Checklists for individual trees, and routine Checks for woodland, orchards and nature/conservation areas.
The Tree Sweep is the per-tree walk-round: a ground-level visual inspection you run on a tree you have recorded as its own asset, working up from the roots to the crown and out to what the tree overhangs. It is the right tool for the trees that carry the risk, which usually means street trees, park trees and churchyard trees rather than every tree in a wood.
For a whole woodland or nature area, you want the Woodland & Nature Sweep on the Open-Space Sweeps page instead, which walks the site as a whole rather than tree by tree.
New to this and not sure which you need, or how often to run it? Start with How to Inspect Trees.
Before you use this checklist: you don't build these — they're built in and matched to your assets. To put one on someone's phone, create an inspection (or a job) on the asset and pick the checklist. A checklist only appears for the right asset type. See How to Use a Checklist.
Jump to a checklist
Conservation Area - Routine
Covers: Conservation Area. recommended monthly.
SAFETY
Overhead Hazards
No overhead hazardsMinor deadwoodHanging branchUnstable limbDangerous treeN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look up at the trees and check for any branches that could fall. Dead branches are often grey or brown with no leaves when the tree is in leaf. Hanging branches are those that have broken but not yet fallen. Look for trees that are leaning badly or have cracks in the trunk. Select N/A if there are no trees.
Trip Hazards
No trip hazardsMinor unevennessRaised tree rootLifted slab or edgeHole or depressionMultiple trip hazards
ⓘ Guidance
Walk along the paths and across open areas, looking down for anything that could cause someone to trip. Check for tree roots pushing up through the ground, paving slabs that have lifted, holes or dips in the surface, and any objects left on the ground. Think about whether a child running or someone with a pushchair could trip.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the space. Select Excellent or Good if things look well cared for, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Litter
No litterLight litterLitteredBroken glassHeavy litter
ⓘ Guidance
Look around the whole area for rubbish on the ground. Check near bins, benches, and entrances where litter tends to gather. Pay special attention to broken glass which is a safety hazard. Light litter means a few items here and there. Heavy litter means rubbish is spread across the area and needs urgent clearing.
Vegetation
Well maintainedSlightly overgrownOvergrownSeverely overgrownVegetation deadN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the grass, hedges, shrubs, and planted areas. Well maintained means grass is cut, hedges are trimmed, and beds are tidy. Overgrown means grass is long, hedges are straggly, or plants are growing over paths. Also check if any plants look unhealthy, brown, or dying. Select N/A if there is no vegetation to assess.
Nature Reserve - Routine
Covers: Nature reserves. recommended monthly.
SAFETY
Overhead Hazards
No overhead hazardsMinor deadwoodHanging branchUnstable limbDangerous treeN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look up at the trees and check for any branches that could fall. Dead branches are often grey or brown with no leaves when the tree is in leaf. Hanging branches are those that have broken but not yet fallen. Look for trees that are leaning badly or have cracks in the trunk. Select N/A if there are no trees.
Trip Hazards
No trip hazardsMinor unevennessRaised tree rootLifted slab or edgeHole or depressionMultiple trip hazards
ⓘ Guidance
Walk along the paths and across open areas, looking down for anything that could cause someone to trip. Check for tree roots pushing up through the ground, paving slabs that have lifted, holes or dips in the surface, and any objects left on the ground. Think about whether a child running or someone with a pushchair could trip.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the space. Select Excellent or Good if things look well cared for, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Litter
No litterLight litterLitteredBroken glassHeavy litter
ⓘ Guidance
Look around the whole area for rubbish on the ground. Check near bins, benches, and entrances where litter tends to gather. Pay special attention to broken glass which is a safety hazard. Light litter means a few items here and there. Heavy litter means rubbish is spread across the area and needs urgent clearing.
Vegetation
Well maintainedSlightly overgrownOvergrownSeverely overgrownVegetation deadN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the grass, hedges, shrubs, and planted areas. Well maintained means grass is cut, hedges are trimmed, and beds are tidy. Overgrown means grass is long, hedges are straggly, or plants are growing over paths. Also check if any plants look unhealthy, brown, or dying. Select N/A if there is no vegetation to assess.
Orchard - Routine
Covers: Orchard. recommended monthly.
SAFETY
Overhead Hazards
No overhead hazardsMinor deadwoodHanging branchUnstable limbDangerous treeN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look up at the trees and check for any branches that could fall. Dead branches are often grey or brown with no leaves when the tree is in leaf. Hanging branches are those that have broken but not yet fallen. Look for trees that are leaning badly or have cracks in the trunk. Select N/A if there are no trees.
Trip Hazards
No trip hazardsMinor unevennessRaised tree rootLifted slab or edgeHole or depressionMultiple trip hazards
ⓘ Guidance
Walk along the paths and across open areas, looking down for anything that could cause someone to trip. Check for tree roots pushing up through the ground, paving slabs that have lifted, holes or dips in the surface, and any objects left on the ground. Think about whether a child running or someone with a pushchair could trip.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the space. Select Excellent or Good if things look well cared for, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Litter
No litterLight litterLitteredBroken glassHeavy litter
ⓘ Guidance
Look around the whole area for rubbish on the ground. Check near bins, benches, and entrances where litter tends to gather. Pay special attention to broken glass which is a safety hazard. Light litter means a few items here and there. Heavy litter means rubbish is spread across the area and needs urgent clearing.
Vegetation
Well maintainedSlightly overgrownOvergrownSeverely overgrownVegetation deadN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the grass, hedges, shrubs, and planted areas. Well maintained means grass is cut, hedges are trimmed, and beds are tidy. Overgrown means grass is long, hedges are straggly, or plants are growing over paths. Also check if any plants look unhealthy, brown, or dying. Select N/A if there is no vegetation to assess.
CULTIVATION
Cultivation
Well cultivatedPartially cultivatedSparse plantingBare or unplantedAbandonedN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the planted beds and borders. Well cultivated means flowers or plants are growing healthily and the beds look cared for. Sparse planting means there are gaps where plants should be. Bare or unplanted means the beds have soil but nothing growing. Abandoned means the area has been left untended for some time with weeds taking over. Select N/A if this is not a cultivated space.
Wildlife Reserve - Routine
Covers: Wildlife reserve. recommended monthly.
SAFETY
Overhead Hazards
No overhead hazardsMinor deadwoodHanging branchUnstable limbDangerous treeN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look up at the trees and check for any branches that could fall. Dead branches are often grey or brown with no leaves when the tree is in leaf. Hanging branches are those that have broken but not yet fallen. Look for trees that are leaning badly or have cracks in the trunk. Select N/A if there are no trees.
Trip Hazards
No trip hazardsMinor unevennessRaised tree rootLifted slab or edgeHole or depressionMultiple trip hazards
ⓘ Guidance
Walk along the paths and across open areas, looking down for anything that could cause someone to trip. Check for tree roots pushing up through the ground, paving slabs that have lifted, holes or dips in the surface, and any objects left on the ground. Think about whether a child running or someone with a pushchair could trip.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the space. Select Excellent or Good if things look well cared for, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Litter
No litterLight litterLitteredBroken glassHeavy litter
ⓘ Guidance
Look around the whole area for rubbish on the ground. Check near bins, benches, and entrances where litter tends to gather. Pay special attention to broken glass which is a safety hazard. Light litter means a few items here and there. Heavy litter means rubbish is spread across the area and needs urgent clearing.
Vegetation
Well maintainedSlightly overgrownOvergrownSeverely overgrownVegetation deadN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the grass, hedges, shrubs, and planted areas. Well maintained means grass is cut, hedges are trimmed, and beds are tidy. Overgrown means grass is long, hedges are straggly, or plants are growing over paths. Also check if any plants look unhealthy, brown, or dying. Select N/A if there is no vegetation to assess.
Woodland - Routine
Covers: Woodlands. recommended monthly.
SAFETY
Overhead Hazards
No overhead hazardsMinor deadwoodHanging branchUnstable limbDangerous treeN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look up at the trees and check for any branches that could fall. Dead branches are often grey or brown with no leaves when the tree is in leaf. Hanging branches are those that have broken but not yet fallen. Look for trees that are leaning badly or have cracks in the trunk. Select N/A if there are no trees.
Trip Hazards
No trip hazardsMinor unevennessRaised tree rootLifted slab or edgeHole or depressionMultiple trip hazards
ⓘ Guidance
Walk along the paths and across open areas, looking down for anything that could cause someone to trip. Check for tree roots pushing up through the ground, paving slabs that have lifted, holes or dips in the surface, and any objects left on the ground. Think about whether a child running or someone with a pushchair could trip.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the space. Select Excellent or Good if things look well cared for, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Litter
No litterLight litterLitteredBroken glassHeavy litter
ⓘ Guidance
Look around the whole area for rubbish on the ground. Check near bins, benches, and entrances where litter tends to gather. Pay special attention to broken glass which is a safety hazard. Light litter means a few items here and there. Heavy litter means rubbish is spread across the area and needs urgent clearing.
Vegetation
Well maintainedSlightly overgrownOvergrownSeverely overgrownVegetation deadN/A
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the grass, hedges, shrubs, and planted areas. Well maintained means grass is cut, hedges are trimmed, and beds are tidy. Overgrown means grass is long, hedges are straggly, or plants are growing over paths. Also check if any plants look unhealthy, brown, or dying. Select N/A if there is no vegetation to assess.
Tree Sweep
Covers: Tree. recommended annually.
SAFETY
Target Below
Play area or school routeHighway or carriagewayFootpath or right of wayCar park or hard standingBuilding or boundarySports pitch or recreation groundOpen grass or amenity landField edge, woodland or no target
ⓘ Guidance
Stand back and look at what would be hit if a branch came down, or if the whole tree did. Roads and play areas come first because people are underneath them constantly. A footpath or car park is next. Open grass and field edges are lowest, and deadwood in a tree over a field edge is habitat that should be left alone. If the tree overhangs two things, pick whichever is higher in the list.
CONDITION
Overall Condition
ExcellentGoodFairPoorCritical
ⓘ Guidance
Consider everything you have seen during this inspection. Pick the rating that best describes the overall state of the tree. Select Excellent or Good if it looks healthy and sound, Fair if there are minor issues, Poor if several problems need attention, or Critical if urgent action is required.
SWEEP
01 View of the tree
OKN/AView obstructed
ⓘ Guidance
Walk right round the tree before you start. Ivy, dense undergrowth, parked vehicles and neighbouring canopy all stop you seeing the things further down this list. Report it if you cannot get a clear view: that is a grounds job in its own right, and it explains any N/A answers you give below.
02 Ground & root plate
OKN/AGround disturbance
ⓘ Guidance
Look at the soil in a circle around the trunk. Ground that is domed, split or newly cracked suggests the root plate is moving, which is the single most serious thing you can spot from the ground. Compare it with the ground further out.
03 Exposed & damaged roots
OKN/ARoot damage
ⓘ Guidance
Surface roots on an old tree are normal. What matters is damage: roots severed by a trench, crushed by vehicles, or torn out. Ask whether any digging, resurfacing or service work has happened anywhere under the spread of the branches, and say so in the defect if it has.
04 Fungi at the base
OKN/AFungus at base
ⓘ Guidance
Do not try to identify the species, and do not knock it off. Some fungi are harmless and some indicate serious decay, and telling them apart is the arboriculturist's job. Raise the defect and photograph it there, including one shot close up and one showing where on the tree it is.
05 Root zone surface
OKN/ARoot zone damage
ⓘ Guidance
Roots need air and water, and most of them sit in the top half metre. Worn bare earth from a desire line, a new path or parking area, a spoil heap or building materials left under the tree all damage it slowly.
06 Soil level & made ground
OKN/ASoil level raised
ⓘ Guidance
You should be able to see the trunk flare out where it meets the ground. If the trunk goes into the soil like a post into a hole, the level has been raised, which rots the collar over several years. Very common after landscaping work.
07 Mower & strimmer damage
OKN/AMower damage
ⓘ Guidance
The most common and most preventable damage on a council estate. Repeated strimmer wounds ring the trunk and eventually kill the tree. Say in the defect whether the damage looks fresh or old, because fresh damage is a grounds instruction rather than a tree job.
08 Root collar & buttress
OKN/AButtress defect
ⓘ Guidance
Look and feel around the base where the trunk spreads into the roots. Cavities, crumbling wood or a soft spot all matter here because this is where the tree carries its load. Only sound it with a mallet if you have been trained to.
09 Basal wounds & bark loss
OKN/ABark damage
ⓘ Guidance
Note roughly how much of the way round the trunk is affected when you raise the defect, because a narrow strip and a wound going most of the way round mean very different things.
10 Stem cracks & splits
OKN/AStem crack
ⓘ Guidance
Look for a line running up or down the trunk, a raised rib of wood, or a seam where the two sides do not quite meet. Say in the defect whether the crack runs up into a fork, because that is worse.
11 Stem swellings & flattening
OKN/AStem deformity
ⓘ Guidance
A healthy trunk is roughly round and tapers evenly. A bulge is usually the tree adding wood where it is being stressed. A flat side often means decay behind it. Both are worth reporting even though neither is an emergency.
12 Cankers & bleeding
OKN/ACanker or bleed
ⓘ Guidance
Bleeding shows as a dark wet streak running down the bark, often from a small point. A canker is a sunken dead area, sometimes with cracked bark around it. Note roughly how high up it is in the defect.
13 Lean
OKN/ALean suspect
ⓘ Guidance
Most leaning trees are perfectly safe. A tree that has grown at an angle for decades will have a crown that has turned upright and undisturbed ground at its base. Report a lean where the ground on the opposite side is lifting or cracked, where there is fresh soil disturbance at the base, or where the crown has not adjusted to the angle. A long-established lean on undisturbed ground does not need reporting.
14 Forks & unions
OKN/AUnion defect
ⓘ Guidance
A wide U-shaped fork is strong. A tight V-shaped fork with bark squeezed inside it is a classic failure point, especially on a multi-stemmed tree over something. Look for a crack or a dark seam starting at the bottom of the fork.
