Arbor Connect provides specialist arboricultural consultancy services throughout New Zealand. We work with residential clients, developers, local authorities, landscape architects and construction professionals, delivering practical, independent advice on all aspects of tree management.

Our services include:

  • Tree health and safety inspections
  • Arboricultural Impact Assessments for Resource Consent applications
  • Tree moving feasibility assessments
  • Tree asset management surveys and reports
  • Tree evaluations
  • Tree selection for planting plans
  • Monitoring of protected trees during site development

Whether you need advice on a single tree in your garden or a comprehensive arboricultural assessment for a major development, we provide practical recommendations backed by decades of industry experience.

Meet Stuart Barton

Stuart Barton is the Founder, Principal Consultant and Managing Director of Arbor Connect Ltd.

After joining The Specimen Tree Company in 1995, Stuart purchased its arboricultural consultancy division in 2016 to establish Arbor Connect. With more than 30 years of experience across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, he has developed extensive expertise in arboriculture, urban forestry and tree risk management.

Throughout his career, Stuart has worked with local and central government, developers, construction companies, landscape architects, schools, golf courses and private property owners, providing practical solutions for projects ranging from individual residential properties through to large-scale infrastructure developments.

His expertise includes:

  • Arboricultural reporting and assessments
  • Tree health and safety inspections
  • Resource Consent support
  • Environmental Court and Council hearing evidence
  • Tree risk assessments
  • Urban forestry management
  • Tree transplanting and feasibility studies
  • Monitoring protected trees during construction
  • Project management for complex multidisciplinary developments

Stuart holds qualifications from WINTEC, Lincoln University and the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. He is also a qualified Quantified Tree Risk Assessor (QTRA) and an International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessor.

Outside of Arbor Connect, Stuart volunteers his time managing ecological restoration projects, assists with the management of native and production forests, and each year lectures WINTEC Level 4 Arboriculture students on tree transplanting.

Current and past consultancy projects have included:

Auckland Botanic Gardens (2017) – Providing hazard assessments of selected trees.

Auckland Transport (2016 – current) – Providing an arboricultural assessment for the Resource Consent application of the cycle lanes in Grey Lynn and West Lynn as part of the Waitemata Safe Routes project and providing consultancy and monitoring during construction stage.

NXN Apartment Complex (2016 – current) – Providing arboricultural assessment report for the Resource Consent application for Templeton Kingsland Ltd and monitoring of construction works.

Te Onewa Pa / Stokes Point (2016 – current) – providing arboricultural advise and monitoring during the landscape construction stage, including devising methodologies for works within the root zone of coastal Pohutukawa trees.

Fletcher Living (2015 – current) - Providing arboricultural consultancy and monitoring for development projects including Moire Road, Eugenia Rise, Manukau Golf Course and Peninsula Golf Course.

Wynyard Quarter (2013 – current) – Providing arboricultural consultancy to Waterfront Auckland and Auckland Transport for the Resource Consent applications for streetscape upgrades. Project managed the tree planting for Daldy and Halsey Street upgrades.

Housing New Zealand (2009 – current) – Providing arboricultural consultancy for development projects including Tuata Street, Canal Road and Tonar Street.

Aotea Precinct (2005 - current) – Project managed the soft landscaping works of Aotea Square Redevelopment, providing ongoing advice for the maintenance of the trees and provided a transplanting feasibility and methodology report for the relocation of six mature London Plane trees and six semi-mature Pin Oak trees at Aotea Square for the proposed underground extension of the Civic car park.

Diocesan School for Girls (2005 – current) - Providing arboricultural consultancy during the planning, Resource Consent and construction stages for the Pool Complex, Common Room, Artificial Hockey field and car parking and Arts Centre and evaluation and monitoring of Scheduled Trees.

Saint Kentigern Trust (2005 – current) – Providing arboricultural consultancy during the planning, Resource Consent and construction stages of developments and undertaking tree surveys and hazard assessments for St Kentigern College, St Kentigern School for Boys and St Kentigern School for Girls – Corran.

One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie) (2000 – current) – Providing arboricultural advice regarding the options for the re-planting of the summit of One Tree Hill following the removal of the vandalised Pine tree, propagating and growing on of trees for planting on the summit, providing advice and for the planting of the summit trees and undertaking monitoring of the planted trees.

Auckland CBD Street Upgrades (2006 – 2016) – Project Manager and Relationship Champion for partnership for the supply and planting of streetscape upgrades for Queen Street, Elliot and Darby Streets, St Patrick’s Square, Fort Street, Lorne Street, O’Connell Street and Federal Street.

Hurstmere Road, Takapuna (2014) – Undertaking a survey of the existing trees and evaluating proposed replacement species for the proposed streetscape upgrade.

Victoria Park Tunnel (2002 – 2012) – Providing Arboricultural Implication reports on varying tunnel and bridge options. Preparation of and presenting evidence for Council hearing, including preparing proposed conditions of consent, and providing consultancy and monitoring during construction stage.

Tree Reports

Arbor Connect provides specialist consultancy services covering all aspects of trees including

  • Arboricultural assessments for resource consent applications.
  • Tree protection methodologies for trees on construction sites
  • Tree moving feasibility assessments
  • Tree asset management surveys and reports
  • Tree hazard assessments
  • Tree evaluations
  • Tree selection for planting plans
  • Monitoring and supervision of protected trees during site development

 

Transplanting and Landscaping

 

Arbor Connect is able to assist with……