ISA Certified arborist question.

[ToTalXS]

I would suggest taking notes while you read. This will asist your brain in commiting the information to memory. Especially since this is your third time through the guide it should be easy. I didnt use anything but the study guide and passed, but i found several questions that are not covered by the study guide. Good luck on the test.

 

[clearance]

Canyon BC, the name of Harris' book is Arboriculture, Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Vines.


Clearance: Are you purposely trying to start another argument? Of course, that's not all there is. I was simply answering a specific question. The test is composed of not only identification, but biology, soil and water management, nutrition and fertilization, selection, installation and establishment, pruning, support and protection systems, diagnosis of various disorders and their management, general plant health care, assessment and risk management, trees vs construction, and safety and .... WAIT FOR IT.... climbing and working in trees.


S Mc

Thats good, thank you, I just wondered. I am glad there is more to it. Now, how much, or what percentage of the test is about doing the work, procedures, safety, etc?

 

[Canyonbc]

Canyon BC, the name of Harris' book is Arboriculture, Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Vines.


Clearance: Are you purposely trying to start another argument? Of course, that's not all there is. I was simply answering a specific question. The test is composed of not only identification, but biology, soil and water management, nutrition and fertilization, selection, installation and establishment, pruning, support and protection systems, diagnosis of various disorders and their management, general plant health care, assessment and risk management, trees vs construction, and safety and .... WAIT FOR IT.... climbing and working in trees.

And, again, this is considered a first step in establishing the basic understanding to becoming an arborist.

S Mc

Thanks D MC,

I am def. gonna pick that up.

I love learning...its just costly...but worth it.

 

[treeseer]

...what percentage of the test is about doing the work...?

100%

:jawdrop:

 

[GottaCut]

The test was fairly easy. I fretted and fretted cause I found out the test was gonna be in my area only a month prior. I had an old study guide that I read and tested myself on probably 4 times. But once it came time for the test I was suprised with it. The worst thing about it is how the test designers try to trick you with more than one right answer on some of the questions.
Hardest part for me tree id.
The tree ID has ten pictures that are multiple choice with a,b,c,or d for all of 'em. Study the more common ones in your area, learn to tell a tree without using its foliage i.e. bark, branch structure, fruit and so on. The picture ID is only part of the ID section! So if you only know 5 or so of the pictures you could still do ok. Good luck.

 

[Canyonbc]

The test was fairly easy. I fretted and fretted cause I found out the test was gonna be in my area only a month prior. I had an old study guide that I read and tested myself on probably 4 times. But once it came time for the test I was suprised with it. The worst thing about it is how the test designers try to trick you with more than one right answer on some of the questions.
Hardest part for me tree id.
The tree ID has ten pictures that are multiple choice with a,b,c,or d for all of 'em. Study the more common ones in your area, learn to tell a tree without using its foliage i.e. bark, branch structure, fruit and so on. The picture ID is only part of the ID section! So if you only know 5 or so of the pictures you could still do ok. Good luck.

Where do you find these "study guide's"

Do you want to fax, email, or send that my way.

Thanks Canyon

 

[sharkfin12us]

test

I would suggest taking notes while you read. This will asist your brain in commiting the information to memory. Especially since this is your third time through the guide it should be easy. I didnt use anything but the study guide and passed, but i found several questions that are not covered by the study guide. Good luck on the test.

When i first opened the book 1st chapter tree biology i said to my self ill never understand this but if you read couple times over awesome.Thanks everyone for your input really appreciate it

 

[Old Monkey]

If you take the list of latin names they give you and type them into a google photo search you can make your own study folder on your computer. I found a lot of good picts of trees on the web.

 

[ropensaddle]

If you take the list of latin names they give you and type them into a google photo search you can make your own study folder on your computer. I found a lot of good picts of trees on the web.

Hey good idea I am taking it in March and am surprised at the
difficulty of some of the material but very enlightening and
challenging! I have Horticopia software and it has helped
me been studying the Harris book referred to and made progress!
The names I am saving for last and at least my area is not too bad
and I already know most common by bark,leaf, winter keys I need to
get in to more on; the twig and leaf arrangement Etc. I sure hope
I can pass, been doing tree work over two decades and amasinglly
did work well as far as pruning etc, but now know why to do it
that way! Clearance it is a real eye opener not easy brezeee
at all jfyi ! I have started moving trees out of places I don't
want them to places I do!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Thats good, thank you, I just wondered. I am glad there is more to it. Now, how much, or what percentage of the test is about doing the work, procedures, safety, etc?

It depends on how you think about it. As Guy says it all relates to working as an arborist. If you are a removal expert, then you havee no need for most of the knowledge required. Soil science is a good thing to know if you are assesseing plant health.

