A tree risk assessment form records one tree: what could break, what it would land on, how likely that is in the coming period, and what to do about it. It is the paperwork behind a recommendation to prune, brace, move something or take the tree down, and it is what a client, an insurer or a city reads when they ask why. This template follows a basic, from-the-ground assessment of a single tree. The judgement belongs to the arborist; the form keeps it in order and puts photos beside it. Fill it in on this page and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Start with what is underneath
A dead limb over an empty field is a defect; the same limb over a school bus stop is a risk. That is why the form asks about targets before it asks about the tree. List each thing the tree or a falling part could reach — people walking, cars, a roof, a power line, a playground — how often it is there, and whether it could be moved or the area closed off. Those two answers often decide the cheapest way to lower the risk.
If nothing is within reach, say so. A tree with no target in range does not need a risk rating, however poor it looks, though you may still want to monitor it.
From the roots up
The defect sections run from the ground upward: roots and root collar, trunk, scaffold limbs, then the smaller branches and the crown. Root problems are the easiest to miss and among the most serious, so they come first, while you are still at the base with a trowel and a mallet.
For each part, tick what you saw, write down the one condition that worries you most, say how much load it carries, and give your judgement of how likely that part is to fail in the period. Photos sit in each section, so the evidence lands next to the finding it supports.
The rating, in plain words
Each risk entry pairs one tree part with one target. First, how likely is the part to fail in the period, and if it does, how likely is it to strike that target? Combine those two: only an imminent failure over a constantly used target is very likely; a probable failure over a busy target is likely; most other combinations come out somewhat likely or unlikely.
Then weigh that against how bad the harm would be. An unlikely strike is low risk whatever it would hit. A likely or very likely strike with significant or severe harm is high. Extreme is kept for a very likely strike with severe consequences, which is the tree you deal with before you leave. The form gives you dropdowns, not a calculator: you choose each step and the reasoning stays visible.
Mitigation, and the risk that is left
Every option you offer gets its own line with the risk you expect to remain once it is done. Reducing a heavy limb, adding a cable, moving a picnic table and removing the tree all lower the risk by different amounts and at different costs, and the client should see that side by side.
Finish with what limited the inspection — a crown in full leaf, a base buried in ivy, a side you could not reach — and whether something beyond a ground-level look is needed, such as an aerial inspection or a decay test. Then set when the tree should be looked at again.
Common questions
Is this the ISA TRAQ form?
No. ISA publishes its own tree risk assessment form for people who hold its Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, and that form is ISA's. This is an independent template that records a basic assessment in the order an arborist walks it, using the common terms of the method described in ANSI A300 Part 9 and ISA's best management practice.
Who should fill in a tree risk assessment?
A qualified arborist. The likelihood and consequence judgements need training and experience; the form records them but cannot make them. Many cities, utilities and insurers ask for an assessor with a specific credential, which is why the credential is typed at the top.
Why does the form not calculate the rating for me?
Because the rating is a professional judgement, and a calculated box can hide the reasoning. Each step is a dropdown with the logic spelled out in its hint, so the reader can see exactly which choices led to the rating.
What is residual risk?
The risk you expect to remain once a mitigation option is carried out. Removing a dead limb over a patio might bring a high rating down to low; adding a cable might bring it to moderate. Recording it for each option helps the client choose.
How often should a tree be reassessed?
It depends on the tree, its defects and what is under it. A sound tree in a quiet corner might be looked at every few years; a tree with known decay over a busy path might need a yearly check and another after any severe storm. The form records the interval you set and the reason.
Can I use this for more than one tree?
This form is for one tree. For a quick look at many trees along a route, use the visual tree assessment; for a full inventory of a property, use the tree audit form.