Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a Certified Arborist? The first step is developing an interest in trees: species, habits, ideal growing conditions, diseases, pests, structure, life cycle, and so forth. An inquisitive mind is a great asset for any arborist, and any question about trees is a good question! Now that your curiosity is piqued, the next step in developing your arboreal skills is finding the answers! This can be either formally, in a classroom setting, or informally, from fellow arborists or friends and colleagues, or simply learning as you go along or doing your own research. Developing a good base of tree knowledge is a great tool to have when you are trying to accomplish your goal of becoming a Certified Arborist. We’ve also had plenty of people start working at Russell Tree Experts with only a vague interest in trees or just interested in an environment where you can work outside in the fresh air! Either path is a great start to your journey to becoming a certified arborist.
Once you have some knowledge, what are the next steps? In order to be considered to take the ISA Certified Arborist Exam, you must have at least 3 years of documentable experience in the tree industry; whether this is from a position at Russell Tree Experts or another accredited company or formal education from a College or University. Once this experience is verified, you may submit an application to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) for them to approve. From there, you can schedule either an in person exam or a computer based exam at a testing facility. You must pass the exam with a 76% or higher to become an ISA Certified Arborist.
During the exam, your knowledge will be tested in the following 10 sections:
Soil Management
Identification and Selection
Installation and Establishment
Safe Work Practices
Tree Biology
Pruning
Diagnosis and Treatment
Urban Forestry
Tree Protection
Tree Risk Management
Once you’ve passed your exam with a 76% or higher, your ISA Certified Arborist certification is valid for three years. To retain this, you must re-certify by either taking the exam again, or earning 30 continuing education units (CEUs) over the course of the three years. You can earn CEUs by attending various conferences with continuing education classes, doing quizzes in monthly Arborist News publications, or signing in and viewing webinars about new or developing tree issues around the country.
I am fortunate to have been able to become an ISA Certified Arborist in 2018 and am glad to have spent my time here at Russell Tree Experts, learning more about trees, every day, than I ever thought possible. This past February I was able to attend the Ohio Tree Care Conference (put on by the Ohio Chapter ISA) and was able to put many faces with many names that I’ve learned over the past few years while earning plenty of CEUs to retain my certification. I feel blessed to have found my tree family and look forward to learning more in the years to come.
Check out isa-arbor.com to learn more about how you can become an ISA Certified Arborist and to apply for your certification visit: ISA Certified Arborist Application Guide
Lindsey Rice | Regional Manager, Russell Tree Experts
Lindsey joined Russell Tree Experts in 2015 with a B.S. in Agribusiness and a minor in Horticulture from The Ohio State University. Growing up in Northwest Ohio, she participated in various sports, band, and FFA which ultimately inspired her love for the tree industry. In her free time she loves to spend it outdoors with her husband and daughters.