# Thinking of trying to become a certified Arborist



## trost66 (Oct 6, 2008)

I was thinking of taking the test to become a certified Arborist. My father owns a small tree service. I've been working for him for about 15 yrs now. I'm 32 now. I think it would good for company if I could get certified. I was looking at purchasing the study guide they offer to get ready for the exam. Is there any other books out there that would help me get more prepared. It been awhile since I acually had to do some studying. Any help would be appricieated.


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## Blakesmaster (Oct 6, 2008)

I have the ISA study guide but really haven't opened it more than a few times. Nice little book, but I haven't had to study for a test in 10 years so I gave up in the biology sections. As for the business, that lil logo would be nice on your ad, especially if there's a lack of certified boys in your working area.


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## trost66 (Oct 6, 2008)

Blakesmaster said:


> I have the ISA study guide but really haven't opened it more than a few times. Nice little book, but I haven't had to study for a test in 10 years so I gave up in the biology sections. As for the business, that lil logo would be nice on your ad, especially if there's a lack of certified boys in your working area.



There not alot of them around here. Our local town alway has one come in and take a look at there trees. I think he drive about 60 miles to get here. We usually tell them the same thing the arborist tells them but he is certified and we are not. He usually tells them whats wrong with the trees and which one to take down and we usually take them down for the city. Kinda waste of money to pay him to drive all the way over here just to look at the trees.


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## pdqdl (Oct 6, 2008)

The study guides provided by ISA are not really educational (IMO). They are more like a list of topics and concepts that ISA expects you to know in order to pass the test. Their literature is devoid of any differing ideas or information about conflicting opinions to the dogma asserted in their booklets. 

Overall, it's pretty good information, and a great place to start beefing up your tree knowledge, and the booklets are a quick way to find the weak spots in your knowledge. If you find that some parts are hard to follow/remember, then get a better book on that subject and really learn something. 

Passing the test is not really proof that you are an expert, either. There is LOTS of stuff that I don't know, and I breezed through the test.

How tough to pass? It depends on your background. I have a strong background in higher education, so the test for me was little more than preparation for a semester test for a 3 hour course. On the other hand, if you never took any college courses in botany or biology, the plant biology section will probably be pretty tough, and will involve a lot of preparation.


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## clearance (Oct 6, 2008)

pdqdl said:


> The study guides provided by ISA are not really educational (IMO). They are more like a list of topics and concepts that ISA expects you to know in order to pass the test. Their literature is devoid of any differing ideas or information about conflicting opinions to the dogma asserted in their booklets.
> 
> Overall, it's pretty good information, and a great place to start beefing up your tree knowledge, and the booklets are a quick way to find the weak spots in your knowledge. If you find that some parts are hard to follow/remember, then get a better book on that subject and really learn something.
> 
> ...



What a ringing endorsement.


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## pdqdl (Oct 6, 2008)

I didn't plan on it being a ringing endorsement. 

When I bought their literature, studied for the test, and subsequently took the test, I was dissappointed. I felt that the scope of the knowledge required to pass was too limited, that their test could not possibly determine if a person really knew very much about tree health and maintenance. 

ISA has their hearts in the right spot, but there is no way that an arborist certification stands on it's own as proof that any individual knows enough to do a good job in ANY area of knowledge that they test for. It really isn't proof that you are an expert, it's more like a certification that you have proven that you have the minimum knowledge necessary in all aspects of tree maintenance to show that you are trying to be a professional about it.

That may be different for other classes of certification, such as utility or municipal specialists. I have no doubt that the Board Certified Master Arborist is a totally different case, since it involves a review by your peers.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 6, 2008)

clearance said:


> What a ringing endorsement.



Geez, it is a MINIMUM required knowledge test! It is not supposed to show that you are the best of the best, but that you know a little.

A true arborist is part;
Horticulturist
Entomologist
Mycologist
Hydrologist
soil scientist
Have a grounding in physics
.
.
.

Explain cation exchange capacity...


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## pdqdl (Oct 6, 2008)

JPS: you've nailed it again. The unfortunate thing is that the public perception of ANY title including the word "certified" would be that the person with that title would be the master of their trade. As we both know, that really isn't the way it is with the Arborist certification. When I went into the certification process, I was suffering from the same perception. Hence, my dissappointment.

For a comparable sounding trade certification, look at the level of training required to be a Certified Public Accountant: a 4 year degree in accounting, work for not less than two years for a CPA firm, and a comprehensive test that less than 10% pass the first time. 

I think that when I got the Arborist Certification, it was a good thing for me to do, and I learned a lot of important new stuff. Furthermore, I was made more aware of the direction our industry is headed, and I am a better arborist for that effort. I am not sure that it has helped my business any, but that might just be my failure to market it correctly.


........Cation exchange capacity... that would deserve a new thread. I can go into it if you want, but then you get into all sorts of abtruse chemical terminology that most folks probably wouldn't be interested in.


