No more tree ID?!

say what? Did you just recently take the test? Or read it somewhere?

Me personally I didn't like it. Had to identify some trees from a picture. Had a test here on campus just recently and got a 19/20 (damn you newly planted butternut) Yea yea I know "but the buds"
 
I just proctored the exam this past weekend. No more branches or photos of local trees. Instead you need to be up to snuff on taxonomy and description terminology. Be able to view an illustration of a leaf and describe it as palmate/lanceolate/Serrate..stuff like that.

What I've gleaned through the grapevine is that since Certified Arborist is an internationally recognized certification, the logic is that it's more important that a C/A be able to correctly describe plant material in order to use an identification key, no matter where in the world they may be asked to work.
 
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What I've gleaned through the grapevine is that since Certified Arborist is an internationally recognized certification, the logic is that it's more important that a C/A be able to correctly describe plant material in order to use an identification key, no matter where in the world they may be asked to work.

[/ QUOTE ]mmmm yes using an ID key is a good basic skill, but not sure that it's because arborists are called to work in different regions.

this tendril of the grapevine can report that the quality of photos and samples in different areas was shall we say variable, and the test has to be consistent to be fair and up to ISO snuff.

I kinda regret that it sounds like this will be more of a vocab test. There's always been an effort to avoid that, for good reasons.
 
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Why did the ISA do away with the ID portion of their test? I personally dont care for the new format.

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NO WAY! That stinks.

If the photos are a problem, then walk the class around a campus like we do here for the Maryland Licensed Tree Expert test. It's been done this way for many many years.
 
I know I just heard. My brother took the test a couple weeks ago and I told him about the tree ID and some other things and he comes back and said no tree ID. I didn't know what to say.
 
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NO WAY! That stinks.

If the photos are a problem, then <font color="red"> walk the class around a campus </font>like we do here for the Maryland Licensed Tree Expert test. It's been done this way for many many years.

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It's probably a move to make the test more user friendly for people that don't go outside!
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I just took the test back in oct. and was a little bent they didn't let anynoe know or have some sort of announcement, seeing as it is obviously a staple on that exam. The lady at ISA explained that it was basically to "keep a level playing field on the test, as it is an international exam and some regions had small lists, versus big lists in others". Needless to say, I wasn't super stoked to have studied for hours brushing up on trees to find that all I would have to do is id a truncate leaf and alternate arrangement...
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...Needless to say, I wasn't super stoked to have studied for hours brushing up on trees to find that all I would have to do is id a truncate leaf and alternate arrangement...
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[/ QUOTE ]But since the studying is the reason for certs, then you won!

And Dan you may not be far off there...
 
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I just proctored the exam this past weekend. No more branches or photos of local trees. Instead you need to be up to snuff on taxonomy and description terminology. Be able to view an illustration of a leaf and describe it as palmate/lanceolate/Serrate..stuff like that.

What I've gleaned through the grapevine is that since Certified Arborist is an internationally recognized certification, the logic is that it's more important that a C/A be able to correctly describe plant material in order to use an identification key, no matter where in the world they may be asked to work.

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Part of the reason I see some merit in that, is because an arborist could have just moved to a new area, or will take the test in Kentucky, but will move the next month to Hawaii.

Or, they work in multiple areas.
 
I proctored an exam last spring and was told they are upping the level of testing. Some type of certification requirements. It had to do with federal testing standard and ISA wanting to have their certification recognized like all other professional ones are. Everything stated above make scene and probably was considered when they switched the format to be more fair to testers.

Its a bummer that no one told you that things have changed. Next time I talk to my liaison I'll let him know things are not being clearly described for the test takers, prior to taking the test.

I tested in the mid Atlantic area and now live in penn-del area.
 
Since we're on the subject... Its funny how an International organization can't get quality digital photos for their tests. When I tok the CA exam and when I recently took the BCMA exam they pictures were horrible. Maybe this is why they tok out the ID portion because they couldn't get the pictures off the internet or someones slide show (the old kind) anymore?

They need to hire a photographer or buy quality stock photos so they can have a quality ID portion or so the testers can actually see what is going on rather than have it explained to them because the picture of the tree was taken 40 years ago...

DUMB!
 
I recertified a couple weeks ago, it was the computer based exam. I assumed the lack of ID was a function of it being a generic format for the computer. There were, as cerviarborist stated, questions on taxonmy.

I found a few questions to be poorly worded/confusing. Particularly the question regarding a "false branch union". It took me a little thinking to assume it was regarding a "false crotch".

Personally, i think that possessing the knowledge to ID a woody plant is more important than being able to recognize local species.
 
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Since we're on the subject... Its funny how an International organization can't get quality digital photos for their tests. When I tok the CA exam and when I recently took the BCMA exam they pictures were horrible. Maybe this is why they tok out the ID portion because they couldn't get the pictures off the internet or someones slide show (the old kind) anymore?

They need to hire a photographer or buy quality stock photos so they can have a quality ID portion or so the testers can actually see what is going on rather than have it explained to them because the picture of the tree was taken 40 years ago...

DUMB!

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If they got better images for the test, perhaps they could also replace a few of them in the study guide. In particular the image of the guy drilling to install support hardware with cigarette hanging out of his mouth!
 
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Personally, i think that possessing the knowledge to ID a woody plant is more important than being able to recognize local species.

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Identifying a local woody plant shows you possess identifying skills and that you can study and learn the local species.

I say, include the vocabulary words to identify woody plants AND have an species identification.

When I took the test, the pictures were EXCELLENT, showed the tree from a distance, showed twigs up close and fruit and flower and bark. Very clear. Very easy.

Look at the crappy pictures we put on Trees From a Distance thread and how many of us get those correct.

I told a fellow arborist today that the tree ID was removed from the test, he said, "I read that and I'm speechless".
 
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Personally, i think that possessing the knowledge to ID a woody plant is more important than being able to recognize local species.



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I agree. I think it's a good change. What about having both taxonomy and local tree ID?
 
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