"Hands-On" a Requirement for Consulting ??

[M.D. Vaden]

Would you consider "hands-on" work with trees to be a requirement to be able to provided good consulting work?

(As in a lot of hands-on work.)

Pruning
Repairing
Soil correction
Drainage
Planting
Etc..

Rather that just college, seminars or books alone (or primarily).

 

[John464]

most definitely you need to have current or past hands on experience with working on trees. I would also say the same for a salesman as well. You shouldn't be selling tree work if you haven't done tree work.

I'm all for the old guy who can no longer work on trees to still talk about them and get paid, but for some book smart newbie trying to consult or sell isnt right.

 

[treeseer]

strongly recommended. competence is tricky to judge, but I've seen a lot of disastrous hack consulting by newbies, or folks recently transplanted from gardening or irrigation or college.

If i was god and could make one criterion it would be 10 years experience working with trees plus passing the ceu tests on risk in arb news this year.

 

[mckeetree]

Problem is most old guys that used to work on trees don't know anything about plant health care. This is a fact not just my opinion. I think some of you guys have a problem with anyone with a degree in arboriculture/horticulture and that is why I don't flaunt mine too much here. I did the certified arborist thing because it seems to be fashionable with clients but my god if I had failed that little deal I would have no business selling advice about trees. Remember I said SOME of you guys, not all.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

The experience need for a salesman was a good point earlier.

Or estimator - same basic thing.

 

[treeseer]

Degrees in arb, cool concept. Every state should have such a program. no such thing in nc.

A degree in hort from many landgrant U's would be one babystep toward competence in arb consulting, no more than fieldwork.

Good point re phc, that is/should be a big part of consulting. Sometimes I get too focused on risk, where phc is barely relevant.

 

[Justice]

I am not certain but I believe the best certifications require prior experience, verified before one can even sit for an exam. Who hires a consultant with no certification? Plus, if you act as a consultant with no credentials you open yourself up legally.

 

[mckeetree]

I am not certain but I believe the best certifications require prior experience, verified before one can even sit for an exam. Who hires a consultant with no certification? Plus, if you act as a consultant with no credentials you open yourself up legally.

I agree.