The Responsibilities of an Arborist

​The main business of tree care services is to restore, protect and enhance healthy growing and reproductive capacity of trees in urban and rural landscapes. This is done by a combination of many techniques and activities, such as cutting, pruning, harvesting, trimming and mulching. Tree care specialists have to deal with a wide variety of different tree species, including elm, sycamore, ash, spruce, maple, oak, plum, cherry, blackwood, hemlock, hazel, chestnut, fruit tree, vine, aromatic tree, evergreen, citrus, bamboo, cherry, melaleuca, plum, cherry, buckeye, cypress, oak, citrus, palms, azalea, plum, banana, tamarind, firewood, juniper, blackthorn, spruce, redwood, ponderosa, grapevine, tamarindo, maple, black, and white pine. Trees are categorized according to the type of bark, foliage, fruits and flowers they produce. Some trees are highly productive, producing nuts, fruits and flowers while some are highly ornamental producing berries, leaves and needles. All tree species are sensitive to climate, nutrients and insect damage and therefore require special care to prevent them from becoming threats to the ecosystem.

A major segment of the global arboricultural industry is located in the United States. Almost half of all U.S. residents engage in some type of arboreal activity, either as professionals or enthusiasts. The most popular tree care practices include felling, pruning, trimming and mulching. Arboricultural technicians use a variety of techniques, equipment and strategies to improve the health of our environment. For example, road verge installation, planting of vegetation, removal of hazardous tree limbs and the positioning and anchoring of walking paths are all forms of tree care.

In the past, arborists relied mostly on manually operated chainsaws to fell trees. Today, arborists use high technology equipment including robotic tree savers that are able to selectively fell trees without harming other nearby vegetation. Automated chain saws now frequently cut trees faster than even manual ones. This is especially important during tree removal due to the potential environmental damage that would be present if a chain saw were to malfunction.

Tree felling techniques have undergone several advancements over the past century. Prior to the technological innovations in tree pruning techniques, arborists may only have used simple hammers to chop down trees. Today, arborists may utilize chainsaws to ensure that their client's trees are safely removed.

The primary goal of modern arborists is to prevent the decay of trees through preventive care. Tree pruning, which is done after a few years of growth, is a form of preventive tree care. Typically, young healthy trees are pruned to prevent them from producing sugars that can encourage bark disease. Since ancient times, tree pruning has been used to shape trees into pleasing shapes. Today, arborists can perform these tasks using sophisticated machinery.

Another goal of arborists is to beautify the landscape. For this purpose, a variety of tools and techniques are used. Some of the tools an arborist uses include chain saws, pruners, planers, and air compressors. Arborists may also choose to incorporate environmental resources such as plant mowers and mulch. These techniques can allow a tree to grow back naturally following a tree spiking procedure.

Finally, arborists prune trees to shape them so they appear more attractive. This often requires an experienced arborist with training and experience in this particular aspect of tree care. Pruning branches to shape them according to the preferred design is often referred to as "trimming."

Tree care requires a great deal of hard work and dedication. This is why arborists must be properly trained and certified to ensure their safety while performing this task. Tree care certification is not required in every state but it can certainly help to ensure the safety of tree pruners and other arborists. Tree owners and managers who fail to hire a competent, well-trained arborist face the risk of losing valuable trees to a lack of attention to detail or improper pruning techniques.