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There should be a ten minute limit on post editing here.

Frustrating to see a quote that the first guy then goes and eliminates five hours later. Stand by your words, gentlemen! Spiral of decline my left cheek.

I'm in complete agreement with the well-reasoned complaint that we as members get very little (read no) public profile out of the ISA. Even googling ISA doesn't get top billing, we're after a few other more frequently hit ISA's that no one has ever heard of.:)

How many Landcaping magazines are there, perhaps dozens (Conservatively) Ads from the ISA promoting arborists: zero.

How many gardening magazines and commercial books are there, perhaps hundreds? Ads from the ISA promoting arborists: zero.

How many televison programs are there about house, home and garden? At least half a dozen. Ads from ISA promoting proper tree care: exactly zero.

In fact the only ads I've ever seen the ISA run are Ads that invite membership and its attendant fees. This seems to be the best they can do.

If it weren't for the fact that ISA cert is required by my job, I'd tell the ISA to take a flying leap. ANSI did all the real work, the ISA just sucks up dues and returns.....what? I'm waiting...

Davey Tree and Bartlett have labs and arbotretum where they independantly forge ahead with research, the ISA? What do they actually do?


Expose me as wrong, fine, I won't edit this five hours later...:rock:



RedlineIt
 
US and YHEM

I have come to a realization that the main problem with this thread, and my posts concerning this subject is that members of this organization view the organizations as separate entities from themselves. Even Treeseer in some respect seems to distance himself from the ISA in certain areas. Although we are separate entities for the most part, (I realize some are excluded here and by all means I respect that decision) the ISA is us. So how do we change it, other than traveling to Hawaii, paying thousands out of pocket, and missin a week of our most productive season?

Someone quoted a survey, (which I have to admit I did not see), and also lamented the lack of response. To this I agree. I did not respond, because I did not see it...but I am a little busy, and to this lament I am not only sympathetic, but adamently apologetic that I missed that opportunity for my voice to be heard. Are there letters to be written, or officials to contact? What I get from my efforts...is a constant referral to sales. Or am I totally alone in believing that change is needed, or a refocus anyway?

I am a member, and therefore bashing the ISA, is in some respects bashing myself. We have got to let go of the US, and THEM philosophy. Maybe I do not agree with the policies, and maybe I am more than a little disappointed in what I have seen so far....but in the interest of the concerns raised here....how can WE change? I criticize myself often, I believe it is a process which makes me a better person. So my criticisms of the ISA, MSA, or any other entity to which I have allegiance, are justifiec (ay least in my opinion) in an extensional view of philosophies to which I have joined myself...therefore I am VERY critical of what and who the ISA is or has become, because the ISA also carries my name as well.
 
Red, I only took out what aggravated the bc hydro/spiking :deadhorse: rant. You did not miss a thing.

Dan, whose vacations are your dues paying for? I've been to the last 4 and I see isa employees woking long hours there, not my idea of a vacation.
Dada, Dan's spoon, like his head ;) has a lot of holes.

I have come to a realization that the main problem with this thread, and my posts concerning this subject is that members of this organization view the organizations as separate entities from themselves. Someone quoted a survey, (which I have to admit I did not see), and also lamented the lack of response. To this I agree. I did not respond, because I did not see it... Are there letters to be written, or officials to contact? What I get from my efforts...is a constant referral to sales. Or am I totally alone in believing that change is needed, or a refocus anyway?... I am VERY critical of what and who the ISA is or has become, because the ISA also carries my name as well.
Mine too. :mad:

If you want to be more involved as a member, make sure they have all your contact info, and read AN closely, so you don't miss anything. I believe they emailed or mailed every member a survey. If most working members ignored it, no wonder isa policy is biased toward desk arborists (he Said from his desk :blush: )Some departments are very tree-oriented and responsive, some are numbers-oriented and less so. Definitely look at their organizational chart on their website and contact whoever you want to; the surveys came from eric duchinsky. If you have constructive suggestions they may get acted on; some of mine have been, many not (yet), but I do get explanations ranging from very helpful to dismissive.

I have no problem getting referred to sales because I buy and profit greatly from a lot of their products. If you haven't tried using the brochures and stuff to educate the public, why not? ISA is paying for the development of powerpoints that will be free for members to use, and is also paying for literature searches on risk and pruning, so these topics can be studied better.

