Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

If prequalifying improves the experience of buying a home or car, imagine applying that process to the care of trees at your home or business by hiring a International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist.

While not a PhD or M.D., these “tree doctors” have undergone on going recertification testing and intense study on the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants.

A pickup truck and a chainsaw do not a Certified Arborist make, at least by the definitions set forth by the ISA.

Just to be eligible for the exam, a candidate must have three or more years of full-time, eligible, practical work experience in arboriculture and/or a degree in the field of arboriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry from a regionally accredited educational institute.

The comprehensive certification encompasses a myriad of topics which empowers the candidates with flexibility in the arboricultural profession. The 200-question exam covers tree biology, tree identification and selection, tree-soil-water relations, tree nutrition and fertilization, tree planting and establishment, pruning concepts and techniques, cabling, bracing and lightning protection, problem diagnosis and management, tree preservation on construction sites, climbing and safe work practices, and tree risk assessment.

The work doesn’t stop after becoming a Certified Arborist as 30 continuing education units (CEUs) are required to be recertified. CEUs are earned by attending seminars, studying in college courses, or completing study in ISA published magazines and books.

The image of arborists has improved with the Certified Arborist program, from the arborist's and the general public's perspective. The curriculum has set benchmarked minimum standards of achievement and incentives for continuing education.

Education allows Certified Arborists to better assure their customers that their trees will not be damaged or mutilated and set the expectations of a particular treatment.

To make sure that your trees get the best care, call Embark Tree and Landscape Services for a ISA Certified Arborist at 713-462-3261.

Everyone has a relative or a friend eager to take on a tree with a chainsaw.

Perhaps the question to ask is do they have the knowledge to do the job safely? Most property owners run through this dilemma all too often.

Hiring a tree service provider with a positive reputation, insurance, and permits beats price and concerns about liability any day.

Professional tree service providers possess enough insurance to take care of any of their employees on the job and anything else that may happen. Ask the company for their insurance company and then follow up with a phone call. Homeowners could be responsible for damages and injuries that occur.

The professionals can drop a tree on a dime because they've been trained and they do it every day. It takes more than a truck and a chainsaw to be considered a professional.

Permits and accreditations take the mystery out of hiring someone. Many local and state governments require contractors to apply for licenses to work.

Also, look for professional organizations like the International Society of Arboriculture. An Arborist is a specialist in the care of individual trees and more than a tree cutter.

Larger professional firms invest in the tools needed to do the job. Safety and customer satisfaction should go hand in hand when taking care of the trees on your property.

Besides tree removal, a good tree care company can:

• Prune to maintain or improve the health, appearance and safety of the trees;
• Perform emergency tree care after a storm by safely removing trees and limbs from homes, cars, others trees and structures; and,
• Plant trees that are appropriate for a specific location, taking into consideration factors such as limited growing space, insects, diseases or poor growth.

Ensure the heath of your trees and large shrubs with a comprehensive plant health care program and deep root fertilization.

The decision to hire a tree service is yours. At Embark, our job is to provide the best service at competitive rates.