Arborists are professionals who work in arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, and other perennial woody plants. The specific duties of certified arborists vary depending on their level of experience, location, and the services their company provides or specializes in. One of the tasks that arborists and other tree workers are most known for is climbing trees to prune or cut branches that are dead, dying, diseased, damaged, and hazardous using various tools and other equipment, such as chainsaws, handsaws, pole pruners, and more. In addition to climbing and removing limbs from a tree, an arborist is also responsible for ensuring that the area surrounding the tree is safe to work in and then transporting the fallen limbs away, either by truck or by repurposing the branches for other uses, such as mulch.
More than just cutting down trees, an arborist also needs to understand the many issues that can affect trees. Taking samples from trees and soil to diagnose any tree health problems is another core duty of an arborist. Burkholder PHC is a plant health care company, meaning that we take a holistic approach to cultivating, strengthening, and maintaining the health and appearance of your trees. So if one desires to plant trees on their property, we, as certified arborists, help them create the ideal conditions for exceptionally healthy and well-maintained trees.
Certified Arborist Training
As noted previously, arboriculture is the science and practice of cultivating and managing trees and shrubs, specifically for ornamental purposes. As with licensing of commercial pesticide applicators, professional arborists can be certified by a rigorous review of credentials, validation of education and experience, and testing of technical and applied knowledge administered by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). This credential can be challenging to achieve, genuinely demonstrating a person’s field-based experience and expertise in the aspects of tree care including:
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Soil Management
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Identification and Selection
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Installation and Establishment
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Safe Work Practices
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Tree Biology
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Pruning
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Diagnosis and Treatment
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Urban Forestry
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Tree Protection
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Tree Risk Management
How Certified Arborists Benefit You
Trees are complex organisms that constantly interact with other plant life on your property, so a comprehensive understanding of those environments and the plants within them is crucial to ensuring your trees are properly cared for. In addition, landscapes and the knowledge/tools needed to care for them are constantly changing, from homeowners planting new non-native species of trees to new pests arriving and disturbing landscape trees. A certified arborist’s knowledge is also continually growing thanks to the educational opportunities and requirement that certification dictates.
