What is an arborist

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Understanding what is an arborist includes understanding how to become one

While there are certainly people out there who have a real interest in nature and the trees and plants that surround us, it takes a good bit more expertise to go from someone who is interested to someone who is an actual Arborist.

When trying to determine whether or not you are actually an arborist, the best explanation is the difference between someone who watches a lot of lawyer and cop shows and someone who actually goes to law school. Interest in the subject alone does not make someone an expert or an arborist.

The Basic Skills of an Arborist

An Arborist, to put it simply is someone who has been trained (and usually received some kind of certification) in the art of maintaining, and identifying different types of trees and other woodland plants. Arborists will generally be able to identify if a certain tree or plant is suffering from a malady or disease and they will be able to determine whether treatment will help and what sort of treatment to pursue.

Once an Arborist has determined that a tree, or grove of trees needs a treatment, either simply to trim or prune or to actually cure them of the disease, they can begin administering the treatment. Arborists are trained in the use of tree trimming tools and machinery, and can show the homeowner how to correctly use a variety of tree trimmers in their yard

Most Arborists will be billed as “tree doctors” because they are able to determine fairly quickly what exactly is needed for an individual tree while having a vast knowledge base.

What Kind of Training Is Required

Most certified Arborists go through extensive training programs in order to gain their expertise. The fact of the matter is that there is no governmental regulations in order to call yourself an Arborist. This field is one that is regulated internally and organizations like the various state Arborist societies will have different regulations in order to qualify.

On the flip side is that if you bill yourself as a certified Arborist in a particular area, you may come under fire from these organizations. These societies are quite a bit like Unions in other professions. Joining may not be a legal requirement but it certainly is close to a professional one if you want to claim to be an Arborist.

Beyond learning how to diagnose a condition or kind of tree, Arborists go through training in how to work around power lines and will learn a variety of different ways to climb trees. Most Arborist organizations have specific training in these topics available.

When to Call an Arborist

Because Arborists are experts in trees and other woodland plants it might seem like they would only be useful on public lands such as parks and wooded areas. The fact is that Arborists can also come and help you set up your garden or back yard area in a way that is the most efficient as well as healthy for all your plants.

Knowing exactly where to prune, as well as how much is safe to prune without harming that ancient Oak in your backyard is a skill that is not as easy as one might think.