M.D. Vaden
vadenphotography.com
By the way, the local chapter PNW ISA will be informed should the ball really roll on this, but give it a few months:
I'm not sure if its relevant to your situation, but you may be interested in this: There is a slight dilemna in Oregon. Certified Arborists, or any tree services, cannot advertise, or in general, contract transplanting of trees without a landscape contractors board license. Recently, it became apparent that landscape contractors don't have statutory authority to prune or do tree work, but can work within construction board exemptions - but it's a bit of a grey zone. This mess has been revealed more and more over the past two years. The construction board has reportedly been willing to "let dead dogs lie" meaning leave the matters alone and ignore a few issues. The landscape board is planning to work with the arborist community and try for a permanent licensing solution that enables qualified tree services and landscapers (and those that do both) to work legally in a crystal-clear legal environment without the possible need for 2 licenses, 2 bonds, and 2 insurance policies. Currently, the more hazardous tightrope is tree services offering planting or transplanting, rather than landscapers doing tree pruning. That's due to the clarity and exemptions in the two sets of laws. Its not really worth stressing over. But its an issue that you, I and others will want to stay informed on. When the arborists got themselves stuck under the CCB, via the old Oregon Arborists Association efforts, the arborists pushing that issue failed to involve as many related facets as possible for input and ideas. It was bulldozed through. The difference now, is that the table is open for ideas and input from every facet. The issue will probably move quickly, but well announced. The Landscape Contractors Board will be the board to stay in touch with, and probably Terrill Collier of Collier Arbor Care. NOTE THIS: Wait until at least March to contact about whether legislation is developed, and what it may say. A vote on this just occured recently, and there is not a foundation laid yet. At this point, a useful communication would be to make one's self available as a resource, should this proceed. It looks like its proceeding, but the next 3 months should reveal which organizations will be involved, and what position they plan to take. That will show everyone else how to present their ideas, and what kind of "selling" they need to do and in what manner to do it. Feel free to pass this info along to others. But if you do, make sure they recieve it in a manner that does not start a panic. This matter is barely developed enough for anyone to start biting nails or getting stressed. But there are at least 2 significant problems, and brushing them under the rug can only make things even worse in the future. I have told the landscape board to be sure to contact PGE and anyone involved with line clearing too, to stay involved. If this issue proceeds into moving the tree services from one board to another, it will be a huge undertaking, and complex. Because every law and rule will need to be double-checked to avoid the same problem as exists. The problems can be avoided, but it will be a piece of work.
This came to mind today as I got my Beaverton, suburb, city business license. And technically, there is a "Metro" license that can cover surrounding suburbs, but at least one city license is needed to get that. Portland is not part of it. So realistically, a landscape & tree business here must have 3 city type licenses (most stick to one or two). So one state license is more than anyone wants.
And other than that, there is the Dept. of Agricuture pesticide operator license is you get into weed control, and the pesticide applicators license to be the application person.
Technically, to make every agency crstal clear happy, a person doing all-around horticulture, starting out even, must have about 5 licenses, 2 bonds and 2 insurances so the landscape and construction boards can each hold certificates for claims - and that's aside from certifications promoted by associations.
Its not impossible here - entangled yes, burdensome yes, but possible. Many people do what they have to (might have to sneak their way up there at times, but they get there).
This is not an Oregon promotion to scare the competition away.
I'm not sure if its relevant to your situation, but you may be interested in this: There is a slight dilemna in Oregon. Certified Arborists, or any tree services, cannot advertise, or in general, contract transplanting of trees without a landscape contractors board license. Recently, it became apparent that landscape contractors don't have statutory authority to prune or do tree work, but can work within construction board exemptions - but it's a bit of a grey zone. This mess has been revealed more and more over the past two years. The construction board has reportedly been willing to "let dead dogs lie" meaning leave the matters alone and ignore a few issues. The landscape board is planning to work with the arborist community and try for a permanent licensing solution that enables qualified tree services and landscapers (and those that do both) to work legally in a crystal-clear legal environment without the possible need for 2 licenses, 2 bonds, and 2 insurance policies. Currently, the more hazardous tightrope is tree services offering planting or transplanting, rather than landscapers doing tree pruning. That's due to the clarity and exemptions in the two sets of laws. Its not really worth stressing over. But its an issue that you, I and others will want to stay informed on. When the arborists got themselves stuck under the CCB, via the old Oregon Arborists Association efforts, the arborists pushing that issue failed to involve as many related facets as possible for input and ideas. It was bulldozed through. The difference now, is that the table is open for ideas and input from every facet. The issue will probably move quickly, but well announced. The Landscape Contractors Board will be the board to stay in touch with, and probably Terrill Collier of Collier Arbor Care. NOTE THIS: Wait until at least March to contact about whether legislation is developed, and what it may say. A vote on this just occured recently, and there is not a foundation laid yet. At this point, a useful communication would be to make one's self available as a resource, should this proceed. It looks like its proceeding, but the next 3 months should reveal which organizations will be involved, and what position they plan to take. That will show everyone else how to present their ideas, and what kind of "selling" they need to do and in what manner to do it. Feel free to pass this info along to others. But if you do, make sure they recieve it in a manner that does not start a panic. This matter is barely developed enough for anyone to start biting nails or getting stressed. But there are at least 2 significant problems, and brushing them under the rug can only make things even worse in the future. I have told the landscape board to be sure to contact PGE and anyone involved with line clearing too, to stay involved. If this issue proceeds into moving the tree services from one board to another, it will be a huge undertaking, and complex. Because every law and rule will need to be double-checked to avoid the same problem as exists. The problems can be avoided, but it will be a piece of work.
This came to mind today as I got my Beaverton, suburb, city business license. And technically, there is a "Metro" license that can cover surrounding suburbs, but at least one city license is needed to get that. Portland is not part of it. So realistically, a landscape & tree business here must have 3 city type licenses (most stick to one or two). So one state license is more than anyone wants.
And other than that, there is the Dept. of Agricuture pesticide operator license is you get into weed control, and the pesticide applicators license to be the application person.
Technically, to make every agency crstal clear happy, a person doing all-around horticulture, starting out even, must have about 5 licenses, 2 bonds and 2 insurances so the landscape and construction boards can each hold certificates for claims - and that's aside from certifications promoted by associations.
Its not impossible here - entangled yes, burdensome yes, but possible. Many people do what they have to (might have to sneak their way up there at times, but they get there).
This is not an Oregon promotion to scare the competition away.
.
