VETcert

[David Humphries]

The final versions of the VETcert standards for practitioners and consultants are now available.

 

They can be downloaded from the website.

 

https://vetcert.eu/standards-certificates

 

 

[treeseer]

Lots of good aspects to consider, but both docs lack detailed guidance on how, for instance, to inspect a tree.

 

Maybe they figure that everyone's familiar with the US standard:  

 “Inspection should include: • Conditions in the crown that may reflect root conditions • Stem tissue connecting the crown and the roots (functional vertical segments) • Girdling of buttress roots or stems by roots or foreign objects, and the tree’s response • Tree association with beneficial and harmful insects Tree association with pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms (e.g. mycorrhizae)

• Wounds, and the tree’s response to wounds • Mechanical damage to detectable roots, and response • Indications of root disease and response • Graft unions in grafted trees.”

[David Humphries]

4 hours ago, treeseer said:

Lots of good aspects to consider, but both docs lack detailed guidance on how, for instance, to inspect a tree.

 

Maybe they figure that everyone's familiar with the US standard:  

 “Inspection should include: • Conditions in the crown that may reflect root conditions • Stem tissue connecting the crown and the roots (functional vertical segments) • Girdling of buttress roots or stems by roots or foreign objects, and the tree’s response • Tree association with beneficial and harmful insects Tree association with pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms (e.g. mycorrhizae)

• Wounds, and the tree’s response to wounds • Mechanical damage to detectable roots, and response • Indications of root disease and response • Graft unions in grafted trees.”

 

My understanding from a stakeholders perspective (not involved directly withe the final draft) is that the presumption is that practitioners and consultants will have 'demonstrable' experience regarding tree condition/structure and a working knowledge of the relevant 'local' standards, which will/should be addressed at the application stage......i think.

 

Unit number: 2 Unit title: The growth, development and aging of trees: the role of physiological function and dysfunction

Unit summary: Practitioners have an understanding of how trees grow, age and decay and why this is relevant to veteran tree management.

 

One of the main criterion in drafting these, was to not make the standards too onerous where supplementary guidance already exists.

 

 

 

[treeseer]

Yes, the TRAQ folks say the same thing; "We assume that people know how to inspect a tree", when in fact people do not have the experience or methodology to do so without missing critical details.

 

As a fellow stakeholder/commenter I was disappointed in the broad generalities.  It's not really a standard of practice.  The goals are proper and worthwhile, but the means are sorely lacking.

 

Aside from ANSI A300 Part 8 , where is this supplementary guidance of which you speak?  I do not see it in BS3998.  ANSI are not commonly available.  LANTRA maybe?

Edited June 10, 2018 by treeseer