Are you concerned about the safety of a tree? Whether you need to satisfy an insurance requirement or fulfill your legal duty of care, we provide the certainty you need. Using Arbotom Sonic Tomography and Resistograph technology, we assess structural risks without the guesswork.
Get your quote in 24 hours
Scientific certainty for your tree safety reports. We provide irrefutable evidence on the structural condition of trees using advanced sonic tomography and precision micro-drilling.
Are you looking for an arboricultural consultant to provide irrefutable evidence on the structural condition of your trees? Visual inspections can only tell half the story. If a tree possesses hidden internal defects, a standard survey might miss them entirely. Tree Decay Detection is a specialist field requiring high-level diagnostic technology to answer one critical question: Is this tree safe? At Arbor Cultural Ltd, we provide definitive, data-backed decay detection reports tailored for developers, schools, hospitals, and private homeowners across Surrey, Sussex, and the Southeast. Our testing establishes the exact extent of fungal decay in trunks or branches to prevent catastrophic failure, ensuring your legal Duty of Care is comprehensively met.
Our Diagnostic Technologies utilise the latest hardware to give you more information about your trees or those of your client. Equipment falls into two primary categories: non-invasive (using sound waves) and invasive (using micro-drilling). For property owners, we produce the quantifiable reports required to satisfy risk-averse insurance underwriters regarding large mature trees located near buildings or foundations. These methods allow for the supply of irrefutable technical evidence that Local Councils demand for planning applications, supporting either the retention of high-value trees or providing the necessary justification for their removal.
We undertake sonic tomography on trees, a highly advanced diagnostic process akin to a medical ultrasound. Sensors are placed strategically around the circumference of the tree to measure the time sound waves take to travel through the timber. This collected acoustic data is simultaneously transmitted to our diagnostic computer, creating a coloured 2D or 3D image. The software meticulously maps zones of differing sound-transmission properties, clearly highlighting hollow spots, degradation, and internal decay without destructive impact.
For detailed, physical confirmation, we utilise the brand new IML RESI-PD400 micro-drill. This specialist instrument, a form of Resistograph, measures both torsional resistance and the pushing force required to penetrate the tree stem with a 3mm drill bit. Drops in resistance instantly indicate decayed wood or cavities. Both readings are displayed on a digital readout and exported as detailed graphical images directly into your safety report, offering a level of precision that visual inspections simply cannot match.
If micro-drilling identifies significant decay, we can physically verify the extent by extracting a core sample. This allows us to definitively quantify strength loss and identify the specific fungal pathogen present. This scientific verification is the gold standard for high-stakes planning applications or risk assessments where the safety of the public or high-value infrastructure is the primary concern.
Structural integrity is only part of the story. We utilise Arbor Check chlorophyll fluorescence testers to measure a tree’s physiological vitality and stress levels. By understanding the tree's internal energy reserves, we can design management specifications—such as targeted minor weight reduction—that manage the safety risk effectively without triggering a spiral of decline that often follows heavy pruning.
Traditionally, trees exhibiting decay were heavily reduced or "topped" to reduce wind loading. While this reduces dynamic load, it often destroys the tree’s physiological health. Removing the leaf area cuts off the energy supply (sugars) the tree requires to fight the fungal pathogen. This triggers a "spiral of decline" where the tree becomes too weak to stop the decay from spreading. Our approach utilises diagnostic data to design management plans that keep trees safe without compromising their biological health.
A tree’s ability to resist decay organisms depends entirely on its root system. In urban areas like London and Surrey, severely compacted soil often prevents roots from accessing the water and oxygen they desperately need to survive. We utilise an Air Spade (Compressed Air Lance) to blast apart compacted soil without causing any damage to delicate fibrous roots. This technology allows us to safely inspect structural roots for decay without the destruction caused by mechanical digging. Following decompaction, we apply Biochar and organic mulch to improve the rooting environment, helping the tree resist decay organisms naturally.
The ArboTom instrument is also equipped with an Arboradix probe, allowing us to accurately assess the location and integrity of major structural roots hidden beneath the soil. This is a fast, highly efficient test that measures strength loss and safety factors, providing technical justification for development near high-value trees while ensuring their long-term stability.
Whether you require definitive data for Expert Witness legal cases or need to discharge conditions via Arboricultural Supervision, our decay detection suite is the gold standard. We prevent unnecessary tree removal by providing the scientific certainty that a tree is safe to retain, saving you money on removal and replacement while preserving your landscape capital.
Contact us via our simple form or by phone. We assess your specific needs and provide a fixed-fee proposal with zero hidden costs.
We arrange a visit at your convenience. Our consultants use advanced decay detection technology to gather precise data efficiently.
We produce a legally defensible report, delivered digitally—ready for immediate submission to your council or lender.
Unbiased, technical expertise trusted by developers, architects, and private householders across the South East.
