ISA or TCIA

[SteveBullman]

The only way that "bad" treework might come to an end is through education and legislation. QUOTE]

theres no more chance of bad treework coming to an end than there is building work, or any other profession for that matter. the education is there for the taking.....some people are never going to have the inclination to take it whatever you do.

 

[vharrison2]

to work with government bodies and and get the whole industry legislated

AHHHHHHHH Just for myself........to much government in our lives isn't good. I don't know what the answer is but I live in a county with 5 different cities in it. The county is only 100 miles long and in some places only 3 miles wide. So that leaves us with 4 government entities to deal with; all with their own set of rules. What you can do in one city you might not be able to do in another. One city requires a permit even to take down a dead palm...pain in the arss, the county wants to get rid of invasive exotics, Key West considers one invasive a "canopy tree" and can not be removed.
That is off the subject, I know. That said, both of those organizations represent our industry well.

 

[Mike Barcaskey]

Rollacosta, I'm not looking for what the org can do for the industry, but what it can do for me
that's how/why I'm better than almost all of my competition

got the TCIA flyer. first year membership is $359. right now they're running a special of $259.
second and subsequent years are based upon your sales
0 - 100,000 is $359
100,001 - 200,000 is $503

I think I'll join for a year or two, until I make the comitment to get my ISA cert




for the record, I'm against any goverment regulation. government is out of control

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Rollacosta, I'm not looking for what the org can do for the industry, but what it can do for me
that's how/why I'm better than almost all of my competition

Oh so 'YOU' are not part of the industry think about what your writing ...God no wonder ROCKY pi***ed off

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Anyone who does not want to see this industry legislated is obviously a hack !!..no doubt about it

 

[vharrison2]

what it can do for me
that's how/why I'm better than almost all of my competition

right now they're running a special of $259.

It is worth the money, you won't believe the support they offer.

 

[Ax-man]

I have been considering joining TCIA for some time now, the only thing that has stopped me is the higher cost for the dues.

One requirement for joining is proof of insurance, no problem with that, the question I have is if your submitting a certificate of insurance, is your business put on some kind of list that could result in some work from potential customers who might be cruising their website and are interested in hiring pro's to service their tree needs ?????

Larry

 

[SteveBullman]

speaking of being put on a list....2 of my friends passed the isa cert a few months ago..and i noticed yesterday their names arent even on the uk register of isa members yet. whats the point in paying the fees if it doesnt even get you on the list!

 

[TreeJunkie]

Rolla,

I disagree. You can't expect the industry to change over night. Remember the organizations and it's followers are beginning to inform the consumers. Once the consumers realize the difference, then you will see a drastic change in the industry.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

If other professions worked at the same level as arborculture I'm sorry to say we would have more injuries and deaths around us. What would a similar scenario for an electrician to have that compares to topping? The result could be a fire or electrocution. Houses would be falling in and cars falling apart.

If you want the trade organization to work with the government, roll up your sleeves and dig in. Become part of the solution.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Rolla,
Remember the organizations and it's followers are beginning to inform the consumers. Once the consumers realize the difference, then you will see a drastic change in the industry.

call me cynical ,but i don't see much of the above happening in any way shape or form

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

If other professions worked at the same level as arborculture I'm sorry to say we would have more injuries and deaths around us. What would a similar scenario for an electrician to have that compares to topping? The result could be a fire or electrocution. Houses would be falling in and cars falling apart

Tom this is my whole point you very rarely see imo poor electrical ,plumbing or work of this nature any more ,due to the fact these industry's are heavely regulated/overseen /controlled ,overhere in the UK you cannot carry out the above mentioned trades unless you have had formal training and abide by industry regulation's [best practice]

All i'm saying is the way they got so regulated was through there trade organization's lobbying over here all plumbing and gas work is controlled by C.O.R.G.I,we should be regulated [if this is the correct word]and it's down to the ISA TCIA and the UKs AA [arboricultural association] to get us there ,what exactly due member's subscriptions get spent on ???

 

[treeseer]

call me cynical ,but i don't see much of the above happening in any way shape or form

If you don't see it in front of you then you must not make it happen.

