Technical Guides and the ICoP: an update

2025 marks five years since the release of the Association’s series of Technical Guides alongside the updated Industry Code of Practice (ICoP), which underpins the content of the guides from a legislative perspective.

The five guides have become established as the points of reference for industry good practice in arboriculture. They have been read by thousands of people working in the industry, used to deliver training and even been referenced in legal proceedings. They are currently being reviewed and updated to reflect changes in ways of working, terminology and the interpretation of legislation.

Alongside this review, the Association has commissioned new technical guides. A further guide is to be created and added to what will become known as the aerial series, and a new series is to be launched covering ground-based tree work.

Aerial Technical Guide 6 will cover the use of mechanised equipment (tree shears, grapple saws and other attachments mounted on a wide range of base machines such as telehandlers). The industry has seen an unprecedented rise in the use of this type of equipment recently, and the Association believes comprehensive guidance must be available.

The ground-based series will begin with content which includes, among other things:

• Plant, machinery and equipment – this guidance will include the safe use of chainsaws, woodchippers and other established kit, as well as more recent additions such as powered pruning tools.
• The role of ground staff – this guidance will link to the existing Technical Guide series and complete the circle, providing those working on the ground during an aerial operation with methods, techniques, considerations and other important information relating to their role on site.
• Tree felling – this guidance will cover the felling of trees in an arboricultural context, including part-dismantled trees, standing stems and the use of assisted felling techniques.

To date, the ICoP has only addressed aerial tree work. Therefore, it will be updated and expanded to incorporate the full range of work for which the new guides have been commissioned.

The Association aims to make pre-orders of both the revised and new guides available towards the end of 2025 with publications due for release in early 2026. If you have any questions or ideas, it is not too late to put them forward – please email tom@trees.org.uk

This article was taken from Issue 209 Summer 2025 of the ARB Magazine, which is available to view free to members by simply logging in to the website and viewing your profile area.