CADS and the modern arborist

zebhaney

zebhaney

Location
Federal Way WA
Recently in another thread, mention was made that perhaps some arborists have never read "A New Tree Biology" which might be leading to some unintentional sub par tree care.

Dr Shigo coined the term CADS, for Certified Arborist Decline Syndrome. He was not a great believer in the ISA Certified Arborist program.

What are some of the problems that CADS might be referring to?

I'll start. Over pruning.
 
Certified Arborists who get all their CEU's either from climbing seminars, or tailgate meetings, without ever expanding their knowledge base in tree science. Certified Arborist was designed as an entry level certification, not a final destination.
 
It's the never ending search for knowledge and improvement that makes a strong professional. The ISA certification does little to encourage that.

By copyrighting the term 'Certified Arborist', the ISA is being anti-competitive. Once an arborist is certified there is little compelling them to look outside the ISA for additional education because, to the public, they are already fully qualified. What they don't know is that the ISA certification is very basic and necessarily behind the curve.

I personally have a real problem with the ISA copyrighting terms that should be public domain. Whether that says something about the organization or not I can't say... but it seems to.

I think it's the person that creeps. Some will, some won't, but the ISA CA doesn't distinguish.
 
Chip, I have to respectfully disagree just a bit. My experience with ISA, is that they strongly encourage credential holders to increase their knowledge base. Personally, I try to make it to every learning workshop that presents itself, but I want to know as much as I can about my chosen field, and to be able to maximize my tree care offerings to my clients.

I do fault ISA for not strongly enough discouraging credential holders from remaining in "information-neutral" gear, and obtaining all their requisite CEU's without setting foot into a classroom to actually learn more about how trees work.

I'd like to see their CA CEU requirement changed to require a diversity in the CEU's needed to maintain certification. Perhaps a core curriculum of tree science, pest and disease diagnosis, and best management practices, for 15 of the 30 CEU's required for recertification, with the balance to be filled in at the discretion of the credential holder.
 
A colleaque of mine might comment more becasue there are precedents he could speak on.

But what about requiring CA's to contribute something written or taught, as an article or a seminar in an area they have become proficient at, after a number of years as a CA. Ramping it up more. Maybe some great arbs are not comfortable writing or speaking publicly so maybe other options could be added.

Basically - instead of 'learn', require 'show'.
 
Ahhh, a thread to put this old chestnut...


http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/images/upload/277465-chainsawmoratotium1.pdf

wink.gif
 

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I'd second what you said, Zeb. General over-care is a big problem. In my experience, there is a phase that many arbs go through of looking at a tree and seeing only 'defects' needing to be 'fixed', usually through pruning. Some folks don't continue their education and never come out of that phase.

Of course, this could simply be a problem of CAs getting too settled in their roles as a commercial arborists. You know, the old "Give a man a hammer and every problem looks like a nail", except substitute saw for hammer and nail for branch to be cut.
 
I dont know if I would call it "settled" into my role as a commercial arborist. More like "scramble" "survival" or "how am I going to feed my three kids".

As a Certified Arborist, I do not use this as an excuse for ANY malpruning. But I have been in some bad situations where homeowner wants 'more trimmed out'. I am not sure if you can feel my pain. It is a freakin razor blade - ethics and economics...

I think the best thing I have heard on treebuzz - Guy Mayor's qoute (something like) "Give them the specs then tell them to get the heck out". I keep hearing that in my head as the crazy people watch what I am doing at work...

Yes! too much pruning is the problem I fight all the time as a self-employed CA. But I am a jedi
 
I would have to agree, I was someone stunned when I had gotten the majority of my CEU's from climbing competitions and talks on the TCIA trade room floor. I felt kind of guilty honestly because I didnt really learn anything about trees. there should be a lot more emphasis on the trees themselves and not just on how to work in them and around them.
 
Maybe the CA program should look at BCMA, where you need CEU's in Science, Practice and Management categories to keep the cert. The underlying issue imo is CEU-flation, where they are granted for gimme T-F tests based on infomercials on the internet, huge amounts for U courses etc. Climbing is important, but as treebing notes how much does hanging around at comps and tradeshows advance folks professionally?

It's tough to keep a balance, but the cert committee has made changes that weaken the program. If anyone is against ramping the program up a notch, I gotta wonder how serious they are about its mission. Totally agree with freewill and Frax and Richard about good ways to improve it--more science and more outreach.

Blinker, I agree with some of the perceptions from your outside perspective, but there's a hint of sour grapes in there too. How would you fix the problems you see?

And Zeb, I could point to some underpruning done by CA's who hesitated and lost chances to improve tree structure due to misconceptions/dogma about pruning. But there is way more overpruning yes.
 
I'm not sure about the sour grapes thing, I don't think anyone has rejected me or anything. I've only been asked by customers if I was certified twice. Once they didn't mind that I wasn't and the other time is was for takedown work which the CA doesn't even address.
I worked through the prep book a while ago... learned a lot of good stuff too. It made me want more depth on several subjects, particularly plant biology and soil management. It truly is a starting point, not and end.

It's the monopoly aspect that bothers me. I think the ISA would be of more value if it stood as a true non-profit; if it was more of a partner with outside educational efforts and if it genuinely supported arborists with continuing education and independent study. At this point you have to pay through the nose for publications and CEU programs are laughable. I want the education, not the paper that says I have it.

I think public education efforts aren't well focused either. It's more like, 'ONLY hire ISA arborists' rather than, 'this is how to care for your trees and this is when you should call a professional'.

I could be off base here, I don't keep up with the ISA much anymore. I think they are in the process of marginalizing themselves. In my opinion they have a bad case of 'not invented here' syndrome.

Conceptually I think certification of professionals is a must but in practice it's rarely done in a way that benefits all the parties concerned. In the ISA's case, it's definitely not well executed.

If you really want people to be better educated you have to make education as cheap and accessible as possible. You open doors rather than barring them.
 
c takedown work which the CA doesn't even address.

g CA does address safety and making cuts doesn't it?

c I...think the ISA would be of more value if it stood as a true non-profit; if it was more of a partner with outside educational efforts and if it genuinely supported arborists with continuing education and independent study. At this point you have to pay through the nose for publications and CEU programs are laughable.

g which ones? i think a lot are very good.

c I think public education efforts aren't well focused either. It's more like, 'ONLY hire ISA arborists' rather than, 'this is how to care for your trees and this is when you should call a professional'.

g i agree there could/should be more content up front.

c I could be off base here, I don't keep up with the ISA much anymore. I think they are in the process of marginalizing themselves. In my opinion they have a bad case of 'not invented here' syndrome.

g not sure what this means. if you just look at their website you will see a lot that is done for the industry, for free. And considering that most of the CEU's needed can be gained for FREE by taking the bimonthly test, that does not look like a cash grab from here.
 
I like to compare being a Certified Arborist to being a black belt in TKD. It is simply a starting point. It shows you have the BASIC skills or knowledge in the field. Where you take it from there is up to you..
 
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