Isn’t an arborist just someone who trims and cuts down trees?
While tree trimming and removals are what those who work in a tree business do most it is not all that arborists do. And not everyone who is working in a tree business is qualified to be called an arborist.The safety standard by which the hazardous job of tree work is done without danger is ANSI Z133, or better known among arborists as simply “the Z”. This standard defines two types of working arborists: the qualified arborist, and the qualified arborist trainee.
A qualified arborist is defined as one who “by possession of a recognized degree, certification, or professional standing, or through related training and on-the-job-experience, is familiar with the equipment and hazards involved in arboricultural operations and who has demonstrated ability in the performance of the special techniques involved.” Everyone else doing tree work is defined by the Z as a trainee.Arboriculture is defined as “The art, science, technology, and business of utility, commercial, and municipal tree care.” Residential tree care is included in the “commercial” division of typical tree care services. Property management and realty companies are commercial customers with primarily residential applications, although there may be commercial properties included in their responsibilities.Certified Arborists have achieved professional distinction and recognition by the International Society of Arboriculture, which is the governing organization for professional arborists. They do so by applying to take the Certified Arborist Exam, and only those who can provide documented evidence of a certain number of years of experience may sit for the Exam. Certified Arborists bring significant training and experience to the test chair.The Certified Arborist Exam covers ten “Domains” having to do with the various aspects of tree care. These domains are weighted within the test to reflect the priorities which the ISA places on the knowledge and experience of arborists who seek professional credentials.
The domains in order of their weight are: Pruning – 16%, Safe Work Practices – 15%, Tree Risk Management – 13%, Diagnosis and Treatment – 12%, Soil Management – 12%, Identification and Selection – 8%, Tree Biology – 8%, Urban Forestry – 7%, Installation and Establishment – 5%, Tree Protection – 4%. As this list of domains shows, there is a lot more to what a Certified Arborist must know and have experience doing than just trimming and removing trees. Yes, pruning is the most important aspect of tree care, because like the oath Doctors pledge, the arborist’s primary concern is “first, do no harm”. Proper pruning techniques are critical to effective tree care. But there is much more to tree care than cutting, and modern full-service tree work requires many more specific tools than just a chain saw. Trees are living beings with highly specialized and complex biological systems that require care to maintain health and vitality. They are cooperative within their environments with animals and other plants in remarkable ways. The benefits they provide to humanity are virtually immeasurable. Like every other living being we know of, trees have basic critical needs that if neglected lead to weakness, illness, and eventually death. In future blog posts we will go into more detail about the various aspects of tree work designed to eliminate hazards, reduce risks, and enhance the beauty, vitality, and longevity of your trees wherever they may be. We will talk more about the specialized knowledge and experienced techniques a Certified Arborist can apply for the benefit of customers, their trees, and their properties.
19 Comments
3/18/2019 12:46:23 pm
That's good to know that an arborist should also know about soil management. This is helpful since you can make sure your trees have good soil to grow in. I'll have to higher an arborist since my tree hasn't been growing well and we could see if the soil is causing it since it's kind of sandy.
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3/21/2019 01:25:58 am
My brother is looking for an arborist because he thinks that some of the trees look fragile. It was explained here that a good professional should be aware of the hazards involved in the operations. Moreover, it's recommended to hire a professional arborist for quality work.
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4/15/2019 02:32:22 pm
It's nice to know that the arborist exam helps with various aspects of tree care. This is great to know because I need to get some trees trimmed. They're about to touch the power lines in my yard! I'm afraid that this might get really bad, so I am going to call an arborist instead of doing this by myself.
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4/15/2019 02:35:34 pm
I like how you explained that professional arborists will be familiar with the equipment that's used and any hazards that are inherent during the process. My husband and I just moved to home that has a large yard and quite a few trees, so we've been trying to decide if it'd be worth it to hire an arborist or take care of them ourselves. I'm glad I read your article because I hadn't thought about the risks of trying to use the equipment ourselves.
