I've worked in the Hort (nursery, maintenance, installation) industry for a number of years, now, for a couple of years I've had my own (pickup truck) do all type of landscaping company. I don't mind mowing a lawn for a little cash (if you get a crew going alot of cash), I really enjoy doing yard overhauls and design, but what attracts me most is tree work. I was fortunate to work at a nursery that promoted education, and got a good grasp on plant ID and basic pruning, however it did not prepare me for tree felling, drop crotching at 25' in the air, evaluating rot or insect damage, spraying ect. ect. the only real source of practical information on tree work I was able to find was G. Beranek's The Fundamentals of General Tree Work. From the photos and text of that book, I've tried to learn the tecniques of required of a good tree man, but alas it wasn't enough I felt uncomfortable with my gaps in knowledge, felt some real fear when I was working at hights above 35', got downright terrified when peicing out a large (newly dead) white pine, when the wind started to blow, I didn't know when the sway would turn into snap (rip JSV). I started to become dissolutioned with my prospects in the tree industry. It seemed to me that there where two types of guys who got to do the fun work, guys with forestry degrees who come out of school and get hired on at the big tree companies, and logger trained guys who's training on the job speaks for its self, I was neither, and at 33, having owned my own business, I wasn't about to drag limbs to the chipper for two years to get some reps doing more advanced tree work. I basically shelved any idea of making a good living at tree work untill I just happened to pass the ISA booth at the Northwest Flower and Garden show and decided to talk to the guy there. He told me that he made a good living working with small to medium sized trees, was busy all the time and didn't even own a a chipper! He told me that I could learn via the trade via the ISA (he didn't say anything about heavy tree work) and build a business without a huge cash investment. This sounded great to me, I wouldn't have to work inside all day at a desk, I could really push my learning, and still make a good living working with trees! What could be better? I am pursuing certification because it seems like the knowledge required to pass the test whould be a fondation to build on and would lend more prestige to my credentials (better skills, better work,= I don't feel bad about asking for more money).
Sorry about being longwinded,
John