This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare arborist reports with specific arboricultural content at consultant level.

This unit applies to individuals who take personal responsibility and exercise autonomy in undertaking complex work, to analyse and synthesise information and design and communicate solutions to complex problems. They provide professional services in arboricultural report writing involving tree assessment and risk, tree management, arboricultural impact, tree pathology and structural tree problems.

Preparing arboricultural reports involves the self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in some areas such as tree identification, tree assessment techniques and reporting methods.

No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.

The candidate must produce a body of work compiling evidentiary data, research material, data, observations and test results into a stylised presentation of custom format using component industry conventions. The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence for and demonstrate:

determining the client brief and manage client expectations

determining client need for evidentiary data records

determining statutory requirements for report

establishing specific focus points within report topic

establishing report limits and assumptions

determining arboricultural content required by evaluation of all relevant requirements and limitations

determining the textual and visual content of report

researching information about topic and specific focus points

assessing primary and secondary sources of research material

inspecting and recording details and observations of site, trees, location and matters relevant to focus points and topic

recording relevant visual evidence using photographic equipment

obtaining and recording information from test results

collating observations, test results, research material and inspection data into a body of evidentiary data

backing up and storing data for later retrieval

determining presentation style of report to meet client and statutory outcomes

determining requirements for specific document content and layout using accepted arboriculture industry conventions

obtaining necessary permissions for use of tables, diagrams or other copyright information

utilising appropriate custom document templates, logo, tables, charts, and art required to produce word-processor documents

inserting required document elements such as title, page numbers, table of contents, footers and headers and watermark

incorporating collated data, information and evidentiary data into formatted body of the report

operating computer and software application to edit document for language use, text content, spelling, grammar and punctuation appropriate for consulting arborists

assessing a body of evidentiary data

determining value of supporting and contradictory evidence

using considered viewpoints to make an informed decision

formulating a conclusive determination

informing client whether or not determination can meet the client brief

developing a set of recommendations based on that determination in accordance with the client brief

preparing a draft document based on brief, method, observation, conclusion and recommendations system

evaluating the impact of using active and passive voice

seeking feedback on prepared report

responding to feedback and editing report based on feedback provided

drafting final sections of report document

developing summary of report

producing final version of arboricultural report

delivering final report to client and statutory authority

formulating a glossary of arboricultural terminology and industry jargon.

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

client briefs

management of client expectations

client need for evidentiary data records

statutory reporting requirements

specific focus points within report topics

limits and assumptions of reports

required arboricultural content

textual and visual content of report

information research

assessment of primary and secondary sources of research material

methods of determining information validity and reliability

site inspections

photographic equipment for recording of visual evidence

collation of observations, test results, research material and inspection data into a body of evidentiary data

data collection, collation, backup, storage and retrieval

reporting and presentation styles for statutory and client outcomes

requirements for specific document content and layout using accepted arboriculture industry conventions

permissions for use of tables, diagrams or other copyright information

custom document templates, logo, tables, charts, and art required to produce word-processor documents

document elements such as title, page numbers, table of contents, footers and headers and watermark

computer and software application to edit documents

language use, text content, spelling, grammar and punctuation

consulting arborist terminology

assessment of a body of evidentiary data

evaluation of supporting and contradictory evidence

consideration of different viewpoints in making informed decisions

decision-making processes

formulation of conclusive determinations

draft document preparation

system of brief, method, observation, conclusion and recommendations

evaluation of impact of using active and passive voice

report editing based on feedback provided

development of a report summary

final report formulation, formatting and writing

production of a glossary of arboricultural terminology and industry jargon.

Assessment must be demonstrated consistently over time in a suitable range of contexts and have a productivity-based outcome. No single assessment event or report is sufficient to achieve competency in this unit.

Assessment may be conducted in a simulated or real work environment, however determination of competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions.

The mandatory equipment and materials used to gather evidence for assessment include:

equipment:

computer

digital camera/phone camera

internet connection

word processing software

trees

materials:

arborist report

glossary of arboricultural terminology

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs in the assessment of arboriculture units of competency.

Assessment must be conducted only by persons who have:

arboriculture vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed

current arboriculture industry skills directly relevant to the unit of competency being assessed

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Arboriculture (ARB)