Live Oaks, Vero Beach, FL and Arborists. Part Three.

Live Oak butchered in Central Beach, Vero Beach, FL. The homeowner indicated he did not want the tree to fall on his house. But the tree is leaning toward the street and with that big limb removed the tree is less likely to fall to the street and more likely to fall on his house. When told that the tree will now slowly die he said “It has to die sometime.”

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To our article on Central Beach, Vero Beach, FL is Becoming a Logging Camp for Arborists we received this comment.

tree geek APRIL 2, 2021 AT 6:20 PM

“your statements about ISA requirements are patently false. Please research and correct. The ISA website will tell you exactly what it takes to be a Certified Arborist.”

We have researched tree geek’s and offer this response.

The ISA website tells exactly what it takes to be a Certified Arborist and statements about ISA requirements are true and verified by their own words. On the ISA websitehttps://www.isa-arbor.com/Credentials/Types-of-Credentials/ISA-Board-Certified-Master-Arborist, please note in the print screen below, that the next to highest level of credential, a “master certified arborist” requires 8 points to sit for an exam.

The 8 points could consist of 6+ years of experience with no high school diploma requirement, nor any level of college, and no formal training or mentoring program for that experience, on the honor system, combined with continuing education and a lower level certification that obviously does not require a high school diploma requirement, nor any level of college, or formal training or mentoring program for that experience either, all on the honor system.

When you look at any of the certifications, none require a high school diploma, nor any level of college, or formal training or mentoring program for the experience used as the basis for the certification.

If one wants to promote themselves as a “certified arborist”, you pass the exam by the society and pay annual dues with minimal continuing education to keep in good standing. These ISA certifications are required by the society, but not by any municipality, nor by the State of Florida.

The Florida chapter of the ISA and they lamented that they have not been able to become a licensed profession. Again, because these “certifications” and “arborists” do not follow any standardized educational or training program, they cannot be licensed by the State.

Anyone can call themselves an “arborist” and can promote themself as “licensed”, however, their “license” means they have paid a business tax to a municipality but not that they have a professional license from the State of Florida. A nail technician is required to have a license from the State to trim nails but a person butchering a tree has zero accountability because they are not licensed professionals by any entity or municipality in the State of Florida.

“Fewer than two percent of all all ISA Certified Arborists currently hold this certification.”

“…have a sufficient amount of any or all…”