The Term Arborist

Every once in awhile people will call me an Arborist, but I am not certified. I feel weird when someone insists I am an Arborist. I practice proper tree care and go to Penn State for Urban Forestry, yet when I hear the term applied to me I feel that I am not worthy.

What do you consider an Arborist to be?

Anyone can call themself an "Arborist". You have to pass an exam to call yourself an ISA Certified Arborist

Any arborist can call themself a "Consulting arborist".................

Main Entry: ar·bor·ist
Pronunciation: 'är-b&-rist
Function: noun
: a specialist in the care and maintenance of trees

Until you're certified, you have to use a small "a".


Just kidding. Abb's definition sounds good to me.

Noah didn't say nothin' about certification:

http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=arborist

Originally posted by netree
FWIW, ISA is not the only venue to certification,

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where are the others--on the state level? Not in NC, or many others.

I don't know what problems the MAA is having now, but I can tell you their exam for state certification was top notch, back in '93 when I took it.

The exam was something like four hours long, and Dennis Ryan, of UMASS, told me it was as tough, or even tougher, than the ISA's. I spent a lot of time studying for the exam, and though I passed it, it was no walk in the park.

The oral component consisted of three arborists grilling you on the topic of their choice, and they brought in Jack Ahern form UMASS, who with a sinister smirk on his face, presented us with a slide show of ornamentals, a few of which he knew would stump us. That wasn't easy for me, coming from the northern Adirondack mountains, which host maybe 1/20th the number of species that grow in MASS. But MASS plays host to some really magnificent trees and some unusual shrubs, and I had a lot of fun learning them. Most of all I miss the Arnold Arboretum. I could spend all day there roaming around, just had to make sure I didn't leave anything valuable in my car!

Chuck
Former driver, PVTA

You answered your own question.

Netree, if you're responding to my post, I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you saying the fact that the MAA exam is fairly difficult (not THAT difficult, since I passed it), that is causing the problems with the organization?

No, the attitide of the examiners sucks.

The lack of any continuing education requirement until 1998 didn't impress me, either- when most other programs required it all along. The MAA is... er... 'clicky', if you know what I mean.

I hear that.

Besides my love for trees, one of the things that's drawn me to tree work is independence from the conventions of the corporate workplace and the chance to express my individuality as I see fit.

Governmental and bureaucratic committees, insofar as they mean to serve their constituants, tend to form cliques as with any other social organization, but in my opinion, cliques are always bad.

Witness BigJohn. He's the model of the independently-minded arborist. He flouts rules formed by a committee if he thinks such rules will constrain the way he performs his job -- yet he does so to the extent that he still feels he's performing his job with safety and competence.

Here in NY, we have the most corrupt, complacent, and cliquish state government in the USA (perhaps next to Louisiana's). As I see it, the only way to reform it is to vote all the b**tards out, and start anew.

Likewise, it seems the way to combat cliques in arbo world is to constantly bring in new blood. I think in the case of the ISA, Guy Meilleur did just that by inviting BigJohn to become involved.

Originally posted by netree
Frankly, I laugh my arse off every time I get a consult on a tree that one of the MAA geniuses deems unsalvageable (and isn't), or missing an obvious case of stress from a 2-foot change in grade (must be some kind of disease).

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Ya gotta about these, cuz it does no good to . Desk arborists from muni's and U's are granted authority despite field experience. They are paid to compete with qualified consultants. If you make your work and knowledge known to them, many will have the humility to refer you to trees they need a second opinion on.

They and utility arborists tend to run the orgs because they're the ones who are paid to take part, while those who touch trees every day can't afford to get that involved.

Most are open to input from the field, and it's our bad for not giving it. More pictures, more stories, more examples of good arboriculture needs be presented, in some form. what often feels like cliques are just groups of people who are getting along, and who welcome, and often beg, others to get involved. Do It!

What me is the clutching of control and undeserved authority over ed programs by underqualified mental hacks. We have had some really lame research and articles put out by folks whose main motivation seems not to advance the industry, but to get tenure at a U. Qualified arbos who want to contribute have been turned away by some who see them as an obstacle to their step up the governmental hierarchy.

There are ways around these mental hacks, but timing and persistence and diplomacy are all key. It's a lot easier to sit back and criticize (like I'm doing right now!), but it's not good to abandon the industry when you can make a difference instead.