Trees Consultants: 5

John Booth, the Principal Consultant and Practice Director of Sylvanus Arboricultural Consultants Ltd., is a Chartered Aboricuturalist and Chartered Environmentalist and one of the UK’s most widely qualified Arboricultural Consultants. He has over 25 years experience in both the private and public sectors and has written numerous articles and papers for respected publications including the International Journal of Urban Forestry for which he is also a referee.

Mr. Booth and Sylvanus Ltd. are regularly instructed by both developers and Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) who are keen to ensure a satisfactory outcome from the planning process, (i.e. an appropriate balance between tree retention and realizing a site's development potential). All such work is carried out in accordance with the guiding principles of British Standard 5837 ‘Trees in Relation to Construction – Recommendations.’ 

Mr. Booth is a Bond Solon/Cardiff University trained Expert Witness and a member of the Expert Witness Institute. He has many years of experience in both courtroom and planning enquiries. Services Include:

• Tree Inspection & Survey - Single Tree, Large Population, Mortgage Lending, Safety and Subsidence Issues
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's) and Conservation Areas - Detailed Specifications for Tree Work Applications for Trees with Statutory Protection
• Trees and Development - Tree Surveys for Submission with Planning Applications, Tree Constraints Plans (TCP’s), Tree Protection Plans (TPP’s), Arboricultural Impact Assessments (AIA), Arboricultural Method Statements (AMS)

John Bornsworth is the owner and Principal of Peninsula Environmental. With over 20 years of experience in urban and community forestry management, John is a Board-Certified Master Arborist and a Registered Consulting Arborist. He holds additional qualifications in Municipal Arboriculture, Tree and Plant Appraisal, and Tree Risk Assessment. John is also a TCIA Certified Treecare Safety Professional. John’s expertise spans urban and community forestry planning and policy, tree forensics, pathology, risk management, and he frequently provides expert witness testimony. John also serves as a chairperson of the Washington State’s Urban & Community Forestry Council, where he represents commercial arboriculture.

Julian Forbes-Laird is a Chartered Arboriculturist, Arboricultural Association Registered Consultant, experienced Expert Witness and Principal Consultant of Forbes-Laird Arboricultural Consultancy Ltd. Mr. Forbes-Laird has a professional practice working throughout the UK and overseas. He covers all aspects of arboriculture, specializing in planning, tree safety and litigation related matters.

Mr. Forbes-Laird is supported by a team of regionally based consultants, giving him national and international reach. He sets the standard for client service, works throughout the UK and abroad, provides commercially realistic strategic advice, prepares sensitive yet practical management plans, works within project design teams to evolve arboriculturally defensible layouts, wins planning appeals, and handles an enormous amount of work under pressing deadlines helping clients' achieve the best outcome. 

Mr. Forbes-Laird is widely recognised as an authority on legal issues pertaining to trees and is an experienced Expert Witness. His expert services include Pre-Action Case Evaluation, TPO Prosecutions, Forensic Accident Investigation and Tree Root Damage to Buildings. Other Services Include:

• Planning for Developers and Local Authorities
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's)
• Safety Inspections
• Subsidence
• Expert Witness
• Landscape Design

• Storm hardening electric transmission and distribution systems to quantitatively manage tree-caused service interruptions
• Advise and develop protocols for assessments of power line tree exposure and mitigation
• Advise on least cost vegetation management by synchronizing economics and ecology
• Advise on impacts of vegetation management program alternatives, modifications
• Provide context for vegetation management, greenhouse gas mitigation measures in a competitive energy market
• Facilitate for management, staff, contractors and stake holders an actionable understanding of ecological principles and their impacts on vegetation management needs and costs
• Provide project management; expert review of programs and proposals
• Develop and advise on quantification, monitoring and verification of biotic greenhouse gas mitigation measures

David D. Hunter is a Consulting Arborist and the owner of David D. Hunter Certified Arborist, LLC, a full-service tree care provider. As a Consulting Arborist, he is dedicated to community enhancement and the protection of the environment. His services range from Consulting with residential clients on tree health and safety assessments, to working with camps, clubs, parks, schools, cities, counties and more on a variety of arboricultural concerns. Mr. Hunter has consulted on Arboricultural and Forestry issues in Oregon and other parts of the United States, worked with historical sites and trees, and has taught climbing and safety techniques to tree care professionals. With over 40 years of experience in the fields of Forestry and Arboriculture, his background includes managing all aspects of the tree-service company from worker safety and training to customer satisfaction. Mr. Hunter has specialized knowledge of the use of Resistograph and Air Spade for tree health and safety inspections. 

Consulting Services Include:

• Appraisals for Tree & Shrub Damage or Loss
• Arborist Reports
• Construction Management
• Tree Hazard and Risk Assessments
• Insect / Pest / Disease Diagnosis
• Permit Assistance
• Pruning & Fine Pruning
• Fruit Tree Pruning
• Ornamental Pruning
• Tree Preservation Plans

View David Hunter's Expert Witness Profile.