Here are 3 reasons to take the H(azard) word out of Tree Risk-Benefit Management and Assessment.

1) All trees are Hazardous
The definition of a Hazard is something that has the "potential to cause death, injury, or damage".

The informal and common interpretation of a Hazard is, it's a risk that's unacceptable and needs to be mitigated. The hazard needs to be managed in some way. 

Because every tree has the potential to cause death or injury, or damage property, every tree is a Hazard. No matter how Acceptable or Tolerable the risk.

2) Hazard thinking is risk and benefit averse
Risk averse thinking and decision making is about what's the worst that could happen?

The worst that could happen is only limited by how easily you can imagine the worst case scenario. Our brains might be marvels of nature, but we've evolved to first imagine the worst because it's a useful survival tool. If you're on the first rungs of the evolutionary ladder and on the plains of Africa, it makes sense to respond to the long grass rustling as though it's a Lion rather than analyse the evidence further. Our instinctive gut reaction to a Hazard is, you need to do something about it.

Instinctively thinking with your gut is the opposite of a risk literate frame of mind. Risk literacy is about your mind overriding your gut instinct and considering what's most likely to happen. There's a risk. Is it an Acceptable or Tolerable risk?

The benefits of trees don't get a look in with Hazard framed decision making. It's all negative, with no positive risk.

3) Hazard can easily be weaponized and used against you
This is neatly illustrated in Mike Garvey's International Society of Arboriculture conference presentation, 'Did we keep that Heritage Tree Too Long?

Here, Mike looks at the legal case of a branch from a Cottonwood that falls and severely injures someone in a Municipal Park.

The link below takes you to 16'55'' of the presentation on the ISA's YouTube channel (you'll likely get an Ad first). There, you'll see how easily the Claimant's Attorney weaponizes the H word.

https://validtreerisk.help/Heritage-Tree-too-Long

The line of attack the Attorney goes for by honing and wielding the H word is the same reason we're taking the D(efect) word out of Tree Risk-Benefit Management.

https://validtreerisk.help/Tree-Risk-Defect-Out

These are some of the reasons why the H word doesn't appear in any of VALID's publications.