The document discusses the benefits of trees and the legal duties surrounding tree risk and negligence. It begins by pledging to adhere to arborist ethics and standards when working with trees. It then lists some of the key benefits trees provide, such as carbon sequestration, oxygen production, erosion control, and energy conservation. The document closes by emphasizing that landowners have a duty of care to inspect trees for defects on their property to prevent injury from falling trees.

1. In Defense of Trees
BY: JOSH BEHOUNEK & PAUL JOHNSON

2. ISA Pledge
I pledge as an ISA Certified
Arborist to:
• Adhere to the Code of Ethics,
• Follow ANSI standards,
• Utilize PPE at all times,
• Etc.

3. The Tree..
Green ash – Fraxinus
pennsylvanica
16” dbh
Street Tree

5. I speak for the trees…

6. Negligence
• A person is negligent when he or she fails to act
as a reasonable prudent person under the
circumstances.
Duty of Care
• A landowner is not only held to the duty of
common prudence in maintaining trees on his
property, but is also held to an even greater
duty of inspection to discover possible defects of
a tree in order to prevent it from falling and
injuring others. If risk can’t be eliminated, it
should be mitigated so that acceptable level of
risk is achieved.

8. Risk Rating

9. The benefit$ of trees?
• Carbon sequestration
• Oxygen
• Erosion Control
• Aesthetics
• Energy Conservation
• Storm Water Interception
• Pollution Control
• Quality of Life

10. Annual Benefits
• $51 total benefits
• 1,438 gallons of
stormwater
• Conserve 35.2
Kilowatt-hours
• 320 pounds of CO2

12. Thanks!
Josh Behounek
Josh.Behounek@davey.com
573-673-7530
@treesrtheanswr
Paul Johnson
pjohnson@tfs.tamu.edu
210-494-4771
@treevangelist