What Does an Arborist Do?

When it comes to maintaining a healthy garden or landscape, trees are key elements. But they can be a challenge to work with, especially when it comes to maintenance and repair. This is where a qualified arborist comes in, a professional who has trained to handle and understand all aspects of tree care.

Arborists work with not just trees, but shrubs, hedges and other plants that grow in the ground. They also carry out a variety of other tasks that support their core skills in tree work. Arborists are trained to perform preventative maintenance on trees and shrubs to help keep them healthy, strong and growing well. They can diagnose problems and provide advice on how to treat them. They can also undertake more corrective maintenance, such as pruning, crown thinning, specific branch weight reduction and crown raising, or complete more challenging tree removals incorporating various rigging systems.

Preventative work includes soil management, determining the best locations for planting and providing guidance on what type of tree is best suited to different sites and environments. This is important because the wrong species of tree in the wrong place can lead to poor growth, disease and even structural failure. Arborists can also assess and manage the risk of existing trees, including those near structures such as houses or power lines. Arborists may also be asked to act as a liaison with NYC Parks on projects such as construction or alteration of a tree that falls under the jurisdiction of the city.

An arborists day to day varies greatly depending on the need of each client or project. They will often spend a lot of time outdoors, working in all weather conditions, and they will need to be physically fit to handle the physical demands of the job, which can include climbing or operating heavy machinery. They will spend some of their time in the office planning or preparing reports, and they must also continually attend seminars and training sessions to maintain their industry knowledge.

Qualified arborists have access to specialized tools and equipment that are tailored for different types of work. From rigging equipment like ropes and carabiners to cutting tools such as pruners, an arborist is equipped with all of the necessary gear needed to get the job done safely and effectively.

Working as an arborist requires a high level of skill and technical proficiency, as well as excellent problem-solving and organizational skills. They need to have a strong understanding of regional flora and the climate, and they must be proficient with the use of machinery, both on the ground and in the canopy. Becoming a certified arborist takes years of education and hands-on experience. Those who have achieved the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist designation have completed four exams that test their knowledge in the areas of tree health management, climbing techniques, plant identification, and tree work safety. It is a demanding job, but one that is both rewarding and challenging, and which can offer a satisfying career for those who are willing to put in the hard work and dedication.

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