Most people understand the importance of securing professional assistance whenever they notice that one of their trees is in poor health, covered in insects, or appears to be hazardous. But that doesn’t mean they always choose the ideal person or company to provide the help they need.
Unfortunately, many people in need of tree assistance simply choose the most affordable or convenient option they can find. But that’s almost always a mistake. In most cases, you should select an ISA-certified arborist and avoid generic “tree care providers.”
7 Reasons to Choose an ISA-Certified Arborist Over a Generic Tree Company
There are dozens of reasons businesses and homeowners should always choose an ISA-certified arborist over a random “tree person.” However, the following seven reasons are among the most important.
1. Safety
Most tree-care services involve some type of risk, and some — such as pruning, tree removal, and the installation of support mechanisms — are exceedingly dangerous. So, it’s imperative that you work with true professionals who understand how to carry out this kind of work safely.
Because tree-care work can be so dangerous, the ISA requires arborists to know how to conduct tree work safely. In fact, the certified arborist exam includes a number of safety-related topics, which arborists must score well on to pass and earn their certification.
2. Verified Experience & Training
In most parts of the country, including Michigan, just about anyone can start a business and call themselves a tree care provider — even if they’ve never worked with trees before or obtained any tree-care education or training. Some will even use the term “arborist” to describe themselves, as there is no overarching authority that polices this practice.
That’s why the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) plays such an important role in the tree-care industry. The ISA is a private organization that oversees and administers testing and educational programs that are designed to demonstrate an individual’s knowledge, skill, and experience with regard to tree care. The organization does so, in part, by offering a variety of certifications and qualifications, including the basic yardstick of the tree-care industry: an ISA-certified arborist.
To be eligible to take the ISA certification test, an individual must prove that he or she has extensive education or experience with tree care. He or she must then pass a comprehensive examination, which covers a variety of aspects of tree care.
3. Proper Diagnosis of Tree Issues
Often, homeowners and property managers need help determining the reason for a tree’s ailing health or decline. Once again, a certified arborist will prove much more useful in this capacity than a generic tree-care provider.
Certified arborists understand the issues surrounding tree health. They also have the knowledge and skill to properly identify and diagnose the most common tree diseases, fungi, and pests in their area. And when they are confronted with something they’re not familiar with, they know how to conduct the kinds of tests or further examinations necessary to obtain an identification or diagnosis.
Meanwhile, most “tree guys” are more interested in making money than properly caring for your trees. This means they’ll rarely have the ability to identify or diagnose the problems your tree is experiencing. And unfortunately, in many cases, they’ll simply provide some type of vague reason that your tree is beyond help and requires removal.
4. Insured for Your Protection
Even the most experienced and skilled arborists can make mistakes, and trees occasionally react to standard pruning or removal techniques in unexpected ways. This can lead to property damage, injuries, or worse. So, while these types of things are rare, it is important that anyone working on your trees is properly insured.
ISA-certified arborists will almost always carry a comprehensive array of insurance policies, designed to provide protection from different risks. This not only includes general liability insurance, but also workers’ compensation insurance and errors and omissions insurance. The former helps to pay for the medical care and lost wages that injured employees may face, while the latter helps cover arborists providing consulting services.
On the other hand, ordinary tree care providers are rarely insured in the same way. Even if they have a general liability policy, they may not have workers’ compensation insurance. This means you could theoretically find yourself being forced to pay for injuries one of the workers suffers while on your property.
5. Science-Based Care
To provide the kind of care trees need to not only survive but thrive, tree-care professionals must employ science-based techniques.
But unfortunately, many generic tree care providers fail to incorporate scientific principles or stay up to date on the latest approaches and techniques. Many even continue to employ long-outdated practices, such as filling internal tree voids with concrete and painting branch stubs after making pruning cuts.
By comparison, ISA-certified arborists take a science-based approach to tree care. They not only understand tree biology, but also the physics of tree stability and structure, soil chemistry, pest control, and the geology involved with soil structure and composition.
And perhaps most importantly, ISA-certified arborists must continue to learn about the scientific advances in tree care. They’re even required to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) or retake the arborist exam every three years.
6. Risk Assessment Expertise
One of the most important things tree-care workers must occasionally do is to determine whether or not a tree is potentially hazardous — something called tree risk assessment. If the professional determines that a tree is a hazard, it will usually be removed, while a tree that is deemed safe will generally be left in place.
