Forestrees · Australian public tree management
Public tree management for modern councils
Forestrees helps councils, contractors, arborists and urban forest teams manage trees as living public assets — with better records, inspections, work history, risk visibility and field evidence.
- Tree registers
- Inspections and condition history
- Work orders and maintenance evidence
- Contractor activity and compliance
- Urban canopy and risk reporting
The operational gap
Most tree records do not reflect what is happening in the field
Many councils already have tree inventories, GIS layers, inspection sheets, contractor emails, resident requests, pruning schedules and asset registers. The problem is that these records typically sit across disconnected systems.
That makes it difficult to answer simple operational questions about any given tree — let alone roll up reporting across precincts or programs.
Questions a tree record should answer
- What is the latest known condition of this tree?
- Who inspected it, and when?
- What work was completed?
- What evidence was captured?
- Is there an outstanding risk?
- Has the contractor provided proof?
- What should happen next?
How the record stays current
The operational tree management loop
Each step in this loop should leave a trace on the tree record. When the loop is connected, the register reflects field reality.
Step 01
Tree asset
Identity, location, species, structure.
Step 02
Inspection
Condition, defects, risk assessment.
Step 03
Risk / condition
Latest known state, recommended action.
Step 04
Work order
Scope, contractor, timeframe.
Step 05
Field evidence
Photos, forms, GPS, notes.
Step 06
Updated record
Closeout against the asset.
Step 07
Council report
Rolled up across precinct or program.
Living infrastructure
Trees are living infrastructure, not static assets
A road sign may stay unchanged until inspected. Trees are different. They grow, decline, drop limbs, interfere with infrastructure, trigger resident requests and create public safety risks.
What changes
Condition changes
What happens
Work changes the asset
What proves it
Evidence matters
The record
The operational tree record
A useful tree record should tell the story of the asset over time — not just where it is and what species it is.
When the record is complete, parks staff, contractors, asset teams and customer service can all see the same operational truth.
What a record should hold
- Location and GIS reference
- Species and structural details
- Latest known condition
- Risk rating and inspection history
- Work order history
- Contractor evidence
- Resident requests and complaints
- Photos, forms and notes
- Next action or review date
Who Forestrees is for
Built for the people responsible for public trees
Council parks and environment teams
Urban forest officers
Asset and risk teams
Contractors and arborists
Operations managers
Practical topics
Explore practical tree management topics
Asset records
Tree Asset Management
Treat public trees as living infrastructure with reliable records, condition history and field evidence.
Read moreStrategy & operations
Urban Forest Management
Translate canopy strategy into inspections, planting programs, maintenance schedules and reporting.
Read moreInventory
Council Tree Registers
Move beyond GIS layers and spreadsheets to registers that reflect what is happening in the field.
Read moreField data
Tree Inspection Software
Capture condition, defects, risk, photos and follow-up actions that update the operational record.
Read moreWorks & evidence
Vegetation Contractor Management
Manage tree maintenance contractors with clear scope, proof of work, GPS evidence and closeout.
Read moreRisk
Risk and Compliance
Build defensible tree risk records that hold up to audit, complaint and public liability scrutiny.
Read moreCouncil guide
Get the council tree asset management guide
A practical guide to structuring tree records, inspections, work history and contractor evidence for council tree operations.
- The core fields a tree asset record should always contain
- How inspections, works and contractor activity should update the record
- A simple operational loop for defensible tree risk records
- Sample checklists and register quality measures
From the resource
Recent articles
What Is Tree Asset Management?
Tree asset management is the practice of maintaining reliable, field-updated records for public trees — covering identity, condition, risk, work history and evidence over time.
22 April 2026
Why Council Tree Registers Fail in the Field
Most council tree registers are built once and left to drift. Here are the patterns that quietly erode register quality, and what to do about each.
15 April 2026
What Data Should Councils Capture During Tree Inspections?
A practical breakdown of the inspection fields that actually update the operational record — and the ones that quietly never get used.
1 April 2026
Better tree records start with the operational loop
Forestrees publishes practical resources on tree asset management, council registers, inspections, urban forests and contractor evidence.