15 Stem cavities & holes
OKN/AStem cavity
ⓘ Guidance
Includes woodpecker holes and old branch sockets. Note in the defect whether the wound is closing over at the edges, which is a good sign, or open with soft or wet material inside, which is not.
16 Fungi on the stem & limbs
OKN/AFungus on stem
ⓘ Guidance
Kept separate from the fungi at the base because where it is growing tells the arboriculturist something different. Same rule: do not identify it, raise the defect and photograph it there.
17 Ivy & climbers
OKN/AStem obscured by ivy
ⓘ Guidance
Ivy is not a defect in itself and is good for wildlife. It matters for two reasons: it hides the trunk so nobody can inspect it, and it adds a lot of weight and wind resistance in winter. Report it where it is dense enough that you cannot see the trunk.
18 Deadwood
OKN/ADeadwood over target
ⓘ Guidance
Deadwood is habitat and should normally be left. It becomes a job when it is over a path, a road, a bench or a play area. Use the Target Below answer to decide: over open grass or a field edge, leave it and answer OK.
19 Hanging & broken limbs
OKN/AHanging limb
ⓘ Guidance
The one item on this form that regularly needs same-day action. A limb that has broken but not fallen can come down at any time and in any wind. If it is over somewhere people go, raise the defect straight away and set the priority high.
20 Branch attachments & old wounds
OKN/ABranch defect
ⓘ Guidance
Look for branches crossing and rubbing each other, old cuts that have not healed over, and heavy sideways limbs that stay the same thickness all the way out instead of tapering.
21 Crown dieback
OKN/ACrown dieback
ⓘ Guidance
Dieback usually starts at the top and at the tips. Compare this tree with others of the same kind nearby before reporting it, because some species naturally look sparser than others. Answer N/A in winter when the tree is bare, as you cannot tell.
22 Foliage condition
OKN/AAbnormal foliage
ⓘ Guidance
Leaves that are smaller, paler, browner or sparser than they should be are often the first sign of a problem, including ash dieback. Compare with neighbouring trees of the same kind. Answer N/A in winter.
23 Epicormic & stress growth
OKN/AStress growth
ⓘ Guidance
Bunches of whippy new shoots sprouting straight out of the trunk or a big branch usually mean the tree is under stress, often from root damage or from losing part of its crown.
24 Storm or impact damage
OKN/AStorm or impact damage
ⓘ Guidance
Freshly torn wood is pale and bright compared with old wounds. Also check the base for vehicle strikes and for scorching where a fire has been lit against the trunk.
25 Clearance over highway & footway
OKN/AEncroaching over highway
ⓘ Guidance
The most common thing the public complains about, and for many councils the reason this record exists at all. Think about a lorry or a bus on the road and someone with an umbrella on the path.
26 Clearance to lighting, signs & CCTV
OKN/AObstructing light or sign
ⓘ Guidance
A tree growing across a street light is usually reported to the council as a lighting fault, so catching it here saves a wasted visit from somebody else.
27 Sightlines & visibility
OKN/ASightline blocked
ⓘ Guidance
Stand where a driver or a pedestrian would stand and look. Low branches and dense growth at eye height are what matter here, not the top of the tree.
28 Clearance to property & boundaries
OKN/AEncroaching on property
ⓘ Guidance
Branches touching a roof, gutter, wall or fence, or reaching over a boundary. This is the thing behind most of the tree correspondence a clerk has to deal with, so catching it early is worth real time.
29 Stakes, ties, guards & grilles
OKN/AGuard or tie issue
ⓘ Guidance
Applies to young and street trees only, so N/A is the usual answer. Look for ties cutting into the bark, stakes that are rotten or rubbing, and grilles or guards the tree has now outgrown. Note that Tree Guard, Tree Grid and Tree Grill are separate asset types, so if your council records them individually, answer N/A and inspect them there.
30 Wildlife & roost evidence
OKN/ARoost or nest evidence
ⓘ Guidance
Not a fault with the tree. Bats and nesting birds are protected by law, and work on a tree that has them can be an offence, so this is flagged here to make sure any job that follows is planned around it rather than stopped halfway. Look for holes, splits and loose bark that could hold a roost, and for droppings or staining below them.
Using these checklists in Civic.ly
Every checklist here is built into Civic.ly as a standard template — you don't recreate it. Add the asset, create the inspection or job (standalone or via a routine), pick the checklist, and it appears on the assigned person's phone. Any failing answer offers a pre-filled defect, which you choose whether to create. New to this? See How to Use a Checklist.
Common Questions
Not directly — the library is built in and matched to your assets for you. If something needs adding or tweaking, tell us at hello@civic.ly or post on ideas.civic.ly and we'll update it across the platform.
A recommended cadence is shown on each checklist, but you can run any checklist at whatever frequency suits your council and your insurer.