Progress Report: Council Of Tree And Landscape Appraisers: 1975-1980

The objectives of CTLA are: 1) to periodically revise the Guide for establishing values of trees and other plants, 2) to correct the indifferent attitude toward trees that prevails in many areas, 3) to portray and convince “people” that trees have value and that the value can be measured or appraised by competent horticulture appraisers. Reference to “people” includes horticultural trade organizations, homeowners, industrial developers, insurance companies, Internal Revenue Service, legal associations, property management companies, public officials, public property supervisors, realtors, and utility organizations, 4) to improve horticultural appraisal procedures and practices through sponsored workshops and other means, 5) to function a liaison between the supporting organizations and regulatory agencies, and others, in areas of involvement relating values of trees and other plants, and 6) to prepare audio/visual material for public information, radio and television.

The accomplishments of CTLA can be summarized in three categories: Guide revisions, public relations activities and other activities. Two revisions of the shade tree evaluation guide have been completed: A guide to the professional evaluation of landscape trees, specimen shrubs, and evergreens in 1975, and Guide for establishing values of trees and other plants in 1979.

Public relations activities and promotions include audio/visual programs, Tree values (1977), 140 sets produced, 122 sets sold, and many rentals, and The tree casualty puzzle (1979), 50 sets produced, 25 sets sold, and many rentals.

Information leaflets include Tree values (1977), over 100,000 copies sold or distributed, and The tree casualty puzzle (1979), 75,000 copies printed, over 40,000 sold, and many distributed free. Distribution has covered 46 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada.

Consumer press (1976-1980): Feature stories on Tree values and How to recapture casualty losses have been furnished to the consumer press, daily and weekly papers, garden magazines, and other publications such as U.S. News & World Report, Changing Times, and Business Week. Press releases have been furnished to suburban papers. While no clipping service was hired, clippings have been received and filed from 39 states in the USA, and five provinces in Canada with paper circulations of more than 4,250,000. In 1978-79, the CTLA story was furnished to the consumer press through four AAN press packages.

Trade press (1976-1980): Releases on the activities of the Council and availability of the evaluation guide, audio/visual programs and leaflets have been mailed to some 150 national, regional, and local publications including the supporting organization bulletins. Editorials and articles in magazines, which included American Nurseryman, Grounds Maintenance, Weeds, Trees & Turf, and Pacific Coast Nurseryman, have resulted in a continuous flow of requests for further information to the Washington office.

Special feature articles and contacts (1978-1979): Special stories on Wye Oak and The $100,000 Tree were supplied to 60 or more publications. Feature articles on Tree values and Importance of professional appraisal was furnished to popular magazines such as Southern Living, Sunset, Better Homes & Gardens, American Home, House Beautiful, House & Garden, McCall’s, and Ladies Home Journal. A special article on Winter damage casualty coverage was furnished to United Press International, AP and Script Howard publications, AP Radio Service, and News Service of the three major broadcasting systems. The message got across to insurance companies and IRS.

Radio public service (1976 & 1978): Two radio public service announcements were mailed to about 1,000 radio stations and networks each month for a three-month period. The production firm handling them estimated 3,000 individual stations got the material directly or through “feeds,” and the messages were heard by an estimated 61.1 million listeners in any four-week period.

Rapid response (1977-1979): Stories were furnished to the supporting organizations for publication in news releases suggesting that members contact the Washington office in case of severe storms in their area. On contact, the Washington office sent mailgrams for press service releases to papers in the area indicating what steps homeowners should take to recapture their loss through insurance or tax deduction. Information also was sent to members contacting the Washington office.

Miscellaneous information services (1976-1980): The CTLA Washington office acts as a cleaning house on requests for information. The Washington office and the Council members receive an increasing number of requests for information by phone and correspondence. A calculation in the Washington office in 1979 indicated requests have come from at least 40 states, Canada, and Great Britain. A breakdown indicates requests as follows: 41 % from arborist, landscape and nursery firms, 27% from federal and state government offices, 17% from individuals, and 15% from universities and schools.

Casualty insurance (1974-1979): Contacts with Insurance Services Office, Inc., New York City, in 1974-75 resulted in a recommendation of an increase from $250.00 to $500.00 for any one tree, shrub or plant in the model “All New ‘76 Home Owners Policy.” The option has been approved in all but nine states by state regulatory departments, and by several insurance companies. Contacts are continuing to obtain coverage of tree removal and clean-up, wind damage, and cost of replacement of trees or plants damaged.

Internal Revenue Service (1975-1979): The original contacts made through Washington attornies for the IRS to recognize horticulture appraisers has failed to bring positive results. These contacts continued in 1977-78. In 1979, two meetings were held with IRS personnel at which time they were furnished with a copy fo the Guide and the A/V program, The Tree Casualty Puzzle. These contacts with IRS have resulted in a better and more knowledgeable understanding of the Council’s endeavor to equate a realistic evaluation of tree and plant casualty cases.

Court cases: Through the Council’s contacts and public relations activities the Guide is being accepted as admissible evidence in court cases. In a recent case (1979), Alice Beck vs. Les Bryan, in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, Lawrence County, State of South Dakota, the formula for replacement costs was accepted as admissible evidence. A report has also come to the Council’s attention that the Supreme Court of Minnesota has ruled that trees on private property can be appraised separate from the property as a whole.

Related organizations (1978-1979): Contact with the American Society of Appraisers, a multidisciplined appraisal organization, has resulted in the CTLA furnishing speakers at two of their annual meetings. ASA recently prepared a release, Do you value your trees and shrubs, in which the Tree casúalty puzzle went to 3,000 daily weekly papers. A CTLA member cooperated with the American Association of Nurserymen in compiling information on the functional values of trees and other plants in conserving energy. Information was also presented to the House Ways & Means Committee.

Tree evaluation workshops (1978-1979) sponsored or aided by members of the Council include National Arboretum, Washington, D.C. (1978) and Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois; Waltham Field Station, Waltham, Massachusetts; Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center, Wooster, Ohio; and Syracuse, New York in 1979.

Meetings (1973-1980): Two or more 1- to 3-day meetings of the Council are held yearly. Others are held in conjunction with meetings of ISA, ASCA or NAA. A total of 39 meetings have been held.

• © 1981, International Society of Arboriculture. All rights reserved.