Good Arboriculture Will Prevail

May 1, 2015

I wrote last week about some of the negative aspects of this industry. Here is a positive follow-up to that post that recognizes 10 of the good things that I see happening around me. There are certainly more things than these that could be written about. In any case, this makes for a good discussion of where we came from, where we are now, and where we are going in this amazing field of arboriculture.

1. Tree Biology – Our current and advancing understanding of how trees do stuff means that the practice of tree care is aligning itself with tree biology.
2. Tree Statics – An understanding of the engineered quality of trees helps good arborists to make better decisions for safety and long-term benefit of trees and the people around them.
3. ISA – The International Society of Arboriculture has established a set of ethics and pathways to success for those that want to embrace modern arboriculture.
4. TCIA – The Tree Care Industry Association promotes the betterment of the industry through the setting of standards and improved legislation surrounding the application of tree care.
5. Social Networking – Arborists are now able to compare and contrast with their peers worldwide. This allows for great sharing of knowledge.
6. Industry Support – The sister companies that support arborists, like Sherrilltree and Vermeer, and equipment providers like Altec make sure that good arborists have the best tools for the job. New diagnostic equipment and techniques like tomography and dynamic movement sensors mean that we have the ability to collect even more data about trees than ever before.
7. Generational Betterment – Each new crop of arborists has the opportunity to advance the industry even more. We are truly in a renaissance period for the tree care industry.
8. Good Competition – Look around and you will find companies in every part of the world that are setting a high standard with regard to safety and stewardship.
9. ASCA – The American Society of Consulting Arborists is now at its highest numbers for membership. This shows growth towards acceptance of tree care as a profession.
10. It must because trees make life livable. – Put simply, people need trees. As we lose more of this resource in our cities and town the value of the urban forest increases.