Should your municipality license tree work?

[John Paul Sanborn]

Watta you say?

 

[treeclimber165]

I could see county or state license, but not city. Here in the Orlando area, there are at least 15 or more individual cities and to have to buy 15 licenses every year would be crazy
But it could work kinda like occupational licenses, where you buy your license for where your shop is and you are good to go anywhere in the county.
The other drawback is that the 'test' would end up being administered by some pencil-pusher who doesn't know jack s**t about tree work. It would turn into a revenue producer instead of weeding out the unqualified people.
Since we already are required to pay for occupational licenses, they could tie that to an aptitude test, sort of like builders have to do.

Typing as I think, just rambling..........

 

[Toddppm]

Va. is the same way with the cities and towns too many of them in my area. I think Va is going to try licensing at the state level like MD. did. Read that somewhere

 

[UrbanEarth]

I would be more inclined toward an Apprenticeship/Journeyman type program as with other trades. How many people out there have drivers licences, but still do not understand driving? If it is only a formality (show up, apply for licence, get licence, etc), such a program would simply be a farce.

Alan

 

[Deere John]

I see, as a professional forester, more of a need to control the uncontrolled cutting of private forest lands. Any harvest on private land should be done in a manner consistent with accepted silvicultural practices and according to a management plan prepared by someone in the field. It's a little off topic, but I'm mad tonight, and its seems just fine to be a half a bubble off centre.

 

[jsirbasku]

Here in Mn most munincipalities require licensing and some don't.
The Twin cities has 7 major counties and probably close to 50-75 different munincipalities.
I primarily work in one county sometimes two, i believe that I carry at least 8- 10 annual licenses for different townships.

Im all for state licensing with mandated laws for proper arboriculture. I have plenty of work as it is, but get sick to my stomach when I see some of the hackery around town.

The city i live in does not require licensing, and it drives me nuts to see these guys in my own neighborhood. As a matter of fact last summer, i was standing at the bottom of my driveway with 2 other certified arborists(just getting back from fishing) ,when down came the street a loud, rusted out, dilapitated flat bed truck. The truck slowed as it approached and swerved over to our side of the road, the driver see us chatting and here comes his pitch "you guys need some tree work?" It was dead silent for one second, my partners and i all looked at each other and we all busted out into a hysterical laugh. The driver just let his foot of the brake and rolled away down the hill after not one of us said a word to him, I wonder why.
These guys drive 1-200 miles into town, rent a motel for the week, and knock door to door from sun up to sun down.
although in my town a license is not required to do tree work, it is required by law that you obtain a peddlars license for any type of door to door solicitation.

 

[Treebeard]

If the city or town has a tree ordinance I'd say yes, just to assure that the person doing tree work there certifies they are aware of what practices are not allowed, such as topping. Also, it may make being insured a requirement to work in the town, which is better for everybody.

 

[Darin]

I think certifications, should include proof of insurance. This will "help" ensure that their prices will stay up. I know this will never get all the low ballers out, but it will put all of us on a level playing field. Their costs, other than the possibility of employees (if they are owner/climbers), will be equal or close to it.

Now that I finished typing, I just read Treebeards post more closely. He was thinking, pretty much the same thing.

 

[jsirbasku]

every license certificate I carry, i had to show an ins. cert.
(w/ work comp info). The annual costs for the licenses varies from 30.00 to $70.00. As far as I know, there aren't any requirements for exactly how you do tree work within any particular city's limits. My take on it , here anyway , is that if you pay the annual fees, prove that your insured, you can do what ever kind of treework you want.
Now if the state required a license, they could give an exam to applicants, as well as require only proper tree work to be practiced within the state. then theres only one license to apply for(as opposed to 10 or 15) and the competing businesses, for the most part, should be at about the same level- if you know what i mean. Of coarse there will always be some hackers out there, but for the most part it would be a much more level playing field

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If a municipality has a licens they are not likely to give up the revenue because the state decides to issue them too.

Here in milwaukee to be a pesticide applicator you need the staete cert/lic andd city lic.