Tree survey (dendroplan)
A tree survey recording the position, species, trunk and crown diameter, height and condition of every tree, with a schedule, for construction and landscaping.
Licensed service · EL-845/2026
A tree survey, or dendroplan, is a specialised plan showing the exact position and key attributes of the trees and shrubs on a site. On a standard topographic plan trees are usually shown only by a symbol, whereas on a dendroplan each tree is numbered and its data are listed in a schedule: species, trunk diameter at 1.3 m height, crown spread, height, estimated age class and condition.
The document is needed to decide which trees on a construction site will be retained, transplanted or removed. Designers use it to position buildings, roads and utilities so that valuable trees and their root protection zones are preserved as far as possible. A dendroplan is also the basis for park and boulevard redevelopment, green space inventories, compensatory planting and landscape projects.
On site the centre of each trunk is measured with a total station or GNSS RTK and the tree is given a temporary tag. Diameter is measured with a tape and height with a total station or laser hypsometer. Where species identification and condition assessment are required, the work is carried out together with an arboricultural specialist. The result is drawn as a separate layer on the topographic plan.
A dendroplan is usually prepared at 1:500 in the same coordinate system as the topographic plan, so it can be used directly in design.
When you need it
- Building or road design on a wooded site
- Deciding which trees to keep, transplant or remove
- Redevelopment of parks and boulevards
- Green space inventory
- Compensatory planting and landscape projects
What's included
- Coordinates of each trunk centre
- Numbering of every tree
- Trunk diameter measured at 1.3 m
- Crown spread and height determined
- Species and condition assessment (with a specialist)
- Outlines of shrub groups and hedges
How we work
- Agreeing site limits and required attributes
- Establishing survey control
- Measuring and numbering trees
- Compiling the schedule and drawing the dendroplan
- Handover
Deliverables
- Dendroplan at 1:500 (DWG, PDF)
- Tree schedule (Excel, PDF)
- Tree coordinate list
- Explanatory note