The government is not the answer to our professional problems; we are.

Re referrals, I used to get some calls from people who found me on the ISA site when they look for certified arborists. Now I got a lot more calls since my BCMA put me on top of the list. :angel:

"Key West considers one invasive a "canopy tree" and can not be removed."
Good for them, I think. Which species are you calling invasive?
I miss good old Cayo Hueso, subtropical land of the Eternal Party.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

If you don't see it in front of you then you must not make it happen. :eek

oh don't worry i give my potential client's a full education lesson on what and what should not be done to there tree's ,but when the next two or even three bidder's [hacks ] roll up and agree with the home owner that there tree's should be topped or they underbid me by x amount because they can afford to because they have no insurance of any description or they haven't took the time to gain formal qualifications for themselves or there staff ..then i think it's time local government's took over and made sure things are done properly! ,but this need's the push from our trade organizations which IMO is sadly lacking ,hence it will be a cold day in hell before i ever join any organization

 

[treeseer]

"this need's the push from our trade organizations which IMO is sadly lacking ,hence it will be a cold day in hell before i ever join any organizatio" [/QUOTE]Rolla baby, you been eating breakfast lately? You're sounding like Dunlap when he's off his feed.

The push is lacking becasue not enough arbos are members and not enough members are pushing.

We in the US--most of us anyway--are not quick to invite the government in to run our tradess; their track record is not so hot. Then there's the whole George III thing from a couple centuries ago. Now we have George II and...never mind, I won't go there. :alien:

 

[Mike Barcaskey]

rolla, I guess after calling me a hack, we wont be conversing any more.
kindly reframe from reading any more of my posts

there's nothing the government gets involved in that it doesn't evenutally screw up
in the big picture, more government means less freedom and liberty and that's a lot worse than a few topped trees
me, I dont want to see either

 

[Koa Man]

So...how many production arbos have ever stopped to talk to the hacks and toppers? Bring them around to the bright side.

The only way that "bad" treework might come to an end is through education and legislation. ....... Short of that, it's our job to make a positive difference.

If it's to be it's up to me

Tom,
If I stopped to talk to all of the above, I would be late for my job and left with precious little time to finish what I am supposed to do. My philosophy is, "let the buyer beware." Especially the YP shoppers who are looking for the lowest possible price. I just wasted my time with one caller, a neighbor of my customer. He has a huge banyan tree that he wanted several large branches removed, lots of rigging, back yard job. I figured it would take four guys one full day to do. Before I can even give him a quote, he tells me, "I hope you can do it for around $400." I don't even bother to give him a quote. I tell him, "I think you need to go get some other quotations. I pay my climber $300 a day, this is a full day job plus my equipment, insurance, and 2 groundmen." He actually has the nerve to tell me, "Well maybe I can go up to $450." Those kinds of people deserve to get some hack drop all the branches, ask to be paid so they can rent a truck to haul the rubbish, then never return. I have done the clean up of several of those. Some of them have become my most loyal customers.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Are there local arbo groups? There are opportunities to join forces with other people who care about trees. There should be a state urban forestry council.

We all do our bit of education when we meet with clients. Educate them but sometimes they eat the books and go cheap. Such is life.

I get weary of hearing people complain that the associations should do the work and then don't take the time to get involved themselves. That's not how changes are made. Do you know how much change Cass Turnbull has made with Plant Amnesty?

 

[Koa Man]

We have a local arborist group and the landscape council and Outdoor Circle are very vigorous in promoting proper tree care. But many times the $$ speaks LOUDER. The hackers don't bother me. I laugh when I see bad tree work. I can understand the concern and anger when work is slow and you see totally unqualified people doing tree work. I used to get that way when I first started out. After I got my steady customer base established, I am just too busy to worry about them.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Koa,

We need to be happy that we aren't working in the real estate market. That's a game that's even easier to get into than treework. I talked to a friend whose a Realtor and he told me about how many licensed Realtors there are in the Denver area. Whoeee....lots of people think that they can cut a fat hog in the as#.