Authors: Junko Oikawa-Radscheit1, Jaroslav Kolařík2 and Josef Grábner3
TeST, which stands for Technical Standards in Tree Work, is an EU-funded three-year project which started in September 2019. It aims to develop new arboricultural standards at a European level for tree pruning, planting and stabilisation methods covering cabling, bracing and propping, while exploring and identifying the best practice in those aspects of arboriculture.
TeST is built on a pilot project, the European Tree Pruning Standard (ETPS), which involved professional arborists from 12 countries. It focussed on defining common ground in ornamental tree pruning techniques throughout the Europe.
Each standard will be accompanied by national annexes consisting of national legislative specifications and other information about arboriculture practices which are accepted nationally but might not be relevant to other countries in Europe.
The TeST partnership consists of 11 organisations: the Arboricultural Academy (Czech Republic), Natuurinvest – Inverde (Belgium), Institut Drzewa (Poland), Silvatica s.a.s. (ItaIy), Doctor Arbol (Spain), Labie Koki Eksperti (Latvia), Lietuvos arboristikos centras (Lithuania), Boomtotaalzorg B (Netherlands), ISA Slovensko (Slovak Republic), Urbani šumari d.o.o. (Croatia) and the European Arboricultural Council (Europe). However, the project calls for many other European parties and stakeholders to be involved in the process of developing the standards.
The EAC will play a main role in the dissemination of information to and the coordination of feedback and input from non-project partners. It plans to organise a multiplier event over the next three years and to set up a structure within the EAC for individuals to contribute more directly to the project.
More information can be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Technical-Standardsin-Tree-work-101973567937248/. For further details of the EAC’s plan, please contact Junko Oikawa-Radscheit: j.oikawaradscheit@eac-arboriculture.com.
Footnotes
1 Technical Officer for International Arboricultural Affairs, European Arboricultural Council.
2 CEO, Safe Tree.
3 President, Arboriculture Academy.
This article was taken form Issue 188 Spring 2020 of the ARB Magazine, which is available to view free to members by simply logging in to the website and viewing your profile area.