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4/16/2019 02:41:33 pm
It's great to know more about what arborists are. I had no idea that they had so much experience and certifications! That's awesome. So, because our tree is dying, hiring one of these professionals to come and take it down is probably smart.
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5/6/2019 02:21:45 am
Thanks for the information. sounds so great and helpful. Kudos!
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5/16/2019 12:16:50 pm
I was surprised to read that a tree service's duties are 16% pruning. It makes sense that you would want to hire a company to do this for your trees because they are experts and know how to do it all properly! I noticed that some trees needed some pruning when I visited my mom yesterday. I'll pass this information along so that she can look at all of her options!
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5/20/2019 07:41:39 pm
Thank you for explaining that an arborists' main concern is to keep trees pruned and not a safety hazard. My sister has been wanting to have her trees trimmed for a while now, but she wasn't sure about who she should call to take care of that for her. I will be sure to forward this article to her so that she can know that she can call an arborist for a variety of services.
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6/10/2019 12:08:39 am
Great article! Its always important to differentiate tree removal professionals and aborists. Customers should always know about the two backgrounds and depending on the services they're looking for, they should know aborist should always be certified and licensed.
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6/20/2019 12:03:22 pm
I liked that you mentioned that an arborist is someone who: “by possession of a recognized degree, certification, or professional standing, or through related training and on-the-job-experience, is familiar with the equipment and hazards involved in arboricultural operations and who has demonstrated ability in the performance of the special techniques involved.” I've been trying to maintain and upkeep the life of my trees and keep them looking as great as possible. I would love to get in touch with an arborist near me who can professionally help me with my trees.
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6/26/2019 11:17:25 am
I just moved into a house with a lot of trees, so I wanted some maintenance tips. I didn't know proper pruning can ensure your tree stays healthy and every certified tree care service should know how to prune. I love the trees in my yard, so I'll hire a residential tree care service that can help me prune my trees regularly with high quality and a good price!
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7/10/2019 10:14:01 pm
I really didn't know that an arborist did all of that work, as I had thought they just did the pruning. There are some trees in my yard that should get some attention. I'll have to go out and get a professional for this since I know I don't have much of an idea of what to do or how to do the work they need properly.
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7/18/2019 01:05:03 pm
I like that you mentioned that trees are more complex than one might think. I've got a large tree on my property that I've noticed some of the branches are dying and I'd love to keep the tree healthy and maintained. Maybe I should look into a tree service company in my area that could help me with that.
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8/23/2019 07:01:15 am
the facts have been discussed is really important. Thank you so much for sharing a great post.
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9/3/2019 01:47:15 pm
It's interesting to me that soil management is a domain that arborists have to learn. You really have to be a professional on everything about a tree, including the dirt they grow in. It makes you feel a lot better about leaving your tree to the hands of a stranger.
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5/21/2020 02:14:32 am
You made a really great point about having proper pruning techniques for effective tree care. My house's trees do look like they'll need some pruning soon. I would want them to look good under the summer sun! I will look forward to your future blog about tree work designed to improve safety while enhancing the look of the garden!
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6/25/2020 02:13:52 am
Thanks for helping me understand the benefits of hiring an arborist. I find it amazing to learn that these experts do not just cut and remove trees, but they also make sure that the trees look healthy for their clients. My friend has this old oak tree on his backyard and he's curious if there's a way for him to bring it back to its former self. I'll share this with him and suggest that he hire a tree care service.
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8/13/2020 11:57:27 am
It's cool that you point out that a certified arborist has the skills necessary to properly prune your trees for you. I want to make sure that I'm taking proper care of the trees in my backyard, so I'm thinking about hiring an arborist to prune them this summer. I'm going to search for a certified arborist in my area to hire.
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9/1/2020 08:38:12 am
Thanks for writing this great article for us. I have gained good stuff from this website. Looking forward to your next article. I am happy to share this post to my friends. Keep it up.
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