Trees, People, & the Law Symposium

Explore the origins of the laws governing trees, examine ownership rights to trees, and look at the duties, rights, and responsibilities of landowners, arborists, and municipalities to prevent injury to persons or property caused by trees.

Examine legal precedent in the law of arboriculture and learn how current cases are shaping the future of tree-liability.

Investing in a community tree risk management program can save lives, increase emergency preparedness, reduce the catastrophic impacts of storms on community budgets, and promote the health and longevity of our urban forests. Most community urban forestry management plans state the need to remove high-risk trees on a priority basis, but they do not address how to specifically accomplish this goal. A tree risk management program fills this critical information gap and provides the community with a systematic approach to conducting tree risk inspections and initiating timely removal or corrective treatment for structurally defective trees. Learn the key steps to designing and implementing a successful community tree risk management program.

Survey the current legal landscape in California arboriculture.

Get advice for homeowners, arborists, and public entities regarding personal injury and property damage caused by trees, trespass, nuisance, and encroachments. Understand the many and varied issues involved in neighbor laws as they relate to trees and their care.

Gain an understanding of the principles used in design and implementation of a proactive tree risk management program. Learn about tools government agencies can use to mitigate risk of harm by proactively managing hazard trees rather than simply reacting to them.

Understand legal rights and responsibilities that will help you prepare to challenge an insurance company that improperly rejects your claim.

Take these steps to minimize liability before the limb falls.

Learn the qualifications, responsibilities, and importance of an expert witness in the court of law.

Hear about efforts by municipalities to shift sidewalk maintenance responsibility and tree-related sidewalk injury liability to landowners.