How to sculpt an urban forest: the work of a tree officer

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By Ruthe Davies MICFor MArborA BSc (Hons) LL.Dip, Association of Tree Officers

a windswept pine tree next to a person on a bike at the coast looking out to see in a brilliant blue sky — Pine tree by the shore (Ruthe Davies)

Imagine shaping the future of your town’s green spaces with a powerful vision that brings nature and community together. As a tree officer, you don’t just manage trees – you create and implement a dynamic local tree strategy to transform the urban landscape. Imagine making a comprehensive plan to protect your town’s most cherished trees, ensuring that no veteran tree is lost to development and that the beauty of falling leaves is celebrated, not removed.

a person planting a tree next to a path in a clear blue sky — New city tree planting (Ruthe Davies)

This isn’t just about the trees you see today; it’s about building a legacy. You’ll create a green-blue network that weaves together streets, gardens, parks, woodlands, rivers and hedges – a living, breathing system that allows wildlife to flourish and enhances the ecological health of the entire area. Every tree, every green corridor, is a link in this vital chain that supports both nature and the people who live there.

But your work goes beyond ecology – it’s about community. You’ll be at the forefront of engaging residents with the urban forest, whether through volunteer tree planting projects that bring neighbours together, guided tree walks that reveal the hidden wonders of the environment, or interactive interpretation boards that tell the stories of the trees themselves.

2 large trees in a residential area — Oak and whitebeam in a residential estate (Ruthe Davies)

You’ll be part of a democratic process that shapes your region’s strategy for its urban forest. You’ll consult with the public, collaborate with stakeholders, and craft policies that reflect the values and needs of your community. Then you’ll bring those policies to life, turning strategic plans into reality. This is more than a job – it’s a mission to create a greener, healthier, more connected world. And as a tree officer, you’ll be at the heart of it all.

It’s a hugely varied job in which no two weeks are the same. Every tree officer role is different because every town is different. But there are some core activities:

Inspect and survey trees to ensure public safety and manage conflicts with structures,
Instruct, organise and oversee tree works,
Organise new tree planting programmes followed by a programme of care to ensure they establish to maturity,
Respond to enquiries from members of the public who have concerns about trees,
Organise community tree events,
Act as an emergency service for tree emergencies out-of-hours and during storm events,
Plan and implement large-scale disease control programmes for tree diseases such as ash dieback,
Make Tree Preservation Orders to protect important trees,
Take enforcement action against people who unlawfully damage trees,
Assess applications for tree works and decide whether they are permissible,
Assess planning applications and negotiate changes to improve outcomes for trees,
Assess high hedge disputes between neighbours and determine the outcome,
Develop local policies and a local strategy to maximise the urban forest in the long term.

cedar trees in front of a large official building — Roadside cedar trees (Ruthe Davies)

There’s a serious skill shortage in the arboricultural profession which means there are many opportunities. Jobs are going vacant long-term, or end up being done by people who don’t have the knowledge to do them properly. Not enough people are doing the training needed to fill these roles, because many people don’t know that there are career options in tree management beyond being a tree surgeon. Also, many people may be put off by the oft-repeated but false claim that you can’t have a successful career as a tree officer or tree consultant without having worked some years on the tools as a tree surgeon. Practical experience is great, but absolutely isn’t necessary, and some of the best people in the profession have never worked on the tools. Anyone with an arboriculture qualification of level 4 or above is likely to be successful in building a lifelong career as a tree officer.

Maybe you could fill one of the gaps. If you love trees and you love people, you will find it a very rewarding profession, working to bring the joys of trees to the community you live in, and to all its future generations. You would be part of a passionate national network of tree professionals where there is always a warm welcome for a new face and a new perspective.

If you have any questions about tree officering, I would be happy to chat, please get in touch – you can email me. If you do find yourself in a tree officer role, do consider joining the Association of Tree Officers who will support your work, advocate for your interests, connect you with other officers, and promote best practice.

Find out more at www.ato.org.uk