Key takeaways
- A report is for someone else to read. If only you need the answer, a site visit and a conversation may be enough.
- Ask what questions the report will answer before it is written, and who will read it.
- Development projects in Reno are covered by tree protection rules in the city code, which a report may need to address.
- A report describes conditions on the day of the visit. Trees change, so it has a shelf life.
Reports are not all the same. A one-page tree condition note and a full construction tree protection plan answer different questions. Decide what the reader of the report needs, then ask for that.
What goes into an arborist report?
There is no single form that every arborist uses, so confirm the contents when you order. Most useful reports pull from the same basic questions the ISA puts to tree owners: which tree and where it stands, how big and how healthy it is, what defects were seen, and what sits within reach if a limb or the whole tree fails.
For a site that is about to be built on, the ISA says an ISA Certified Arborist should define a tree protection zone and recommend where fences go, so those items belong in a construction report.
- Location and identification of each tree covered
- Size, health and structural condition, with the defects found
- What is under or near the tree: buildings, utilities, paving, play areas
- Recommendations: leave, prune, support, monitor or remove
- For construction: protection zone, fencing and root-pruning recommendations
When does someone ask for one?
Common triggers are a city review of a building project, a buyer or lender asking about a large tree near a house, an insurance claim after a loss, a landlord or HOA dispute, and a neighbor disagreement over a tree on a property line. In each case the report gives a third party something to read instead of your opinion.
Our guides on homeowners insurance and tree removal and HOA tree rules cover two of those situations.
Does the city of Reno require a tree report for new construction?
The Truckee Meadows Water Authority's summary of local tree rules says the City of Reno has a tree protection ordinance in Chapter 18.12, Article V of its municipal code. It covers preservation criteria, tree credits, replacement and penalties for removal, mitigation plans, prohibited activities next to trees and permitted construction methods.
We did not find a list of documents the City asks for in that summary, and the code changes. Ask the City of Reno planning staff what the application needs. In Carson City, Sparks and the county areas, check with the permitting agency for your parcel. See tree removal permits in Northern Nevada.
Report, consultation or both?
An arborist consultation is the visit and the conversation. A report is the paper that comes out of it. Many people only need the first. If you do want paper, say so at the start, tell the arborist who will read it, and ask whether the report will be signed with the arborist's credential.
Our crew includes two ISA Certified Arborists. Call 775.232.8243 and tell the office what the report is for.
How long is a report good for?
A report describes the day it was written. A storm, a drought summer, nearby digging or new decay can change a tree faster than the paperwork ages. The ISA recommends regular inspection of mature trees, so treat an old report as a starting point rather than a clean bill of health.
Sources
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Avoiding Tree Damage During Construction (brochure) (read October 17, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Recognizing Tree Risk (brochure) (read October 17, 2026)
- Truckee Meadows Water Authority: Local Tree Ordinances (read October 17, 2026)