Landscaping Expert Witnesses: 6

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 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)

Richard D. Arlington III, CSP, LICM, has been the president of Arlington Lawncare since 1986. For over 30 years, Mr. Arlington has directed the Landscaping, Lawn Maintenance, Lot Sweeping, Snow, and Ice Operations in Erie, Pennsylvania. 

Background Experience - Erie receives on average 54 plowing events and 70 salting events per year. The average snowfall in a 15 mile radius can range from 90" to as much as 200". Wide fluctuations of weather and the accommodating size of his company have given Mr. Arlington unique experience dealing with scheduling, routing, customer service, and subcontractor relations. In the past 10 years, he has dealt with over 160 subcontractors at a time.

Mr. Arlington is an expert on issues dealing with Ice Control with both Rock Salt and Liquid Calcium / Magnesium Products, which has resulted in 20 plus years of no at fault slip and fall incidents for his company, while maintaining over 150 accounts from large retail plazas to small convenience stores.

Litigation Support - Mr. Arlington is available to assist attorneys for plaintiff and defendant. His services include site review, contract review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Snow and Ice Operations Negligence Snow and Ice Personal Injury Snow Accident Liability  Slip Trip & Fall / Premises Liability Risk Management Liability Insurance Salt Usage Contractor Training Industry Standards Contractor Methods and Practices

Installation Procedures Weather Patterns for Ice Control Record Keeping Snow Budgets Contractual Language / Scope of Work Conflict Subcontractor Issues Shrub Placement Safety Plant Selection for Climate Chemical Useage

View Rich Arlington & Associates' Consulting Profile.

Stephen George has over 40 years of Landscape Design and Construction Defect experience. Mr. George has owned and operated Landscapes West since 1980, and is still providing design / build and maintenance services to his clients. His projects have included commercial, apartments, condominiums, and residential landscapes. 

Mr. George is a member of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), the Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA), the Irrigation Association (IA), the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), and the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI).

Litigation Support - Stephen George is an Industry Expert for C-27 Landscape Construction. He provides litigation and consulting services to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. His expertise has been called upon throughout the state of California, Nevada, and New York. Mr. George's services include inspection and cost of repair and replacement, review of project drawings, photography / forensic imaging and construction documentation, aboriculture analysis, and landscape construction defects and failures. 

Areas of Expertise:

Landscape & Arboriculture Industry Standards Construction Defect and Failures Personal Injury & Premises Liability Drainage and Irrigation Damage Fire Loss Evaluation

Maintenance Practices Residential Fire / Wildfire Paving Hardscape Fireplaces, Fire Pits, BBQ's Hardscape - Walls

View Stephen George's Consulting Profile.

John A. Harris, Principal of Landscape Economics, LLC, and President of Earth Advisors, Inc., is a LANDSCAPE ECONOMIST who has worked in the Arboriculture, Forestry, landscape and horticultural fields for over 20 years. Mr. Harris has provided reputable consulting, education and project management services for a wide variety of projects across the United States and internationally, in both temperate and tropical ecosystems. Areas of Expertise:

• Arboriculture, Landscape, Plant Nursery, Industry Standards and Practices
• Landscape and Tree Risk Assessments
• Landscape and Tree Value Appraisals
• Landscape and Tree Damage Appraisals
• Storm Damage Assessments, Claims, and Recovery

• Arboriculture Industry Standards and Practices
• Landscape, Arboriculture, Forestry, Environmental Project Management
• Utility Line Clearance Industry Standards and Practices
• Landscape Industry Standards and Practices for design, installation, maintenance
• Personal Injury and Wrongful Death involving tree or landscape issues
• Municipal Tree Inventory and Management Plans
• Duty of Care and Negligence in Tree and Landscape Maintenance
• Forestry and Forest Resources Management
• Grounds Maintenance Practices
• Arboriculture and Arborist Practices

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

David D. Hunter is a Registered Consulting Arborist  with ASCA, USFS Trained Tree Risk Assessor, ISA Certified Arborist. ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified Professional Plan Appraiser and Professional Forester. Providing both Expert Witness and Consulting Services. David D. Hunter has been called upon to testify in court and has helped his clients reach resolution prior to trial. His services include: Expert Witness in Arboriculture and Forestry, professional plant appraisals of landscapes, trees and timber trespass, Tree Forensics as to why a tree or tree part failed causing injury or death, tree health and hazard/ risk assessments, and insurance claims relating to damage to tree, or people/property damaged by trees. David D. Hunter has over 40 years of experience from working in forestry, wildland fire and the field of arboriculture. David D. Hunter has been a consultant and expert witness in these fields for over 25 years. David D. Hunter services the western United States but is available nationwide.

Areas of Expertise:

• Arboricultural and Timber Trespass Issues
• Tree Forensics
• Tree Inventories
• Tree Surveys and Tree Protection Plans
• Tree Preservation Plans and Construction Sequences
• Hazard Tree Evaluations and Reports
• Appraisal of Loss Reports regarding Landscape Value Loss
• Arborist Reports

Training & Certifications:

• Certified as an Arborist PN-1068A, by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) - 1997-Present
• Graduate American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA), Arboriculture Consulting Academy
• Tree Failure Training Conference, Certified as Evaluator Portland, OR
• Registered Consulting Arborist membership in ASCA, RCA #408 (2003)
• US Forest Service Hazard Tree Risk Assessor Trained since 1979
• Certified Tree Risk Assessor (CTRA) by PNW ISA # PN-0150 (2006)ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified (2017)

View David Hunter's Consulting Profile.