The Reliability of a Windshield Survey to Locate Hazards in Roadside Trees

Hazardous conditions in roadside trees are a constant concern for municipal arborists. Due to fiscal constraints, many municipalities desire an accurate and efficient method to inspect their tree populations. This case study shows that a windshield survey can be used to find hazardous conditions in roadside trees, using a simple system and an experienced Certified Arborist. In addition, the case study showed that the percentage of detected hazardous conditions increased as the conditions became more severe. The percentage of hazardous tree conditions found using a windshield survey in developed sample areas far exceeded those found in undeveloped sample areas.