The most important part of cutting down a tree is ensuring the safety of everyone involved. Tree removal is inherently quite dangerous and can easily be fatal if not done properly. Having a certified tree care safety professional on-site during tree removals lowers the risk of injuries and improves safety standards. While an ISA Certified Arborist is nothing to sneeze at, for safety reasons a CTSP is a better choice.
Trees Falling
Sometimes trees fall on their own due to severe weather, rot, and age. It is much better as a homeowner to keep an eye on your trees and notice when something doesn’t look right. Removing these trees before they fall and wreak havoc is the best idea.
Where do trees go once you cut them? In a perfect world, they fall nicely into open fields where there are no houses, fences, or barns in their way. In reality, it takes a lot of hard work and precision to get a tree to fall where you want it to, and that is what makes hiring a certified tree removal service in Roanoke, VA so important. DIY tree removal is extremely dangerous and is never advisable. Sometimes a tree needs to be trimmed and not removed entirely.
Tree Care Industry Association: A Brief History
The Tree Care Industry Association, or TCIA for short, is a nationwide association of tree care professionals. It was founded in 1938 and originally called the National Arborist Association. The TCIA works to set safety standards for professional tree services and keep companies educated in “the safe and appropriate practice of tree care”. They support their members, hosting conferences and classes to keep them up-to-date. They also put out literature and continuing education every year to keep safety standards up to date.
What is a CTSP?
A CTSP is a certified tree care safety professional, and it is a certification that can be earned from the Tree Care Industry Association. To obtain it, you will need to take the course and then sit for the exam. This certification teaches professionals to identify scene hazards and prevent safety incidents.
The benefit of having a CTSP on your tree removal site is a statistically lower injury rate. Customers will be more inclined to hire a company that has a CTSP on staff, and your company will attract higher-quality workers who feel safe coming to work. An excellent certified tree removal service in Roanoke, VA will have a CTSP on staff.
ISA Certified Arborist
The ISA stands for the International Society of Arboriculture. It is a non-profit organization that exists to educate folks on the benefits of trees and how to properly care for them. They offer many different types of certifications, but the most common one is an ISA Certified Arborist.
ISA Certified Arborists are trained and certified to take care of trees. This includes pruning, getting rid of pests, and understanding the biology of trees. This certification is much more common than CTSP and is great for tending orchards or preserving old trees without the need for removal. The emphasis of an ISA Certified Arborist is on preservation over removal.
Key Differences
A CTSP differs from an ISA Certified Arborist in many ways. The role of a CTSP on a jobsite is to keep everyone safe, point out hazards, and minimize risk. The role of an ISA Certified Arborist is to delicately prune, identify disease and pests, and generally care for trees. They are both great certifications to have and serve to fill different roles.
Who Should I Call To Take Down a Tree?
A CTSP is a better choice for tree removal as a general rule of thumb. They are better trained in safe removals and will keep risks to a minimum. It can be difficult to find a CTSP, as it is a rarer certification than an ISA Certified Arborist. Luckily, Scrappy Creek Tree Service will have the only CTSP tree safety certification in Roanoke by the end of the year! This commitment to safety puts them well above other companies in the area.
Key Takeaways
ISA Certified Arborists are great at diagnosing your trees, pruning efficiently, and treating pest and disease issues. If you have an orchard that is in need of some help, an ISA Certified Arborist is the person to call. Certified Treecare Safety Professionals are better qualified to keep a jobsite safe during tree removal and are the preferred person to call if you have a tree that needs to go. Both certifications are important in their own right and serve different functions.
Certified Tree Service in Southwest Virginia
If you are looking for a certified tree removal service in Roanoke, VA, look no further than Scrappy Creek Tree Service. We prioritize safety on every job site and are passionate about what we do. If you have a tree that needs felling, contact us today to get it removed!