Arborist Study Guide 2010 vs 2001

evo

evo

Been here much more than a while
Location
My Island, WA
I'm studying for my certification. My first employer gifted me a certification study guide to read for the job it's the 2001 edition.

How different is the 2010 edition from the 2001? Should I go out and buy the new one, or will the older version work well enough? I have a habit of over thinking things, and this is probably one of them.
 
If you can stand black & white, go with the 2001. The info in there is still good. 2010 is full color.
 
Hey here's a question. How can we get more Certified Arborists? More people need to pass the exam right? How do we do that? Make the test easier right? How can we make the test easier? Eliminate the most often failed portion of the exam.

But, I digress... (sorry I'm a bit bitter about having to study so hard and watching guys not have to now).

They eliminated tree ID. You are no longer tested on it. However, I can't remember how much there is in the older study guide with regard to ID. I know you used to get a list of 100 species specific to your area. That list was in addition to the study guide. Since they eliminated it, I've been waiting for them to create a new "Tree I.D. Specialist" cert.
 
Evo, if I were you, I would get the 2010 version! I had the 01 version and I got the 10 one, it's in color and has updated information and the cds helps, as you can play them in your vehicle and what really helped me was the 10 cd rom set! All the best to ya...
 
Yeah the new study guide teaches that dynamic cabling systems are now acceptable arboricultural practice despite their contradictory scientific principles.

BS is now in the scientific mainstream.

Count me out!

jomoco
 
Yeah, I'm about to take the test and am not terribly worried. I don't think that we need more certified arborists, we need better certified arborists and better education about why its important to hire a CA (or at least someone who knows what they're doing, I think being a CA is not a guarantee that you are actually doing a good job but it is more likely). I can't say exactly how hard the test will be (having not taken it yet) but if its as easy as I'm expecting it to be, I think we need to step it up. You shouldn't be able to pass the test just from reading the study guide a few times (and I know a guy who did exactly that). That being said, buy the 2010 study guide, and at the very least, get Gilman's Illustrated Guide to Pruning, Harris' Arboriculture and Shigo's A New Tree Biology.
 
At this point I have,

New Tree Biology,
Harris's Arboriculture edition 1,2,4,
Mattheck's Body language of Trees,
Esau's Anatomy of Seed Plants,
Diseases of Trees and Shrubs, Sinclair
Manual of Landscape Plants (second from last Edition), Dirr
Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs.
Diseases of Forest and Shade Trees of USA, USDA FS handbook #386
Common Tree Diseases of BC,
An Illustrated Guide to Pruning second Edition, Gillman
Arborist Tools and Equipment, Blair
ISA Certification Study Guide (2001), ISA

Also a handful of basic pruning books, as well as ID field guide books. I'm taking this seriously and probably over studying. Most of the books I have are one edition out, that I have found for cheap in thrift stores, or used book stores. I have always done alot of self education when I find something that I'm interested in. Now it's Arboriculture, last time it was herpetology. My book shelf confuses people who come to visit. The only books I haven't read is Gilmans Illustrated guide to pruning, and Harris 4th edition of Arboriculture. Any other books you'd recommend?
 
Thats awesome man. I think its great that you're overstudying, it is exactly what I've been doing and its what I hope most guys taking the exam are doing. There are too many "study guide arborists" out there (especially in my area). I'd say you've got a good start, I like Luley's Wood Decay Fungi, Up By Roots by James Urban, The Fundamentals of General Tree Work by Beranek and and BMP's and ANSI standards you feel like getting your hands on.
 
2010 had a lot of updates besides the improvement jon pointed out.

Wookie, ID was not removed to make it easier, but more fair.

i think the whole point of cert is to foment overstudying.
 
Last night I looked up the test outline, and it looks like that there is information in the latest study guide that's on the test, mostly the urban forestry section. I got the 2010 guide on the way after the holidays... Thanks for the response.
 
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