Check out this website for a great article on the future of the green industry. Invest here?

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Short for Board Certified Master Arborist, it’s ISA’s top credential.  I’ve been a Master Arborist for 6 years now. I know because every three years at this level we are required to get 60 hours of continuing education and I just certified for the third time. This much studying keeps us on top of the safest, most efficient techniques, and get more in depth on specific aspects of arboriculture that other arborists may not have been exposed to, like pathogen and risk identification or how trees and our relationship with them is affected by the law.

As of April 2012, there were 27,080 Certified Arborists and 392 Master Arborists working together against a sea of uncertified, unlicensed hacks to protect, improve, and care for our urban forest.

Last night, I did a presentation about tree biology and how trees react to different pruning cuts and techniques at the Portland Fruit Tree Project. They offer workshops on everything from pruning to food preservation. They’re a non-profit group that helps harvest over 900 private and public fruit trees. Half of the harvest goes to local food banks and the other half goes to volunteers. What a great opportunity to have fun, utilize local resources, and help your community! If you’re interested in learning more, check out their website at: portlandfruit.com

Here’s the 20/20 from a Board Certified Master Arborist. I’ve been in business more than 10 years.  I’ve seen ‘competitors’ come and go. I lose bids to other companies based on price, the easiest part of tree work for clients to understand. Momma always said “Life’s like a box of chocolates.” Do you want Moonstruck truffles or Tootsie rolls? You get what you pay for. I’ll talk with a client for 30 minutes explaining how and why we prune the tree, percentage of live wood to remove, branch diameter of the dead wood to remove, and how much clearance from the house and traffic areas we will provide. It’s all in writing, including any regulations they need to know.I’ve looked at ‘competitors bids that say ‘Prune the tree in front’ with a price. What does that mean?

I talk with people who are surprised that they were shafted by someone they found on Craig’s List with no Business license number, no written contract, and cash-only payments. Or a friend who works for a tree company will prune their trees on a weekend, without proper equipment or any insurance. You must know that these hacks are able to work for less because they are cutting corners, either with service, quality, or flat out illegal activity. Do you think they are paying taxes to support our flailing economy?

Playing by the rules is part of the game. Yes it’s a pain  in the ash, but the time Emerald Tree has invested in dialog with the cities of Portland, Lake O, Tigard, Beaverton, Vancouver, Fairview, and Gresham ensures a smooth operation. The money we spend in training, safety equipment, and quality personnel means less aggravation and property damage for the client.

You get what you pay for. Do it right the first time.

Jim

Check out this online book! It’s called The Forest Where Ashley Lives and it’s about urban forests.