Arboricultural Association

Arboricultural Association

Overview

The Arboricultural Association is the UK's principal professional body representing arboriculturists and amenity tree care professionals. Based in Gloucestershire, the Association serves a diverse community of specialists involved in the management, care, and maintenance of trees in urban, commercial, and community settings. It is the membership organisation for anyone working in professional arboriculture — whether as a consultant, practitioner, employer, researcher, educator or business — who is committed to the highest standards of tree care and the promotion of trees' environmental, social and economic value.

Arboriculture encompasses the cultivation, management and study of trees in amenity settings. The Arboricultural Association connects professionals who work with trees in parks, gardens, woodlands, urban environments, heritage sites and public spaces, as well as those advising on tree-related policy, planning and conservation. If you are involved in tree surgery, arboricultural consultancy, landscape management, ecology, planning, local authority tree management, or any related specialism, the Association is likely relevant to your professional interests.

Who Should Join?

The Arboricultural Association welcomes a range of membership categories:

• Arboricultural Consultants and Specialists: Professionals providing expert advice on tree management, health, planning implications, and related matters. The Association maintains a Register of Consultants, offering members a visible platform within the profession and access to clients seeking qualified advice.
• Tree Care Practitioners and Contractors: Arborists, tree surgeons and grounds maintenance professionals engaged in practical tree care, pruning, felling and related work.
• Employers and Businesses: Companies operating in arboriculture, tree care, landscaping and related sectors can join as corporate members and benefit from professional credibility and networking opportunities.
• Local Authority and Public Sector Professionals: Those managing trees in local authority settings, public spaces, parks and heritage environments.
• Educators and Researchers: Academic and educational institutions, and individuals undertaking arboricultural research and training.
• Students and Emerging Professionals: Those training in arboriculture or beginning their careers in the profession.

Membership is open to individuals and organisations who share a commitment to professional standards and best practice in arboricultural work. The Association does not publicly specify formal qualification requirements, instead welcoming professionals at all levels of experience, from trainees to established experts.

Why Join?

Professional Credibility and Recognition: Membership of the Arboricultural Association is a marker of professional standing within the UK arboricultural sector. Being part of an established professional body demonstrates your commitment to recognised standards and best practice, enhancing your credibility with clients, employers, and collaborators. Inclusion on the Association's Register of Consultants provides particularly valuable visibility for those offering specialist advice.

Access to Specialist Knowledge and Standards: The Association is a custodian of expertise in arboricultural practice, safety, ecology and tree management. Members gain access to current knowledge about best practice, emerging techniques, and professional guidance that keeps them informed as their sector evolves.

Professional Development and Continuous Learning: Membership provides routes to ongoing professional development through training, events, conferences and specialist publications. This is particularly important in arboriculture, where understanding of tree biology, safety regulations, planning policy and environmental considerations is constantly advancing.

Networking and Professional Community: The Association brings together practitioners, consultants, researchers, employers and educators across the UK arboricultural sector. Members benefit from peer networks, knowledge exchange and relationships with other professionals working at all levels of the industry.

Influence and Collective Voice: Members are part of a unified professional voice in discussions about tree policy, practice standards, planning and environmental matters affecting the sector. This collective advocacy ensures that professional arboricultural expertise informs policy and practice at local, regional and national levels.

Member Benefits & Opportunities

The Arboricultural Association offers tangible benefits to support professional practice:

• The Arboricultural Journal: The Association publishes the Arboricultural Journal, a peer-reviewed publication providing access to current research, case studies, technical guidance and professional insight. Membership typically includes access to this journal, keeping members informed about developments in tree science, management techniques and best practice.
• Register of Consultants: Qualified consultants can be listed on the Association's Register, providing a searchable directory through which potential clients and collaborators can identify and contact specialists. This is a significant business development tool for consulting arboriculturists.
• Professional Events and Conferences: Members can participate in Association events, seminars and conferences where they can learn from peers, engage with emerging research and techniques, and develop professional relationships.
• Technical Guidance and Resources: Access to guidance on standards, best practice, safety procedures and professional procedures relevant to arboricultural work.
• Professional Support and Advice: Members can seek guidance on professional practice, ethics and technical matters from the Association and from peers within the membership community.
• Networking Opportunities: Formal and informal opportunities to connect with other arboricultural professionals, build professional relationships and collaborate on projects or knowledge exchange.
• Professional Accreditation and Recognition: Membership contributes to professional standing and can support career progression within the sector.

Industry Role & Professional Standing

The Arboricultural Association holds a significant position within UK arboriculture and the broader environmental and professional landscape. The Association:

• Sets Professional Standards: The Association is instrumental in defining and promoting professional standards in arboricultural practice, contributing to quality assurance and best practice across the sector.
• Advances Knowledge and Research: Through the Arboricultural Journal and research partnerships, the Association contributes to the advancement of tree science and arboricultural knowledge, ensuring the profession is evidence-based and forward-thinking.
• Advocates for Trees and the Profession: The Association engages with policy-makers, planners, environmental bodies and other stakeholders to advocate for the role of trees in urban and rural environments and to ensure that professional arboricultural expertise is valued in planning and policy decisions.
• Supports Professional Development: As a membership organisation, the Association supports the training, education and ongoing development of arboricultural professionals at all career stages, contributing to the quality and capability of the UK arboricultural workforce.
• Maintains Professional Credibility: The Register of Consultants and membership itself confer professional credibility, helping clients and collaborators identify qualified, committed professionals.

For anyone working in professional arboriculture in the UK — whether as a practitioner, consultant, researcher, educator or business leader — membership of the Arboricultural Association provides connection to an established professional community, access to specialist resources and knowledge, opportunities for development and networking, and the credibility that comes with being part of the sector's foremost professional body.