A common query I receive regarding my videos on arborists and tree services revolves around what exactly an arborist does. People want to know their daily responsibilities and how an arborist can assist them.

An arborist, the tree surgeon, is a professional in tree care/ management in an urban environment. Arborists have studied Arboriculture below is a list of things they can do:

An arborist performs the following;

  1. Tree removal
  2. Tree trimming
  3. Tree inspections
  4. Arborist reports

The gold standard for an arborist is to be certified and licensed by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). They are one of the biggest organizations worldwide that train and certify arborists.

The minimum education requirement to become a certified arborist is a Certificate III in Arboriculture. This involves the study of;

  • The biology of trees
  • Pest, disease, and their treatment
  • How to safely use a maintain chainsaws
  • Single rope climbing techniques
  • Traffic control
  • Tree safety inspections
  • writing arborist reports

As well as a host of other skills required to operate in the field autonomously as an arborist.

consulting arborist is a professional who has obtained a diploma (Certificate V) in Arboriculture. This course is a lot more detailed to further the students’ studies, so they can operate as a consulting arborist.

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Do you need a license to practice arboriculture?

In the United States, you will need a license to practice as an arborist in your city. If you are hoping to operate a tree service and carry out works such as tree trimming, tree removal, and arborist reports, you will require a minimum of Certificate III in arboriculture.

Most cities issue a license and require you to present qualifications and public liability insurance before they will issue you with a license to practice1.

Training institutions such as the ISA do give you the skills you need to work, but depending on the city you live in you may not be able to obtain a license from them to legally carry out work. The city themselves need to be able to confirm your credentials.

How can I become an arborist?

Becoming an arborist is much like becoming an electrician or a plumber. As it is a trade you will need to first get a job in the industry. When you are employed by a Tree Service company, they may choose to send you to a training program to get a certification, or you can elect to do it yourself, and then begin attending arboriculture classes2.

If you currently own a lawn care or garden maintenance business and you are looking to add tree services to your list of skills and expand your business, you may also begin studying. Because tree services, landscaping, and lawn care are all very closely related, being a certified arborist to enable you to expand your services into tree trimming and removal, which will mean a great boost for your business.

Most training institutions do acknowledge that a lot of on-site training can be obtained without necessarily getting formal training. If you can demonstrate competency in many areas of arboriculture’s service-based tasks, you can get exemptions and skip certain modules of the course without having to formally sit through the training.

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What are the job opportunities?

Over the last 10 years, there has been a huge growth in public awareness of the importance trees play in our everyday life. From cleaning the air to reducing the heat island effect and also improving the quality of life for people living around these natural wonders, there has been a rapid growth in the demand for skilled professionals in tree care.

There are still a lot of unlicensed and shady tradesmen who run tree service companies. These will be a thing of the past sometime soon as the skill levels expected of arbor tree services are growing as people’s knowledge and appreciation for trees grow.

Depending on your city, there are always opportunities to work as an arborist for the parks and gardens sectors to maintain street trees and trees in public spaces. In other cities, these tasks are subcontracted to medium to large companies that are always on the lookout for skilled workers.

In all green cities, there will never be a shortage of demand for skilled arborists with a good work ethic.

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