An example would bee I was on a job for a regular client when the lady came out and asked why only a few of the Colorado spruce were in bad shape. As my cclieent went into how they are non native and do not do well in the our region, I looked at the soil and the immidiate surrounds. Nearest the driveway they were ddoing the worst, and farthest away they looked very good ffor thier age in our area. Long storry short, I noticed that the snow plowing was pushing the "traffic bond " crushed limestone into the rootzone of the ffirst cclump of trees. You ccouldd look aat the trees add ssee a relaation ship wwith the resenccee of high pH stone andd decline in the stand of conifers.

Has anyone seen plant prrobleems associated with ccopper gutter disccharge?


Many cclimbers think themselves arborists, but that thee other aspeccts off the profession are beneath them. (pun intendded) The Arborist is a well roundded professional whith knowledge in a number of other fields, part myccologist, entomologist....

A tree worker is a tradesman with a very narrow area off concern, if that is all you want to, that is fine. I like to know things, and to bee able to answer oother peoples questions.

 

[GottaCut]

Hears a site that was helpful to me when studying, paste it to your browser.

http://www.oplin.org/tree/name/byname.html

 

[BarkingMad]

Responding specifically to the tree nomenclature knowledge question:
it's a funny thing, but if you actually go and learn this list of names, you'll be different for it. Having a core of special knowledge, however small, can be the seed of professionalism and confidence.

 

[Orlandofeller]

You don't have to know the scientific names, just the common, if I remember correctly. Don't put too much weight on the certification. I'm certified, and I don't mean to offend other certified arborists, but to me it's a joke. You can be certified, and be incompetent. Good luck though. Study the manual and you should be fine.

 

[sharkfin12us]

certified

You don't have to know the scientific names, just the common, if I remember correctly. Don't put too much weight on the certification. I'm certified, and I don't mean to offend other certified arborists, but to me it's a joke. You can be certified, and be incompetent. Good luck though. Study the manual and you should be fine.

I understand what your saying just like any thing else you have good and bad.I take this serious i want to be professional.I think even if some take it as a joke they are still more informed before they took the test.Thanks for input.

 

[GottaCut]

Well, those who take the test as a joke will probably fail it. I said earlier the test was fairly easy, but its not a cake-walk to your average treeworker. Unfortunately there is much truth to what Orlando said, because you can take the test and then not continue to further your knowledge, or even maintain what you did learn while studying. The workshop I took a year ago had four different teachers for five one day classes, three of them admitted that they couldnt pass the test again without studying, and these people had volumes of information/experience to give out on their particular career in the industry.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

ISA Certified Arborist

Go for it i have been one for 11 years and i love it . I am a climbing Arborist and not one of the ground bound Arborists. A lot of people don't think it is worth much. After 17 Years without and the past 11 with I would it IS a good thing. For a climber look in to Certified Tree Worker yes I know it is meant for the new guys, I was 52 when I received it , now I am a ISA Proctor for both

 

[BC WetCoast]

You don't have to know the scientific names, just the common, if I remember correctly. Don't put too much weight on the certification. I'm certified, and I don't mean to offend other certified arborists, but to me it's a joke. You can be certified, and be incompetent. Good luck though. Study the manual and you should be fine.

Got to know the latin names, there is too much regional disparity on common names.


Regarding being certified and incompetent, what do they call the person who finished last in the class at medical school.









Doctor!!!!!!

 

[beastmaster]

I took and passed the test a year ago. Others I talked to told me the ID was the hardest so I studied my list of names, and had my co-workers quiz me tell I knew(or thought I did) most of them. I lucked out on the test as all ten were pretty common tree for our area. But several of the trees listed were of the same species like sycamore. They had platanus occidentalis and platanus racemosa. They had coastal oak and live oak(I forgot the Latin names)They looked the same to me. That area "tree ID",was what I studied the the most, and good thing. I studied both botanical and common names but both names were listed together, so I probably could of gotten a way without knowing both, but It's still good to know. The test wasn't that hard, but it feels kind of good telling people,"I'm a cert. arborist".Good luck

 

[BRCCArborist]

How the tree ID section will be administered varies with the person who is proctoring the exam. They will choose the trees you ID, and may give you a sample to go along with the picture. The ID is actually the easiest part of the exam in my opinion, nothing like the ID quizzes and tests i took in college, where you actually had to spell the latin and common names correctly.

Try to study other material beyond the study guide too. the questions dont really come from that book. They come from people who submit them, then a review board at ISA determines which questions to use, and may clean them up a little too. Try to read all material you can get your hands on. I passed the exam the first time, but I studied a LOT for it. Just study one domain at a time and youll do fine.

 

[clearance]

You don't have to know the scientific names, just the common, if I remember correctly. Don't put too much weight on the certification. I'm certified, and I don't mean to offend other certified arborists, but to me it's a joke. You can be certified, and be incompetent. Good luck though. Study the manual and you should be fine.

Someone find out who this guy is and take away his ISA cert., he is mocking us and bringing shame to our self admiration society. He is a traitor to the cause, stop him before he brings more disrepute to us. Or makes people think, or whatever.

In jest/Jim