Hiring a tree care provider deserves careful consideration and caution. A mistake can be expensive and long lasting, while the right choice can assure health, beauty and longer life for your trees and landscape. The following suggestions will help a board select an arborist:

• Look for professional membership affiliations.
• Request that the arborist or tree worker be certified through a program of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). This program is the standard of performance for appropriate training, experience and knowledge about tree care. Additionally, it is best to use an arborist who is familiar with native trees.
• Require certificate insurance.
• Ask for local references.
• A good arborist will offer a wide range of services, including removal, pruning, fertilizing, pest control, etc.
• A good arborist will not recommend topping.
• A knowledgeable arborist will not use climbing spikes if the tree is to remain in the landscape.