This is obviously a relatively high-stakes proposition. On the one hand, it may lead to the unnecessary removal of a tree that was in good condition. But on the other hand, it may cause a homeowner to retain a tree that ends up falling on their house.
Because of the gravity of these kinds of risk assessments, ISA-certified arborists have to learn a lot about tree structure, decay, and wind response. Some arborists even obtain a specialized credential demonstrating an aptitude for this kind of work, called a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
Generic tree service providers, however, rarely have any specialized training, education, or experience for performing risk assessments.
7. Code of Ethics
It’s important that you trust anyone providing you with tree-care services. That’s fairly easy to do with certified arborists, as they must abide by the ISA Code of Ethics – a list of guidelines and rules arborists must follow to avoid having their credential suspended or revoked.
The ISA Code of Ethics covers a range of responsibilities, relating to the quality of work provided, adherence to industry standard practices, and the manner in which clients are treated. It also covers things like keeping testing materials confidential, using the ISA logo properly, and avoiding conflicts of interest.
Generic tree service providers aren’t bound by this kind of ethical code — and it often shows. Many will act in their own best interest rather than their clients’ or perform work that does not comply with the industry’s best practices.
Certified Arborist vs Tree Care Provider: FAQ
Still have questions about why you should always work with a certified arborist? Still curious about the differences between a certified arborist versus a tree removal company? We’ve rounded up a few of the most common questions and answered them below!
What is the difference between a certified arborist and a tree service?
A certified arborist has demonstrated extensive knowledge of tree care and passed a test administered by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Typical tree services are simply people who work on trees. They may have no formal education, training, or experience with trees.
Because ISA certification helps distinguish true professionals from non-professionals, most tree companies will state whether or not they have ISA-certified arborists on staff.
Note that many tree services companies who do not have an arborist on staff will use other terms to help make them appear legitimate. This includes terms like “tree specialist” or “tree technician.” But these terms don’t carry any weight, nor are they governed by an internationally recognized tree-care association.
Why are arborists so expensive?
There are a variety of reasons it can be costly to obtain the services of an arborist. For starters, arborists must often purchase, maintain, and operate expensive equipment and machinery, such as bucket trucks and chippers. The insurance associated with being an arborist is also pricey in many cases.
These factors, combined with the general demand for arborists, help to keep rates high.
When should you call an arborist?
You should call an arborist anytime you have a tree that is exhibiting symptoms of illness (including the presence of fungus, dead branches, unusual leaf appearance, or missing bark). It’s also wise to contact an arborist if you are worried that one of your trees is hazardous or needs to be pruned.
It’s generally a good practice to have an arborist inspect your trees once per year, even if they appear in good health. Many pests and pathogens may only cause subtle symptoms at first, and a certified arborist can help identify these and recommend the proper course of action.
What is a professional tree trimmer called?
There’s not necessarily an official name for a professional tree trimmer. Most commonly, you’d simply call them a tree trimmer. However, some tree trimmers are also certified arborists, in which case they’d probably prefer to be called exactly that.
Do you need an arborist to cut down a tree?
Not necessarily. The laws regarding who is legally entitled to cut down a tree vary from one municipality to the next. Some places require tree care workers to be licensed, while others do not. Similarly, property owners (and even landscapers) are allowed to cut down trees in some areas, but not others.
With all of that said, it is always wise to have an ISA-certified arborist remove any tree you need cut down. This is the only way to be sure that your tree will be removed in a safe and proper manner.
What is the difference between an arborist and a certified arborist?
Technically, anyone who works on trees can call themselves an arborist in most places. However, to be a certified arborist (even more specifically, an ISA-certified arborist), one has to demonstrate considerable tree-care experience, knowledge, and skill, and pass a comprehensive examination.
What is a tree surgeon or tree doctor?
The terms “tree surgeon” and “tree doctor” don’t really have precise definitions in the U.S. When most people use the term tree surgeon or tree doctor, they’re referring to an arborist.
Longtree Tree Service: The Certified Arborists You Need!
Whether you need help keeping your trees healthy or assistance with a dying or hazardous tree, the certified arborists at Longtree Tree Service are ready to help. We’ve been serving Michigan homeowners and businesses since 2019, during which time we’ve established a rock-solid reputation for providing unparalleled tree pruning, tree inspection, tree treatment, and tree removal services.
Contact us today, schedule your free consultation, and let our ISA-certified arborists handle all of your tree-care needs!
