Why Hiring a Company with a Certified Arborist Matters
Protect your trees, your property, and your budget with standards-based care—not guesswork.
Kevin’s Tree Service staffs multiple ISA Certified Arborists, including one who is on-site daily—actively performing tree trimming and removals and directing the crew. That means your project gets real-time expert oversight from start to finish.
What Is an ISA Certified Arborist?
An ISA Certified Arborist is a tree care professional who has verified field experience, passed a comprehensive examination, commits to continuing education, and follows industry standards such as ANSI A300 (pruning) and ANSI Z133 (safety). In short: decisions are based on evidence and best practices—not hunches.
Why You Want a Certified Arborist On Your Job
- Healthier trees: Structural, clearance, and health pruning per ANSI A300—no topping or lion-tailing.
- Safer work: Planned rigging, protection mats, and jobsite controls that follow ANSI Z133.
- Clear answers: Diagnoses rooted in biology and risk assessment, not guesswork.
- HOA & permit readiness: Letters/reports and guidance when documentation is required.
- Long-term value: Good care now prevents expensive problems later.
What It Takes to Become (and Stay) Certified
- Eligibility: Verified experience in arboriculture (or equivalent education + experience).
- Exam: Tree biology, soils, pruning, diagnosis, protection, safety, and risk assessment.
- Continuing education: Ongoing CEUs and adherence to a professional code of ethics.
Why You Shouldn’t Hire a Company Without a Certified Arborist
- Improper pruning = permanent damage: Topping and flush cuts invite decay and failure.
- Inconsistent safety: Without standards-based oversight, shortcuts put people and property at risk.
- Weak recommendations: “Cut it back” isn’t a plan—risk and health should be assessed and documented.
- Documentation gaps: HOAs, permits, and insurers often require written justification.
- Short-term savings, long-term costs: Poor work leads to more breakage or removals you could have avoided.
Red flags: door-to-door “storm chasers,” pressure for same-day decisions, verbal-only pricing, willingness to spike live trees, or anyone who can’t explain their pruning cuts.
How Kevin’s Tree Service Works (Certified Oversight, Every Step)
- On-site arborist assessment: Structure, species, targets, and site conditions reviewed.
- Clear recommendations: Pruning specs (ANSI A300), risk mitigation, or removal only when warranted.
- Professional execution: A Certified Arborist is on-site, performing trims/removals and directing rigging and protection.
- Tidy wrap-up: Debris removal, raked areas, and blown hardscapes; optional stump grinding and chip haul-away.
- Documentation: Letters or reports for HOAs, permits, or insurance on request.
Talk with a Certified Arborist
Get standards-based recommendations for your property and a clear plan for pruning, removals, or monitoring.
FAQs
What does “ISA-Certified” actually mean?
It means the arborist passed the International Society of Arboriculture exam, maintains continuing education, and follows industry standards. You get current, standards-based guidance instead of guesswork.
How is an arborist consultation different from a free estimate?
An estimate prices work you already know you want. A consultation evaluates tree health, structure, and risk, then recommends the right pruning, removal, or monitoring plan—often saving unnecessary work.
Do you follow ANSI A300 pruning standards?
Yes. We use ANSI A300—no topping or lion-tailing. Cuts are selected and placed to protect structure, reduce risk, and promote long-term health.
Can you provide a written report for an HOA, permit, or insurance claim?
Yes. We prepare letters or formal arborist reports with species ID, condition, risk factors, and recommended action—suited for HOAs, permitting, or claims.
What is a TRAQ risk assessment?
TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification) evaluates likelihood of failure, impact targets, and consequences. It helps prioritize pruning, removal, or monitoring.
When should I choose removal instead of pruning?
Removal is recommended when structural defects or decay exceed acceptable risk, when the species is poorly suited to the site, or when conflicts can’t be mitigated with pruning or cabling.
Do you offer cabling and bracing?
Yes—per ANSI A300 Part 3. Hardware is sized to the tree and installed to reduce the risk of co-dominant stem or heavy limb failure. We inspect installed systems on a schedule.
How do you minimize impact to my yard and hardscapes?
We plan access, use ground protection mats, and stage debris to protect lawns and surfaces. Cleanup includes raking and blowing hardscapes for a tidy finish.
Ready for Expert, On-Site Arborist Care?
Choose the team that brings certified expertise to the jobsite—not just the brochure. Kevin’s Tree Service has multiple ISA Certified Arborists on staff, including one who works on site daily with the crew.
