Tree and Grounds Inspection Record

Who this is for

A walk round the grounds with one line per tree or feature. Each carries a reference, a condition mark, what the inspector saw, the work it needs and a target date, and the summary counts the features in poor condition and those waiting for work.

Parish councils, school and estate grounds staff, park keepers, churchyard and cemetery committees, farm and smallholding owners and anyone responsible for trees near paths, car parks or buildings.

What this helps you track

• Every tree, hedge, path, wall or bench on the round, each with its own reference
• The condition it was in on the day and what the inspector noticed
• The work it needs and the date that work is wanted by
• How many features need attention, so the grounds budget can be argued for

How to use it

1. Number or tag the trees and features once so every future round can be compared.
2. Walk the same route each time and record condition as you go, not from memory afterwards.
3. Write the observation plainly — a split limb, a lifted paving slab, a leaning post.
4. Tick work needed where something must be done, and say what in the work column.
5. Put a target date against anything urgent, and pass the specialist cases to an arborist.
6. Sign the round and file it; a dated series of sheets is what shows the grounds are being looked after.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Does this replace a professional tree survey?

No. It is a record of a visual walk round by whoever looks after the grounds. Where something looks wrong with a tree, the work column is where you note that a specialist inspection has been asked for.

Can I use it for things other than trees?

Yes, and most people do. Paths, walls, fences, gates, benches, lighting columns and car park surfaces all take a line, which is why the condition column is not written for trees alone.

How often should the grounds be walked?

The sheet sets no interval. Many places walk more often after storms or in the growing season; what matters is that each round is dated and kept.

What should I do with the completed sheets?

Keep them in order. A run of dated rounds, with the work that followed them, is far more use later than any single inspection.