Recognizing the Value of an ISA Certified Arborist

You might already know that we have several International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists on staff – it’s something we like to brag about! But, as a tree care company do you know why we are so proud of our certifications?

A frequent conversation among ISA Certified Arborists is the concern that consumers are not aware of the value that they bring. The cause is simply due to the fact that consumers are unaware of the training, knowledge and ethical standards required of them. As a result, the general public is unaware of the value of their work versus that of a non-certified tree worker.

One professional in the business shares a perfect example of this. Verna Mumby of Mumby’s Arboriculture Consulting in Comox, British Columbia, conducted a tree risk assessment for a small community recreation area and concluded that the work should be performed by an ISA Certified Arborist. The volunteer board ignored her advice. The result left them at a real disadvantage. “The work completed by the logger left the trees more hazardous than before. His bill was three times more than he estimated. I explained to the board that if they would have hired a Certified Arborist to do the work, they would have saved money and the trees would have been properly worked on.”

A Higher Standard – Training, Knowledge & Ethical Standards

ISA Certified Arborists must first complete a three and a half hour certification exam. To be eligible to sit for the exam, the ISA Certification Board requires a candidate to have a minimum of three years of full-time experience in arboriculture. Passing the exam indicates that a broad base of knowledge in the art and science of planting, caring for and maintaining individual trees. The credential is subject to ongoing requirements, such as participation in continuing education activities and abiding by the ISA Certified Arborist Code of Ethics.

Wright Outdoor Solutions is proud to be one of only a few tree care companies in the area that employ ISA Certified Arborists. In fact, we encourage all of our employees to become certified within their first year of employment. We have several ISA Certified Arborists and two ISA Board Certified Master Arborists on staff. The ISA Board Certified Master Arborist is the highest level of certification offered by ISA, and fewer than two percent of all ISA Certified Arborists currently hold this certification. Forgive us again for bragging when our employees add more qualifications to their resume.

If you are still having trouble selecting a tree care company, ask the following questions to help identify an ISA Certified Arborist from a non-certified arborist.

• Name a handful of common tree species growing in our area and name two of them in Latin.
• Is the use of spurs okay for these trees?
• Name one disease that is common to fruit trees in our area.
• Is topping okay for the tree?

If the arborist struggles to answer these questions, chances are that they are not ISA Certified. ISA makes it easy for the consumer by providing a search engine for Certified Arborists in your area. Access the search tool here. For more information about hiring qualified, certified arborists, we suggest visiting www.treesaregood.org.