Tree City USA Bulletin #6—Sources for More Information
Arborists owe it to themselves and the people they serve to continually improve their knowledge about trees and tree care. There are many ways to do this. If you are an arborist, we hope you take advantage of these opportunities. If you plan to hire an arborist, one way to check professional credibility is to determine if the individuals are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture and continue their education through professional affiliations and self-study.
Trade Journals
A good way to stay current and expand one’s knowledge about arboriculture is through subscriptions to trade journals such as:
- Arbor Age
- Grounds Maintenance
- Landscape Management
For information about how to receive these or others, simply type the publication name into your favorite search engine.
Workshops and Conferences
Workshops and conferences are scheduled regularly by the Arbor Day Foundation to help close the gap between what is known about arboriculture and what is practiced. You can find a current list by visiting our conferences and workshops page.
Organizations
There are three key organizations that are dedicated to the tree care trades and professions:
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International Society of Arboriculture
P.O. Box 3129
Champaign,
IL
61826-3129
(217)-355-9411
ISA offers various membership categories depending on occupation. Special interest groups within ISA include the Utility Arborist Association, Society of Municipal Arborists, Arboricultural Research & Education Academy, Society of Commercial Arboriculture and Student Society of Arboriculture. There are also regional chapters. ISA sponsors arborist certification and in other ways promotes the improvement of arboriculture among its members and the public. It sponsors research, produces educational materials, maintains a computerized information service, and holds a combined annual conference, trade show and climbing competition. It also maintains a list of colleges and universities offering degree programs in arboriculture, urban horticulture and urban forestry. ISA publishes the Journal of Arboriculture and Arborist News on alternate months.
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Tree Care Industry Association
3 Perimeter Road,
Unit 1
Manchester,
NH
03103
(603)-314-5380
Membership in TCIA is comprised of commercial tree care service firms. It has helped to develop sets of standards for pruning, cabling and other techniques widely used in the industry. TCIA also publishes Tree Care Industry magazine and provides a wide range of training materials about safety and tree care techniques. Field personnel of member firms have access to several online newsletters.
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American Society of Consulting Arborists
15245 Shady Grove Rd.,
Suite 130
Rockville,
MD
20850
(301)-947-0483
Membership is only for practicing arborists who specialize in advising, diagnosing, recommending treatments, making appraisals and offering legal testimony in court. A membership directory and application procedures are available online. Members receive a quarterly newsletter, Arboricultural Consultant, referrals, and an annual educational meeting.
Arboriculture Safety and Safe Work Practices
In this presentation by Professor John Ball of South Dakota State University, facts and statistics about the hazards associated with tree care provide a clear warning to everyone who works in trees. It also makes it clear why tree work should be left to professionals, especially certified arborists.
More Information
Call: 402-474-5655
Monday–Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST
