Article 12 of 12 from Trees: Dispelling Myths & Misinformation, prepared by the arborists of the Southwest Division of Bartlett Tree Experts as a community education initiative.
So, can what’s logical be harmful? We’ve seen repeatedly that it can. Myths about trees that seem firmly rooted in the logical can hang on stubbornly, promote misinformation, and do harm. Our stated goal in this series was to arm readers with facts about trees that dispel these myths, create more informed consumers, and promote healthier trees. We hope we have provided a snapshot of the issues that empowers property owners to advocate for their own trees and select qualified arborists to care for them.
It can be difficult to know who’s qualified, but we have a few suggestions. Hire an ISA Certified Arborist. That person should be able to provide you with a certification number, which you may verify at treesaregood.org. While the certification doesn’t guarantee responsible and informed work, it increases the likelihood. This credential is voluntary, so the individual will have made an effort to study, take the test, and obtain the required CEUs to maintain the certification. An ISA Certified Arborist will have been exposed to ANSI Standards regarding tree care and safety.
If you want to be absolutely sure you’re getting a qualified arborist, just call your local Bartlett office or make an appointment for tree service online. A century-old company, Bartlett supports its local offices with state-of-the-art research and innovations, and its world-class training programs ensure safer and informed practice on client properties.
In his book, 100 Tree Myths, Dr. Alex Shigo offers the following: “Remember, it’s not how much you know, but how much you know that is correct that makes you wise.”
Hopefully, our efforts to circulate correct information about trees will result in wiser consumers who entrust their trees to truly qualified arborists. We hope you’ll spread the word!
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