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## HolmenTree (Oct 6, 2008)

Back in 1999 I passed my ISA test at the University Of Manitoba so i could get my Licensed Manitoba Arborist license. I believe it was 250 multiple choice questions in a 2hr time limit. Yeah there is alot of information in a paragragh from that ISA arborist certification study guide[ gold book]. Especially when I started working as a faller when I was only 16 and only having a grade 8 education. I did my studies by corespondence during my time off in the winter, my wife who has quite a bit more education then me as a crown attorney prosecutor[ d.a. in the US] quizzed me after she came home from her job. I passed the test with a 81%. After spending about $500 for the study guide book and the test I still had to do it all over again with another $500 to become an ISA certified arborist.I didn't bother I thought it was just a money grab. I have since taken many Arbormaster Training courses which have credits toward the ISA certication but I am still today not a ISA certified arborist but I do what I do best, get any tree and stump out in record time and move on to the next job and make more money. I get more pleasure from the amazed look from my customers face as I take their cheque then if I spent an hr giving advice. I don't give ISA credit for my sucess , I give it to Arbormaster Training Canada Inc.[ now www.ArborCanada.com]

Willard


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 6, 2008)

Don't get me wrong, it has it's purpose. It just does not work for me because I work for other companies. I can convince someone I know my stuff in a few minutes.

I am a Life member of the ISA and think it, and the WAA are commendable organizations. 

Back in the 80's ,when they started the program, it was a big deal.


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## Dadatwins (Oct 6, 2008)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> Geez, it is a MINIMUM required knowledge test! It is not supposed to show that you are the best of the best, but that you know a little.
> 
> A true arborist is part;
> Horticulturist
> ...


You forget some engineering in there, and also be a part time psychiatrist to deal with the mostly type A personalities involved in this business


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## ATH (Oct 6, 2008)

To the original question of study material: I found the "Building Blocks of Arboriculture" from ISA to be helpful.


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## HolmenTree (Oct 7, 2008)

ATH said:


> To the original question of study material: I found the "Building Blocks of Arboriculture" from ISA to be helpful.



Yes I too agree, from that gold study book it has opened up my thinking on trees, alot of helpful info I have used answering customers questions and securing alot of work. I one day will get certified and be a ISA life member, the study and test the second time around will be alot easier.


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## Nailsbeats (Oct 7, 2008)

Save your money and buy a chainsaw, you'll be farther ahead.


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## clearance (Oct 7, 2008)

trost66 said:


> I was thinking of taking the test to become a certified Arborist. My father owns a small tree service. I've been working for him for about 15 yrs now. I'm 32 now. I think it would good for company if I could get certified. I was looking at purchasing the study guide they offer to get ready for the exam. Is there any other books out there that would help me get more prepared. It been awhile since I acually had to do some studying. Any help would be appricieated.


If it is good for the company then the company should pay for it, and the payments never stop. Knowledge is good, the more you know the better, no arguement there. However, if you are going to pay for it then I would advise spending your money elsewhere.


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## tree MDS (Oct 7, 2008)

Get the pesticide applicators core manual and study up. Some real fun reading in there, lol. Pirones tree maintenance, thats a good one too.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 7, 2008)

clearance said:


> If it is good for the company then the company should pay for it, and the payments never stop. Knowledge is good, the more you know the better, no arguement there. However, if you are going to pay for it then I would advise spending your money elsewhere.



Or see if Dad will give you a raise after you pass.


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## clearance (Oct 7, 2008)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> Or see if Dad will give you a raise after you pass.



That works as well.


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## BRCCArborist (Oct 7, 2008)

Does your Dad offer spraying as a service? If not, get your licenses and start it up. Spraying trees and shrubs can be pretty profitable if there is a market for it. I'd get that before the CA in my opinion.


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## B-Edwards (Oct 7, 2008)

Not one of you guys told him about the hot chicks that are available to you after becoming certified? What gives? you guys jealous?


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## BRCCArborist (Oct 7, 2008)

B-Edwards said:


> Not one of you guys told him about the hot chicks that are available to you after becoming certified? What gives? you guys jealous?



Shhhh, Keep on giving away secrets like that and youll have your ISA decoder ring/whistle taken away, and your tattoo burned off.


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## mckeetree (Oct 7, 2008)

BRCCArborist said:


> Shhhh, Keep on giving away secrets like that and youll have your ISA decoder ring/whistle taken away, and your tattoo burned off.



Not to mention you could be banned from using the secret handshake.


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## HolmenTree (Oct 8, 2008)

tree MDS said:


> Get the pesticide applicators core manual and study up. Some real fun reading in there, lol. Pirones tree maintenance, thats a good one too.



LOL, I have breathed in enough mix oil fumes over the years , I don't need another chemical to contend with. Just my .02 cents.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 8, 2008)

HolmenTree said:


> LOL, I have breathed in enough mix oil fumes over the years , I don't need another chemical to contend with. Just my .02 cents.



If you work safe it is not bad, I did it for 5 years.

The thing is to limit yourself to special work, needle cast and tip blight on Austrian pines and applescab on crabs can make you quite a bit of dough. Same products used, similar cycle and tremendous results.


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## HolmenTree (Oct 8, 2008)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> If you work safe it is not bad, I did it for 5 years.
> 
> The thing is to limit yourself to special work, needle cast and tip blight on Austrian pines and applescab on crabs can make you quite a bit of dough. Same products used, similar cycle and tremendous results.



Thanks John for the advice. In my area there is good potential for injections for DED on American elms and spraying for canker worms on Manitoba maple. Its not very hard to get the applicators license in our province. But the tree and stump removal business has been keeping me busy right from mid March to mid Nov. If things ever do slack off in the future I may have to go for that license.


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## BRCCArborist (Oct 8, 2008)

Pest license is really nice where people have the money for IPM programs as well.


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