I is an arborist!

[Koa Man]

To all who passed on the first try, I give a BIG CONGRATULATIONS.
I missed passing on my first try by 1% point in one domain. I aced that domain on the retake by scoring 94%. This was in Dec. of 1998. It does help to have a CA in selling tree work, although I know some very fine treemen who do not have a CA and a few mediocre ones who do.

 

[gab]

Congrats on your test, I just got my results in as well..Passed with A's..first try.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

It's good to read bout the support of the CA program. There are some shortcomings but its the best thing going right now.

Being a CA shows clients and employers that you're willing to work harder at the profession than the rest of the mob.

Keep learning. Don't wait unitl the last minute to collect your CEU's.

Welcome to the club

Tom

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

well done ! cheers! bottoms up! ..from across the big pond

 

[fmueller]

Congratulations! I hope I did as well as you did. I just took mine last Monday. Went to a Neil Young concert the nite b4 (which was by the way, excellent!) then got up four hours later to drive two hours to the exam site. I did'nt seem to bad but I'm a lousy test taker as my college grades would indicate. Anyway, good job fellow tree dude!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I bet 'ole Neil ROCKED!

 

[jmchristopher]

Major congrats!
Keep in mind that the learning is just beginning for all of us. One of the few areas where I'm the least bit prideful is my Certification, which I've had since '93 (a 2 digit arborist # is surely the sign of an old fart)

 

[jmchristopher]

Major congrats!
Keep in mind that the learning is just beginning for all of us. One of the few areas where I'm the least bit prideful is my Certification, which I've had since '93 (a 2 digit arborist # is surely the sign of an old fart)

 

[xander9727]

Originally posted by xtremetrees
How about the tree ID section ?
Did you have to tell the difference between a Acer rubra and a Acer saccurium? From the twiggs.(Sorry spelling).

What was the tuffest part to you do you think?

They sent me a list of 94 possible trees that could be on the list. They had pictures of the entire tree (a rather young tree), pictures of the twigs and leaves and pictures of the fruit and or seeds if applicable. My test had Ailanthus, sycamore, burr oak, catalpa, horse chestnut, ginkgo, London Plane tree, sweet gum, kwanzan cherry and cottonwood. For me the toughest part was tree biology (your really need to know it, guessing won't work) and the section on trees, people and ecology.

 

[Dadatwins]

Congrats on passing test. Hopefully it will open some doors for you in the future. I passed entire test first time except for 1 question on 1 domain and had to drive 4 hours round trip to answer 10 questions. You will spend some money keeping up with CEU's but hopefully it will return for you. Good luck.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by Dadatwins
You will spend some money keeping up with CEU's but hopefully it will return for you.

Thats the part that chills my biscuits...

 

[Guy Meilleur]

All ya gotta do is read things like books and magazines and answer questions. One CEU per month; is that a big deal?
Keep your biscuits warm, man, It ain't nothin.

How many ways are there to obtain Continuing Education Units (CEUSs)?

ISA Publications
ISA Arborist News Quiz
Arboriculture & the Law/Workbook (3.00 CEUs)
The Landscape Below Ground/Workbook (4.00 CEUs)
Arborist Equipment/Workbook (10.00 CEUs)
Plant Health Care for Woody Ornamentals/Workbook (3.00 CEUs)
Principals & Practices of Planting Trees and Shrubs/Workbook (4.00 CEUs)
Trees and Development/Workbook (4.00 CEUs)
Photo Guide of Hazard Trees/Workbook (2.00 CEUs)
Compendium
Asian Longhorn Beetle CD


ISA Videos

Art & Science of Practical Rigging (8.00 CEUs)
Basic Training for Tree Climbers Series/Workbook (5.00 CEUs)
Training Young Trees for Structure and Form/Workbook (5.00 CEUs)
ArborMaster Training Videos/Tests (1.00 CEUs)


On-Line

ArborLearn.org (6.00 CEUs - Plant Appraisal)


Seminars

Most seminars are pre-approved through your local chapter. If you would like to know if an upcoming seminar has been pre-approved for credit, you can contact your local chapter. If you are a member of your local chapter you should get a newsletter that informs you of upcoming seminars. You should also check the Arborist News Industry Calendar and the ISA web site.



In-House Training

A lot of companies offer in-house training. Anything educational pertaining to tree care gets CEUs! This includes safety meetings, training, CPR/1st aid, chainsaw safety, etc.



College Courses

College courses are worth 10 CEUs per course and 15 CEUs with a lab. Just send in a copy of your transcripts along with a post-approval form to the ISA office to apply for CEUs.

****************************************************
If there is anything not mentioned above that you feel should be worth CEUs please send a letter with the agenda or course outline along with a post-approval form to the ISA office. We will be happy to look it over for you. If it is granted CEUs then it will show on your next CEU update. If it does not meet the criteria (stated below), we will send the information back to you with a letter of explanation. CEU updates are sent twice a year.
*************************************************
The criteria for approving CEUs is as follows. Anything educational pertaining to tree care in the following twelve domains:

Pruning
Installation/Establishment

Nutrition/Fertilization
Diagnosis/Treatment

ID/Selection
Soil/Water Relations

Safe Work Practices
Trees/People/Ecology

Tree Risk Assessment
Tree Biology

Construction Preservation
Cabling/Bracing

 

[begleytree]

purchasing CEUs

I use tailgate safetys, have the crews sign them as I give them, allow 1 hr each, write them up on the CEU form and mail the form and copies in, 1 credit each, zero cost CEUs. If you're smart enough to pass the CA test, you have to be smart enough not to fall for the buying credits gimmick
I don't mind supporting ISA, but the prices they want for CEUs is outrageous

2 digit CA # huh? cool, mine is 4 but really 3, (0802) why the first zero I haven't figured out yet.

Pics of trees for ID? at mine they went outside the building and cut twigs (FEB) off the landscaping. That was the last 10 questions on the test. A guy that was re-taking alerted me before hand to stroll around the grounds and look over the trees as they would use them on the test! That was my worst score, they were all ornamental cultivars, nothing common at all. And at 10% a question for the domain, dicey.

I said the heck with Shigo's books, I personally see too much hype in them, wrapped around a small number of common facts. Tree disease concepts (book) was the single most helpful studying I did. Outlines diseases, symptoms and species. If you're studying and haven't looked at it, I highly recommend it. Don't try to read it without a dictionary and english-latin guide though, its written very cranial.
-Ralph

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Re: purchasing CEUs

Originally posted by begleytree
I don't mind supporting ISA, but the prices they want for CEUs is outrageous.Where is this? Different chapters charge different rates for different workshops. Shopping will find you good deals.

2 digit CA # huh? cool, mine is 4 but really 3, (0802) why the first zero I haven't figured out yet.
Mine's 0284 and I took it in 92.

Tree disease concepts (book) was the single most helpful studying I did. , its written very cranial.
-Ralph [/B]

That's the one by Manion, right? It was a text for a college course I took--a good resource. I loaned mine and I forgot to who...

 

[Koa Man]

Are the CA numbers issued dependent upon the chapter area you are in or took the test at? My CA number has a WC before it and the letter A after the number.

 

[begleytree]

I understand the shopping around part, but I can get the same books from amazon for cheaper, so I think it works best for me to use the safety meetings.

I'm not sure about the state and chapter coding, after my first renewal my number changed to having the OH in front, but that is all.

-Ralph

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[hooks]

mine has a ny in front and a u behind for utility. I took it to prove to myself i could do it. Only means im interested in arborculture. BE SAFE jack