Arborist Report Specifications, a four-page sheet whose file metadata dates it May 29, 2025, say recommendations and methods must be consistent with International Society of Arboriculture best management practices or ANSI standards. It says an arborist report with a tree management plan is required when protected trees are on the site, or when off-site protected trees have a dripline within 4 meters of proposed activities. An impact assessment is required when "tree damaging" activities have occurred. A tree risk assessment is described at three levels: a limited visual assessment (Level 1, "typically insufficient" to decide a tree permit request), a basic assessment with simple tools such as a mallet or probe (Level 2) and an advanced assessment with specialized equipment or analysis (Level 3). Post-construction supervision memos are required when set as a condition of a tree permit. The sheet lists report contents, including the arborist's ISA certification number, date and time of site visit, a tag-numbered tree inventory with species, diameter at breast height to the nearest centimetre, height, crown spread, structure and condition, photographs and a signature.
Camden Council
Camden's Arboricultural Reports sheet, whose file name carries June 2014, says reports must accompany any development application for commercial, industrial, subdivision, and medium and high density residential development, naming the Preliminary Assessment Report, Impact Assessment Report and Tree Protection Plan. It says other reports such as a Health Assessment Report or a Risk and Hazard Assessment Report may be submitted or requested by the Vegetation Officer. It requires a consulting arborist to hold AU$2,000,000 of professional indemnity insurance, and lists thirteen report requirements: methodology, limitations, a tree table with safe useful life expectancy, recommendations, a site plan, supporting evidence and references. It closes by saying information should be presented as objectively as possible, without trying to support a specific outcome or the client's intent.