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Tree Survey
Field Checklist

A working checklist for a field survey day, from what to confirm before you leave the office through what to double-check before you leave the site. Print it, or run through it on your phone.

Before you leave the office

  • Site plan PDF or plat in hand (loaded on your device if working digitally)
  • Scope confirmed with client — every tree, or only trees above a size threshold, or a defined zone
  • Data fields agreed upfront — species, DBH, condition at minimum; height, crown spread, risk fields if needed
  • Access confirmed — gate codes, contact on-site, any areas off-limits
  • Weather checked — note it on the report; conditions affect visibility of some defects

Equipment

  • DBH tape (or a regular tape and a calculator for the π conversion)
  • Clinometer or rangefinder for height and crown spread, if recording those
  • Camera or phone, charged, with enough storage for the day
  • Printed site plan and pencil, or device with the plan loaded
  • Gloves, boots, hi-vis if the site requires it

At each tree

  • Assign the next sequential number and mark its location on the plan
  • Record species (common and botanical name if known)
  • Measure DBH at breast height — each stem separately if multi-stem
  • Assess condition (good / fair / poor / dead)
  • Photograph the full tree, plus any defects or notable features
  • Note anything a client conversation will need later — hazards, recommendations, disputed boundary trees

Before you leave the site

  • Tree count on the plan matches the number of records taken
  • No duplicate or skipped tree numbers
  • Every tree has at least one photo, and you can tell which tree it belongs to
  • Any trees flagged as hazards have enough detail to justify the flag later
  • Site plan legible — a rain-smeared or torn plan is a real failure mode, check it before you pack up

Back at the office

  • Transcribe or export field notes the same day, while details are fresh
  • Match every photo to its tree number
  • Cross-check the record count against the site plan one more time
  • Compile the deliverable in the format the client expects (spreadsheet, PDF, both)

Most of these boxes check themselves if the tool you're using ties photos, data, and plan location together at the moment you record them. See the tree inventory guide for the full field workflow.

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