When people think of arborists, they often think of them as a type of specialized gardener. They’re the professionals you call when you want someone to do a really good job trimming your tree. Although arborists are known for supplying quality, professional tree care, what an arborist does for trees goes beyond aesthetic adjustments. Arborists look at the total health of a tree to support its longevity.
What Sets Certified Arborists Apart
Trees are far more complicated entities than we often give them credit for, and arborists have the training and expertise to understand how trees function. Those who receive a certification from the International Society of Arboriculture, such as our certified arborists here in Austin, TX, hold a degree in arboriculture or related fields, have at least three years of full-time work experience, and have passed an examination.
These are individuals with more than a cursory knowledge of trees, and it is from this knowledge that they can provide a full range of services.
The Skill Set of Arborists
Diagnosing Diseases
There are a wide variety of diseases your trees may fall prey to. To the untrained eye, it may be difficult to tell whether a tree is even sick, let alone what disease it has. An arborist has the experience necessary to identify what disease it has, how far along the disease is, and how best to respond.
Tree Removal
Removing trees can be a dangerous task for both the surrounding property and the person carrying out the removal. Arborists can determine whether removing a tree is even necessary. If it is, they’ll know how best to go about removing a tree and have the right tools to remove it safely.
Emergency Tree Care
When lightning, powerful winds, flooding, or car accidents damage a tree, it puts property owners in a frightening and dangerous situation. Loose limbs and damaged trunk structures create a safety hazard, even to remove. As with tree removal, arborists have both the know-how and equipment to safely remove these hazards in emergency situations.
Planting
Planting a tree is not the same as planting flowers in your garden. Not only do you have to consider soil conditions and available sunlight, but you also need to be aware of how much space the tree will need when it grows into maturity. Arborists’ knowledge of the life cycle and needs of different tree species aid them in making the right choices for where and how to add new trees to your property.
Maintenance
Along with all of this, an arborist provides professional tree care, including pruning and trimming trees. These are not tasks to take lightly. As we have mentioned in a previous blog, tree trimming is a task best to leave to the professionals since trimming a tree incorrectly can lead to severe damage to the tree and injury to the trimmer. An arborist knows enough about a tree’s makeup to ensure that the tree remains protected during trimming.