On top of paying for dues and 3 certs, I volunteer a scary amount of hours on committee work. Yet I still get more out of ISA than I give. Are you listed at treesaregood.com yet?
 
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By having the ISA convention out of the country it will probably increase attendance at the TCIA meeting but maybe not.
Come on up and see! Wanna carpool? I hope it does, so the board does not vote it offshore again. If there is not a big tradeshow, the conference may lose money, so I agree going offshore is a questionable decision.
 
There should be a ten minute limit on post editing here.

Frustrating to see a quote that the first guy then goes and eliminates five hours later. Stand by your words, gentlemen! Spiral of decline my left cheek.

I'm in complete agreement with the well-reasoned complaint that we as members get very little (read no) public profile out of the ISA. Even googling ISA doesn't get top billing, we're after a few other more frequently hit ISA's that no one has ever heard of.:)

How many Landcaping magazines are there, perhaps dozens (Conservatively) Ads from the ISA promoting arborists: zero.

How many gardening magazines and commercial books are there, perhaps hundreds? Ads from the ISA promoting arborists: zero.

How many televison programs are there about house, home and garden? At least half a dozen. Ads from ISA promoting proper tree care: exactly zero.

In fact the only ads I've ever seen the ISA run are Ads that invite membership and its attendant fees. This seems to be the best they can do.

If it weren't for the fact that ISA cert is required by my job, I'd tell the ISA to take a flying leap. ANSI did all the real work, the ISA just sucks up dues and returns.....what? I'm waiting...

Davey Tree and Bartlett have labs and arbotretum where they independantly forge ahead with research, the ISA? What do they actually do?


Expose me as wrong, fine, I won't edit this five hours later...:rock:



RedlineIt
Yeah, Treeseer, stand by what you say. Or **** like I asked.
 
Hey, anyone want to pick me up on the way, I'll give ya $200 for juice. :laugh:
Let's see, I'm 12 hours away if I drive staight there, or about 12 days going by Brisbane...some other time maybe.

Maybe we'll see you for the May 2009 Pan-Asian conf out your way. Did you see the 2008 program? They sure do plan in advance.

Dan, it looks like Hartford is about 18 hours for you, but you could always have a layover here. TCIA puts on a great expo, does good work with ANSI, and their magazine can be interesting. It is free at www.tcia.org--easy to subscribe.:)
 
i am I.S.A. Certifed Arborist and proud of it,,,that means that i am on top of the latest trends and have reached a very high platform in tree care knowledge and the industry,,,i went to school for trees and i believe i would rather have a Certifed Arborist work on my tree than any yahooooo company out there,,,,i work for a government and the people we serve(the public) are very pleased to know that a Certified Arborist is on hand,,,we have to continually take classes and courses to keep us on our toes in the newest equipment and knowledge in the tree care industry:clap: :clap:
To most people it’s comforting knowing that a tree guy can come to the house and identity all the trees and shrubs on there property. As a member of I.s.a I have greater standards than just some guy who decided to cut trees and forget the education part.
 
Welcome to the site. I agree with you to an extent. I’m 4th generation, retired. I passed the ISA test to be a Licensed MD Tree Expert, but never joined the ISA. On the other hand, my Dad was Licensed MD Tree Exprt since the first year a license was required, joined the ISA, but never took the test. So, he was a member, but much of his training was out dated. He studied under P.P.Perone, the leading authority of his day. When I was at MD U, on a Botany major, we were just starting to learn of Dr. Shigo, and many of his teachings were still more theory, than fact. A guy can join many “Societies”, and have a bunch of stickers on a truck window, and be a hack. The last I heard the ISA took the ID part out of the test. When I took the test I had several idiots following me around asking me to ID trees for them. I grew up in tree care, lived and breathed it. Now, if I understand it, ISA lowered their standards so those idiots can get their certifications. If that’s true, I’ve lost a little of my respect for the organization. But, being retired, all I do is hunt, fish, and mow grass on my farm. I used to run down the road if I heard a chipper to see who it was. Now all the good guys I knew are dead, or kicked back in FL.
 

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