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FORESTRY EXTENSION NOTES
How to Hire an Arborist
Many important tree care practices What does an Arborist do?
such as pruning, watering, mulching, Professional arborists can provide
and fertilizing of young trees can be a wide variety of technical services.
accomplished by the homeowner. How- These services include:
ever, as trees become older and larger,
some these tasks, especially pruning, Pruning- The purpose of pruning is to
become more difficult and potentially promote tree health, proper tree form,
dangerous. Professional arborists are and to create a safe environment in the
available to assist homeowners with the area surrounding the tree. This is ac-
proper care of their trees from the be- complished by removing branches with
ginning of the trees life to the time they weak V-shaped crotches, branches that
must be removed from the landscape. rub together, dead branches, damaged
or diseased branches, branches that rub
Arborists against some part of the house or other
Arborists are persons that specialize in structures, and branches that compete
the management and care of individual for light. Pruning may also be used to
trees. A professional arborist is knowl- repair damage caused by a wind or ice
edgeable about tree care and usually storm, and to remove branches that
has formally studied in the area of are a potential hazard to objects below
arboriculture, forestry, or horticulture, them. An arborist is trained to work
and/or has had extensive training in safely with all sizes of trees. One prun-
the area of arboriculture through work- ing practice a trained arborist will not
shops, short courses, and profession promote is Topping.
societies. Practicing Arborists perform
actual tree care practices, while Con-
sulting Arborists give recommenda-
tions but don’t actually carry out the
tree care procedures. Your particular
situation will determine which type of
arborist you will need. Information
contained in this brochure will focus on
those that perform tree care work.
F-366/August 2005 ...and justice for all
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA
clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and
University Extension Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.
Ames, Iowa Department of Agriculture. Stanley R. Johnson, director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science
and Technology, Ames, Iowa.
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General Care- The best way to avoid venting construction damage to trees;
tree health problems is to use proper they may also appraise the dollar value
care procedures. An arborist can deter- of trees for tax, insurance and casualty
mine a tree’s fertility needs, and apply loss purposes. Some arborists also will
the right fertilizer, if necessary. An develop a tree planting plan which may
arborist also can monitor the tree for include information on species selec-
insect and disease problems, and take tion, type of planting stock, planting lo-
appropriate action to manage a prob- cation, and required post-planting care.
lem when necessary. An arborist may Planting of trees and post-planting care
use soil aeration equipment to improve is sometimes carried out by arborists.
air movement in the root zone, when
compaction is a problem. Hiring an Arborist
An arborist will use mulch around a * Owning a truck and a chainsaw does
tree to reduce competing vegetation, re- not automatically qualify someone as
tain moisture, reduce soil temperature, an arborist. Some door-to-door “arbor-
improve soil structure (by increasing ists” may claim to have noticed a tree
organic matter), and prevent mechani- in your yard requiring immediate at-
cal damage from lawn mowers and tention. These so-called arborists may
weed wips. When trees have not been not have you or your trees best inter-
pruned, weak branches and double ests in mind. Most established arborists
leaders can develop. An arborist can are busy, and do not create new busi-
recommend cabling and bracing tech- ness by going door-to-door.
niques to improve the strength of these
weak points. Since trees often rise * Before searching for an arborist, be
above many of the objects in the land- sure the tree needing work is on your
scape, they can be targets for lightning; property and not on public property
an arborist is aware of the best methods or in your neighbor’s yard. Many cit-
available to protect high value trees ies in Iowa have ordinances that regu-
from lightning strikes. late the management of vegetation on
public property; this usually includes
Removal- Occasionally, a tree must be trees in the area between the street
removed because it is creating a po- and sidewalk. Also, many cities require
tential hazard, is severely damaged or arborists to be licensed to work within
dead, is too close to a building, or is in- the city limits. Inquire at city hall for
terfering with new construction. Arbor- any rules or regulations that pertain to
ists are trained and equipped to safely trees and their management.
remove trees without harming them-
selves or surrounding property. * Consult the yellow pages in the tele-
phone directory for listings of arborists,
Consulting- Before building near estab- under the heading Tree Service or Tree
lished trees, changing the grade (soil Care. If you have a city forester he or
level) around trees, or when attempting she will have a list of arborists in your
to determine the value of a damaged community. Also, check with friends
tree, homeowners may wish to enlist and neighbors for names of arborists
the help of a trained arborist. Many know for satisfactory service.
arborists give recommendations on pre
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* As you make contact with arborists, * If time permits, obtain tree work
ask if they are a member of an orga- estimates from several arborists. Make
nization such as the National Arborist sure to get a written estimate listing
Association, Iowa Arborists Association, all work to be done. Read through the
International Society of Arboriculture details carefully, and be sure you un-
or the American Society of Consulting derstand what will be done. The cost
Arborist; those organizations certify of good tree care is not cheap. Most
and/or offer continuing education and arborists have a heavy investment in
training for arborists. Membership in equipment, labor, safety training and
one or all of these organizations does insurance; a bid for a job has to reflect
not guarantee quality. many of those costs.
* Make sure the arborist has sufficient * Before the work starts, obtain some
insurance for personal and property type of written contract that specifies
damage, and workers compensation. what will be done, how it will be accom-
This should include coverage for dam- plished, and the start and completion
age that might occur to public prop- dates for the job. For example, if prun-
erty and your neighbor’s property. An ing is needed, have the arborist specify
arborist should have a minimum of what type and size of branches will be
$300,000 in general liability coverage. removed. Also, if any chemicals or fer-
If you are in doubt, call their insur- tilizers are to be used, obtain the name
ance company to make sure their policy of the product, the amounts to be used,
is up-to-date. There have been cases and a list of any precautions that need
where the person hiring the arborist to be taken to protect children, animals,
was held liable for damages, because and personal property. Find out if you
the arborist was uninsured or lacked will be billed at an hourly rate (if so,
the proper coverage. Often communi- give a limit of hours to be used), or one
ties have ordinances that specify insur- lump sum for the entire job. Don’t be
ance requirements for arborists, contact afraid to ask about anything that per-
city hall for this information. tains to the work to be done. If there is
not a written contract, write a letter to
* Get references from the arborist and the arborist specifying what you want
check work they have completed in the done and be very specific. This will
area. The work that this person will do give you some record of the work you
for you is important, so take time to requested.
look into their workmanship.
* Most experienced and reputable ar-
borists will provide a variety of servic-
es, such as pruning, fertilizing, mulch-
ing, cabling and bracing and removal.
Also, a reputable arborist will not use
pruning methods like topping, will
make the proper pruning cuts, and will
not use climbing spikes on trees that
are not being removed.
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* To help yourself when dealing with
arborist, be as knowledgeable about trees
and tree care as you can. There are a
number of extension pamphlets available
through Iowa State University that will
give you good background on trees and
tree care. These include: Pm-686e Tree
Wound Response and Treatment, Pm- Proper Pruning/Thinning
1304 Pruning Shade and Flowering Trees,
Pm-1387 Managing Storm Damaged
Trees, Pm-909 Preventing Construction
Damage to Trees, Pm-1429f Power Lines
and Trees, Pm-1429e Street Trees for
Iowa, Rm-1429d Low Growing Trees for
Urban and Rural Iowa, Pm-1429g Conifer
Species for Iowa, and Pm-422 Planting
Landscape Trees.
When pruning, a trained arborist will
remove branches back to another lateral
branch or to the main truck like in the Prepared by Tivon E. Feeley Forestry Extension
picture on the right.
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