Enhancing Urban Landscapes in Dallas With Tree Surveys

A tree survey is an essential part of developing urban landscapes in Dallas. It can guide developers and architects in enhancing their properties with trees. At TreeNewal, we provide comprehensive tree surveys in Dallas for commercial developers and property managers.

What Is a Tree Survey?

Image via Flickr by Daniel Lobo

A tree survey assesses existing trees on a property planned for development, providing details about the trees and their condition. The survey’s results can offer guidance about whether to preserve or remove trees on the site.

Like most other cities, Dallas has rules about when property owners must conduct tree surveys. These rules fall under the city’s landscape and tree preservation regulations. Developers must perform tree surveys whenever they submit applications for tree removal or prepare plans for tree preservation.

Why Are Tree Surveys Important?

When most people think about Dallas and other large cities, trees don’t immediately come to mind. But they play an essential role in modern urban landscapes. According to the Nature Conservancy, trees in urban areas have the following benefits:

• Reduce pollution.
• Ease severe heat in the summer.
• Boost people’s immune systems.
• Decrease stress levels.
• Encourage physical activity.

Dallas and other urban areas lose these health and climate benefits without trees. Tree surveys ensure property owners consider the impacts of removing trees when developing forested areas.

In addition to protecting trees from unnecessary removal, these surveys have other benefits. For example, they can provide insight into the best trees to plant based on site conditions. They can also identify diseased or decaying trees, which may cause property damage.

Who Needs Tree Surveys?

In general, anyone planning commercial development on properties with existing trees should conduct tree surveys before beginning construction. A tree survey can allow an architect or landscape designer to create a development plan that considers trees. Others needing tree surveys include people preparing property maps for resale purposes and research teams conducting assessments of forested areas.

Homeowners in Dallas generally don’t need tree surveys to remove trees on their property. The city may require property owners to obtain permits to remove trees on private property when a home is part of a historic or conservation district.

What Does a Tree Survey Involve?

An experienced arborist should conduct a tree survey since they know what trees will grow and thrive in a specific area. At TreeNewal, our ISA-certified arborists are qualified to perform tree surveys in Dallas and the surrounding North Texas region.

During a tree survey, an arborist collects data from the property’s trees. This data includes the following:

• Species of trees.
• Measurements, such as a tree’s height and diameter.
• Age of trees.
• Condition of trees and their expected life span.

Based on this data, arborists can make detailed recommendations about the trees to preserve or remove on a property while also considering the city’s tree removal and preservation regulations.

Before developing a commercial property in Dallas, property owners should contact TreeNewal to schedule a tree survey. We work with commercial developers to comply with the city’s regulations and improve property values. For more information, contact us today.