In all cases, be sure the person you hire has liability insurance. The two of you should settle on a written contract describing the service to be done and the price agreed upon. Your best assurance of getting quality tree care is to use an ISA Certified Arborist. These arborists have passed a comprehensive written exam, have at least 2 years of experience, and regularly update their knowledge base through attendance of workshops and seminars. You can learn more about the International Society of Arboriculture's arborist certification program and locate a certified arborist in your area through the ISA web site .
Some states conduct their own arborist certification programs.
The two terms, arboriculture and urban forestry, seem to be used interchangeably . Arboriculture and urban forestry are two terms commonly associated with the care of urban trees. While the two fields have much overlap, as a general rule arborists are professionals who evaluate and treat trees on an individual basis, while urban foresters deal more often with larger-scale urban ecosystem management issues. For information on related academic programs go to the Department of Forest Resources website. To find other Clemson University resources, start at the University's homepage .