The Terminology Problem
"Tree service" and "arborist" get used loosely in the industry and by property owners. Understanding what each actually means helps you know what you're getting — and what to ask for.
Tree service: A general term for a business that performs tree work — removal, pruning, stump grinding, land clearing, and related services. A tree service company may or may not employ arborists.
Arborist: A professional who has met specific education and experience requirements in the science and practice of tree care. The term becomes meaningful when it's qualified by certification.
ISA Certification: The Standard
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) offers the most widely recognized arborist certification in North America. An ISA Certified Arborist has:
- Demonstrated minimum years of professional experience
- Passed a comprehensive written examination covering tree biology, soil science, pruning, diagnosis, safety, and related subjects
- Completed continuing education hours to maintain certification
The ISA certification can be verified at treesaregood.org/findanarborist.
The distinction that matters: Anyone can call themselves an arborist. ISA certification is verifiable and represents a documented baseline of knowledge and professional commitment.
When Certification Matters
For routine removal and clearing work: A professional, experienced tree service without ISA-certified personnel can do safe, quality work. Not all good tree work requires an arborist. Removing a dead pine that needs to come down safely is primarily a skill and equipment task that experienced crews handle well.
For diagnosis and assessment: When the question is "what's wrong with this tree?" or "is this tree a hazard?" — the knowledge base of an ISA-certified arborist is genuinely valuable. Correctly identifying disease, correctly rating hazard risk, and recommending appropriate treatment requires the kind of knowledge that certification represents.
For complex structural work: Crown reduction, cabling, hazard remediation, and work on high-value or complex trees benefits from arborist expertise in understanding how trees respond to work and what approaches are appropriate.
For documentation purposes: Insurance claims, tree appraisals, permit applications, and HOA approval processes sometimes specifically require written reports from an ISA-certified arborist. A certification can be specified in these contexts in a way that "experienced tree company" cannot.
What to Ask
When hiring for significant tree work:
For assessment or diagnosis: "Do you have an ISA-certified arborist who will assess the tree?" or "Will the crew be supervised by an ISA-certified arborist?"
For removal or pruning: Certification is less critical than experience, insurance, and written scope of work — but certification provides additional confidence in a company's professional standards.
For documentation needs: "Can you provide a written assessment from an ISA-certified arborist?"
Our Credentials
Reed Tree Service operates with ISA-certified arborist involvement in our assessment and complex work. When you get an estimate from us that involves tree health assessment, structural concerns, or significant trees, that evaluation is informed by ISA-standard practices.
We're also fully insured — general liability and workers' compensation — and provide certificates of insurance on request.
Questions about our credentials? Call (850) 570-4074 or request an assessment online.