Technically, the definition of arboriculture is the cultivation of trees, shrubs, and woody plants for shading and decorating. Put simply, it’s about taking proper care of them in their various environments.
Arboriculture has a long been vital in the management of trees. Early Egyptians moved trees within a ball of earth and started the technique of shaping soil around a newly planted tree so that it could retain water and enable the tree to grow successfully.
Today’s professional arboriculturists build on these long traditions, although many techniques found in modern arboriculture developed in the United States during the 1970s.
Over time, different techniques and approaches have been developed based on a detailed understanding of tree biology and how trees respond in nature to traumas such as cuts and wounds, how they might be treated, or indeed whether it is better in some situations not to treat them at all.
This, in turn, leads to the detection and management of trees that may be a potential hazard, particularly in urban areas, and how to maintain a tree’s health and vitality.
Pruning, training young plants, aesthetic appearance, size management, hazard control, flowering and fruiting, and root loss must all be taken into consideration when an arboriculturist assesses trees for care, and these requirements will differ depending on the setting.
Because risk management, tree safety requirements, and aesthetic preferences are not all the same, the appropriate arboriculture techniques applied in an urban park or domestic garden may be different from those applied in rural woodlands and forest management.
Arboriculture is crucial to the health of individual trees and their setting be it a small urban garden or a vast area of woodland. A qualified, experienced arboriculturist ensures that the proper knowledge, the proper skills and the proper equipment is used to manage tree care and keep them healthy, resilient and safe.
