Hiring a ISA Certified Arborist provides tree owners the opportunity to become better informed about proper tree care and their selection of services based on the expertise represented by their credentials. To earn an ISA Certified Arborist credential, an arborist must be trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of arboriculture, and adhere to a code of ethics that strengthens their credibility and reliability. After they verify their experience and/or education level they then can sign up to put that knowledge to the test, the ISA Certified Arborist test represents all aspects of arboriculture. The process does not end there, a certification is only valid for three years. To retain certification after each three year period an ISA certified Arborist must obtain continuing education credits and recertify. A certified arborist is a person working in arboriculture that has decided to set themselves apart as someone with the commitment, dedication and knowledge to succeed in the field of arboriculture.
ISA Certified Arborists have advanced knowledge in tree biology, health and care. They are not the one trick pony (tree removals) that represent a great majority of the tree industry. They understand in depth what they are recommending over the long life span of your trees. Trees live a long time and adapt slowly to change, many times an ISA Certified Arborist will recommend multiple pruning sessions with years between them to achieve your goals in order to prevent larger problems down the road. On many occasions they make recommendations that are to do with the environmental situation that the tree lives in because they are the reason you are now seeing changes in the tree years later. Working with ISA Certified Arborist leads to better decision making for the long term health of your trees.
For example urban trees often have a shorter lifespan than native trees growing in the forest due to the harsh urban environment. These trees must conform to the aesthetics and space requirements of things like houses, businesses, and driveways that humans also place high value in. They often live in yards with monoculture of grass and other plants that compete for water and nutrients. Even the act of mowing the grass leads to compacted soil that limits root growth by reducing pore space, hindering water and nutrient uptake into the tree. Ultimately this leads to stunted growth and increased vulnerability to pests and disease. Urban trees are often planted, and cared for individually with human intervention playing a significant role in their health and ultimately their survival. Working with an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist is Important for the health and safety of your trees.
Safety is always a priority with all ISA Certified Arborists. Many times arborists are called to make decisions on large trees, or diseased trees. With their advanced knowledge and continual education they are more aware of what causes and leads up to failures. They receive safety training as part of their continuing education, and are up to date on best practices for the work that they are performing. They are trained to identify and mitigate risk, this allows you to trust that they will take the safest and correct plans to diminish risk for you, your family, and your property.
The large knowledge base that ISA Certified Arborist have includes being able to properly identify what kind of tree(s) you have, pests, diseases, and environmental stressors. This helps the arborists to be able to recommend the best solution tailored to each specific tree’s needs. Trees that receive personalized care have a more successful outcome and avoid unnecessary extra maintenance saving you money over time. Trees are valuable in many ways, they provide shade, lower hot summer temperatures, and are aesthetically pleasing. If you want your trees to be as valuable as possible, working with a certified arborist is the best option.
No matter where you live there are legal and moral obligations to consider when hiring a tree care professional. ISA Certified Arborists must trim trees following ANSI A300 standards, or they risk losing their professional status. Besides the national levels of tree care standards many municipalities have their own local regulations and minimum insurance coverage regulations for arborists. It is always important to comply with your local regulations to check that you are not hiring a fly by night tree worker with no training or verified insurance coverage for tree work. Many times people are left to pay for the excessive damage caused by these companies and may end up having to pay thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands of dollars or more to remove the tree; only a few years after saving money by hiring a tree trimmer that lacks a proper understanding of what they are doing to a tree they are being paid to perform work on.
Having work performed on your trees that contributes positively to not only your goals but the trees’ health are more likely to contribute positively to the value of your property and saving you money later. Your property will be more aesthetically pleasing and more valuable. To have a ISA Certified Arborist work with you to improve the environment and aesthetics of your property call J.M. Tree Service at 585-766-5674. J.M. Tree Service has multiple ISA Certified Arborists on staff to help you with your tree care needs. Josh Miesch the owner of J.M. Tree Service holds multiple ISA Certifications. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, an ISA Certified Urban Forestry Specialist, and is ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified.
