ISA Certified Arborist Question

OH yeah...in case you care.....I currently maintain a Class 4 Arboretum on our campus. We have over 400 different species of trees in our collection. I am responsible for all of the care, planting, pruning, pest control, preservation during construction, as well as the one who decides what, where, and how trees will be removed.

We contract most of our big jobs out.....I only NEED to know a HACK when I see one. I don't have to own the bucket truck, I don't have to spend all of my time up a tree. I have plenty of ARBORIST duties to occupy my time, I can leave the rest to the guys who do it every day, and are good at what they do!

I take a lot of pride in my work. If anyone is in the area....please feel free to stop by. We have one of only two? American Conifer Society Reference collections in the SouthEast. We have trees from all over the globe, all signed with botanical and common names and region of origin.
SO...MR. Arborist...how is it again that you are somehow better than me?.....
 
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no! it's only 60% as of right now. Though with more and more members not paying dues and only doing what they have to, to keep the CA. It will probally drop to a 50% next year and open book test hahahaha.

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To be absolutely accurate this is the breakdown:

You must first obtain an overall score of 70%. Once you have obtained that overall score, you are required to obtain a 60% in each domain.

The CA test is a test that has to work in many different continents, with dramatically different tree cultures and histories of tree care...it has to be workable and will inevitably be less specific and detailed than the individual state certifications produced within your municipalities.

As others have sensibly pointed out it is merely the first step that anyone meeting the basic requirements can take on a potential journey of learning that should continue throughout their entire life....as such it guarentees nothing except that they made the initial commitment, and passed the first test....how far they go on with it?... well clearly that is up to each individual.

It is perfectly natural and normal for those who have successfully completed the test to feel good about it, and they should identify themselves as being ISA certified (at whatever level they achieved)
 
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I have not tried to take anything away from you Hollenreich, but now you are belittling a lot of people who have worked very hard to get that little peice of paper. Agreed, that is all it is, a peice of paper. It's true...their are a lot of CAs out there that shouldn't be practicing (same with doctors). I don't guess that I realized this was the place for Arborists to S#!t on each other.

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No it's not a place to poo on other arborist. Think I went about this the wrong way?

My point, maybe I should try to get across, is I feel that alot of companies have belittle this cert to a point it almost means nothing anymore. They hire a sales person. They pay them little less they have the cert. It forces the sales person to take the test. Some I've seen never even worked a day in tree work. They pass the test with little trouble at all, not they have retained the info just that they knew the info at the time of the test. Alot of these type only do the min they have to keep it.

Now I have a hard time with this cause Bob the ex used car sales man is supposed to be my boss, yet he's picking my brain for the price and what needs to be done. I tell'em you got the papers go pound sand tell me what needs to be done to the tree.

My last point would be if you want to be an Arborist {I love that made up word} then you should be able to atleast climb. I know everyone points out there are so many diff ave. to this blah blah blah. I expect my Lic plumber to be able to soder pipe. I expect my certed machanic to be able to trun a wrench. Do you get my drif. If you can't preform the job then don't try to do it.
 
Thanks for the clarification HR. I get your point, and I do agree in theory. As I said, I will climb, because I want to, I agree that it is important for ME to be the best that I can be. However I do not agree that you HAVE to climb to be a good arborist. You do have to climb to be a good climber.
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My point: when you take a look at the whole picture....the overwhelming majority of tree care happens on the ground or in the ground. Soils, site preparation, tree protection, selection, planting, training, education. These are all critical parts of Arboriculture. Except for removing trees that died of old age HAHA, good tree care practices can limit the time and frequency that someone NEEDS to be in the tree. If I can stand on the ground and know what I am looking at, the guy in the tree doesn't have to be certified, they just have to be good at what they do. The danger in making generalities is there are always exceptions.

I think the key to being good at anything is knowing what your good at, recognizing that someone else might know more than you about something, and being mature enough to ask for help.
Besides, it's all about perspective, and please don't missunderstand me. I respect all of you guys/gals, and value your opinions and experience highly. I am opinionated, and am not afraid to say what's on my mind. I will take it just as I dish it out. It is all EDUCATION, and I firmly believe my signature line. I learn every day...the day I stop learning is the day I start dieing.
 
You guys really bring up a good point about the amount of knowledge a student might have. Speaking for the school I am at we are all hands on when it comes to our classes because we are a tech school. We also have an indoor climbing lab. Our school and our two year degree is one of very few in the nation. So i will be getting my associates next year in 2010 and then will continue at UWSP for my bachelors in urban forestry. Two degrees in 4 years is a really good thing to have.

As for the experience with the 3 year deal and you talking about family businesses. My dad has a degree in forestry and I am 20 now so I have been around the business since I could walk and would go to jobs and watch. Then when I was able to help out and work I really gained knowledge and experience. I would say that for a solid 10 years of my life would equal at least 4 years full time experience. I also have two summers for my towns forestry department where we planted, sprayed, mulched and train pruned trees. With all of this I just hope I can be able to take the test to become a certified arborist. It is just a good thing to have under your belt even if your still in school.
 
Tr33climb3er, your situation is a perfect reason why applicants need to be reviewed on a case by case basis. Sounds to me like you are a good candidate for certification; I hope the cert folks agree.

-Tom
 
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Tr33climb3er, your situation is a perfect reason why applicants need to be reviewed on a case by case basis. Sounds to me like you are a good candidate for certification; I hope the cert folks agree.

-Tom

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Thanks, I sure hope so too...in the next couple of days I plan to get in gear and work on getting my paper work done.

Casey
 
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so with that quoted from the book how does this crap happen?

[/ QUOTE ]Because you did not bother
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to read the whole section:
The ISA Certification Board requires candidates to have a minimum of three years of full-time experience
in arboriculture. Acceptable experience includes the practical use of knowledge involved in
pruning, fertilization, installation and establishment, diagnosis and treatment of tree problems, cabling
and bracing, climbing, or other services that directly relate to arboriculture. Examples of experience
sources include, but are not limited to,
• tree care companies • utility personnel
• nursery personnel • instructors of arboriculture/horticulture
• landscape personnel • horticultural/Extension advisors
• municipalities • consulting arborists
• state forestry personnel • pest control advisors/applicators

utility/nursery/landscape personnel covers basic ops, right?
Would it be reasonable to say that 6 years of halftime groundie = 3 years of fulltime?

I know highschoolers who have worked enough to satisfy this. I don't see a problem with that.

It does nothing to mock state certs that are tougher, and should stay tough. Different animals altogether.

O and don't you need a 70% in each domain?
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Good thing you posted more information to show that there is more to this kind of thing.

I'm also aware of a Landscape Architect in Oregon who qualified to sit for the exam and passed, and is now a Certified Arborist.

Probably relied on his degree, the landscape architect experience and some other work experience too.
 
Tr33Climb3r good luck. I think that you are well qualified to take the test, and will probably do great, but it isn't up to me, or anyone else on this forum. Do your paperwork and hope for the best.
 
I second those sentiments, good luck if you do go ahead and sit the test....however even if you don't actually sit the test...the process of reading and completing the study guide and in the process expanding your own understanding of tree biology and its practical application will be of enormous benefit to you in this profession.
 
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