The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) (www.isa-arbor.com) has served the tree care industry for over seventy years as a scientific and educational organization. Aligned on many fronts with other green organizations, ISA is working hard to foster a better understanding of trees and tree care through research and the education of professionals as well as global efforts to inform tree care consumers. Today, over sixteen thousand International Society of Arboriculture members are part of an organization dedicated to proper tree care and the advancement of the tree care professional.
The Utility Arborist Association (UAA) (www.utilityarborist.org) was established in 1974 with the primary function of providing an association where utility arborists, employed by electric utilities, could network and share information. The UAA is the premier organization for individuals who desire to provide professional utility arboricultural services. Members of the UAA and their employers have a commitment to the public to enhance the practice of arboriculture.
The Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund(www.treefund.org) is the merged organization of the International Society of Arboriculture Research Trust and the National Arborist Foundation. Its mission is to identify and fund projects and programs that advance knowledge in the field of arboriculture and urban forestry to benefit people, trees and the environment.
- tourdestrees.org (www.tourdestrees.org) The TREE Fund Tour des Trees has become known for its fun-loving, supportive group of men and women of all ages and professions who enjoy road biking, great scenery, and making a difference in the future health and beauty of community trees.
- The Tour des Trees is the signature event of the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund), a 501(c)3 organization. It is a 5 to 7 day cycling event that covers distances up to and over 500 miles.
- Tour des Trees riders participate in public education programs and tree planting events to help raise community awareness of the importance of urban and community trees and forests. They also help the TREE Fund raise money for the research and education programs it supports.
The Society of Municipal Arborists (www.urban-forestry.com) is a professional affiliation of the ISA. The SMA is an organization of municipal arborists and urban foresters, consultants, commercial firms and citizens who actively practice or support some facet of municipal forestry. They promote the sound, professional management of a vital resource through promoting and improving the practice of professional municipal arboriculture, stimulating greater interest in the planting of shade trees and landscape plants, promoting public awareness of the beautification of urban areas, and initiating and supporting scientific investigation of problems concerned with municipal arboriculture.
The Society of Commercial Arboriculture (SCA) (http://sca.isa-arbor.com) is a professional affiliation of the ISA, promoting and improving the practice of commercial arboriculture through education. SCA supports scientific investigation of problems concerned with commercial arboriculture, promotes and sponsors the International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC), sponsors a scholarship fund for students in arboriculture studies, provides a forum to address commercial arboriculture issues and provides a unified voice on commercial issues to ISA.
The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) (www.tcia.org) was established in 1938 as the National Arborist Association. Today’s TCIA is a trade association of more than 2,300 commercial tree care firms and affiliated companies. TCIA develops safety and education programs, standards of tree care practice, and management information for arboriculture firms around the world. They provide continuing education, training, conferences and publications to promote the safe and appropriate practice of tree care, including Tree Care Industry magazine, the most circulated and read publication in the industry, and TCI EXPO, the world’s largest tree care trade show.
The National Arbor Day Foundation (NADF) (www.arborday.org) encourages the celebration of Arbor Day to advance global environmental stewardship for the benefit of this and future generations. Through this they can enhance the extent, health, and care, of the urban and community forests where we live, advance rural land conservation and forest stewardship through the planting and care of trees, help protect and improve the global environment by promoting rain forest preservation, urban and community forestry, and tree planting throughout the world, and educate and inspire people to understand, plant, and care for trees to build a better future. Tree City USA and Tree Line USA are just two of their well known programs.
The American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) (www.asca-consultants.org) is a non-profit professional society created to develop and preserve the highest standards of performance in the field of arboricultural consulting. ASCA is the only professional organization dedicated solely to the advancement of the arboricultural consulting industry and its members. ASCA consultants assist law firms, insurance companies, utilities, land developers, municipalities, landscape planners and architects, homeowners, individuals and organizations coping with disaster mitigation, and others requiring authoritative knowledge and perspective on trees and plant life.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) (www.rce.rutgers.edu) helps the diverse population of New Jersey adapt to a rapidly changing society and improve their lives through an educational process that uses science-based knowledge. We focus on issues and needs relating to agriculture and the environment; management of natural resources; food safety, quality, and health; family stability; economic security; and youth development.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Pesticide Control Program (PCP)(www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/pcp) ensures compliance with federal and state laws and regulations regarding the use, sale, transport, disposal, manufacture, and storage of pesticides in the state of New Jersey. It also promotes pollution prevention and pesticide use reduction initiatives through training and outreach activities involving alternative pest control strategies such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
TreeBuzz.com (www.treebuzz.com) The very nature of our industry demands that you update your climbing skills and tree knowledge regularly. Through TreeBuzz.com this educational challenge is made easier by using many contacts and references to collect new information and technology and make it available here. This is a great on-line resource for climbers since the invention of the chainsaw brought to you through the efforts of Mark J. Chisholm (Aspen Tree Experts) and Tom Dunlap (Swingle Tree).
The Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education (http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/) offers Professional Landscape Programs which offer continuing education courses in landscape management, construction & design as well business, equipment maintenance, tree care, pest/disease management and turf. Whether you are a professional arborist, landscape contractor, pesticide applicator, horticulturalist or even a gardening and landscape enthusiast, we have a course that will meet both your professional licensing/certification needs and your thirst for knowledge and new skills. Courses specific to arboriculture can be found athttp://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/programs/landscape.html.
Additional Resources
The Committee for the Advancement of Arboriculture (www.caanj.org) Helping Hands for the Arboreal Community. Seeing the need for education, continued safety training and the importance for more professionalism in the tree care industry, the CAA was established in 1990. The objective is to promote excellence in the field of arboriculture through continued educational seminars and skills training programs. The benefits include higher quality personnel to the tree care industry, the environment and the public in general. The Committee for the Advancement of Arboriculture is a non-profit organization comprised of all the major tree care orghanizations in NJ, including:
- N.J. DEP, Division of Parks & Forestry; N.J. Community Forestry Council; N.J. Board of Tree Experts
- N.J. Shade Tree Federation; N.J. Society of Certified Tree Experts
- N.J. Arborists, Chapter of the Internationsl Society of Arboriculture
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Partnership with O.S.H.A. Region 2
International Tree Failure Database (ITFD) – The ITFD application has an internet based form for collecting important information about trees that have failed structurally. Perhaps the most significant component of the ITFD is the output reports. When the database has received a number of data entry forms for a geographic area, reports will be generated. Over time this data will reveal the characteristics of trees that fail and improve our ability to predict future failures. To access the on line ITFD form, click the ‘login’ tab above. Existing users will enter their login name and password to begin a new form. For new users, completion of training is strongly recommended prior to obtaining a username and password. A list of training sessions is provided under the ‘help’ tab.
http://svinetfc2.fs.fed.us/natfdb/
TreeLink Upgrade – Visit the new, updated www.TreeLink.org for Internet-based Urban and Community Forestry information.
Public Response to the Urban Forest in Inner-City Revitalizing Business Districts – This research compared the attitudes and values of urban residents and business people regarding the urban forest in retail business districts,www.cfr.washington.edu/research.envmind/consumer.html
TreeScapes Downloadable Photo Gallery – www.treelink.org/treescapes/
Urban Non-Timber Forest Products – Many people not only grow, but collect forest products from the urban forest and there is value in these products,www.communityresources.org/ntfp.html.
Treesearch – New database that allows access to Forest Service research publications online. Customers can locate and download agency-authored or sponsored publications, www.treesearch.fs.fed.us
Guide to Urban Trees and Shrubs Now Online – A multimedia guide to the selection of trees and shrubs and their care in urban areas,” by the Chicago Botanic Garden www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/uf/uts/index.htm
The National Map – The US Geological Survey has a new interactive mapping tool called the National Map at http://nationalmap.usgs.gov/
Pruning trees in urban landscapes – All major pruning types are illustrated and discussed in this excellent site presented by Dr. Edward Gilman, Florida State University, http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning/
Selecting, planting, and caring for trees – Provided by the USDA Forest Service St. Paul Field Office, this page addresses a number of common questions about tree care. http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/hope6/index.htm
Marketing Urban Forestry – PowerPoint presentations to help you market urban forestry. http://wcufre.ucdavis.edu/powerpoint.asp.
EPA Launches Web Site on Urban Heat Islands – Provides basic information about the heat island effect for individuals and organizations interested in taking action to cool their community. www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=784.
STEMS Software – The Northeast Center for U&CF recently released a new tree maintenance and management software for use in municipal settings.www.umass.edu/urbantree/stems/.
Tools to Help Manage the Hispanic Workforce – Now available atwww.na.fs.fed.us/wihispanic/.
Trees, Parking, and Green Law: Legal Tools and Strategies for Sustainability at www.treelink.org/woodnotes/index.html.
Performance Index for Trees –http://cufr.ucdavis.edu/products/cufr521_Urban_Forestry-Sum04FINAL.pdf.
Alliance for Community Trees – www.actrees.org
American Forests – www.americanforests.org
Center for Urban Forest Research – http://wcufre.ucdavis.edu/default.asp
Community Forestry Education Project – www.cce.cornell.edu/monroe/cfep
DDOT — Urban Forestry Administration – www.ddot.dc.gov/ufa/site/default.asp
Guidelines for Developing and Evaluating Tree Ordinances – www.isa-arbor.com/publications/ordinance.aspx