Welcome to my first, official, Blog post. I never imagined the overwhelming response I would get from starting this Blog. After my last post on Facebook, our traffic more than tripled. So I decided to take matters more seriously and start an addition to our website. I\u2019m going to try and do a writeup every week, and then well see where it takes me. With that said, some questions arise.<\/p>\n
Why do this? Who cares? and Why now?<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll start off with the first question; Why do this? I was reading in TCIA magazine about the passing of the Tree Experts and Tree Care Operators Licensing Act when a quote caught my eye. It said, \u201cI\u2019m tired of being associated with the guy who has a pickup truck and a chainsaw, looking for Friday\u2019s beer money.\u201d That quote is one of my favorites because the tree care industry is filled with those characters. I started this blog to rise above the stereo type. I love my industry and I take a great deal of pride in what I do. I would like to show the public that there are many professional tree guys out there, and hopefully my write ups will make the good ones stick out.<\/p>\n
Why should anyone care? An Arborist\u2019s main goal is to care for a tree, keeping in mind the overall health of a tree. So when a tree company comes to your house to do work, the tree(s) should be safer and\/or healthier than before. The company should point out potential problems that are invisible from the ground and not just be there for a quick buck. I have seen work done by tree companies who look credible but have butchered trees. They have done so much damage the that tree\u2019s life expectancy has been cut in half. The education and continued education in the tree care industry is terrible.<\/p>\n
Why did I start this blog now? When I first began with the concept of trying to put together a blog or a way to get my thoughts to the public, I wondered why would anyone take me seriously? Even though I have been involved in the tree care industry my entire life, I\u2019m still very young. So about one year ago I decided to take my education to the next level. I began studying for my CTE, or Certified Tree Expert designation. Being a CTE would give my word weight, and it is the only state certified tree care credential recognized in New Jersey. When i passed the test, I felt now would be the best time to get my thoughts out to the public.<\/p>\n
With so many tree companies out there, I hope that my brief writings will get you to question some companies. Questions like;
\nWhat are your credentials?
\nWhat experience do you, and your company have?
\nWho will be doing the work?
\nIf consumers would hold tree companies accountable, arborists would have no choice but to change their bad habits. They would have to do the work properly and not take the easy way out. Remember, an unqualified company\u2019s worst enemy is consumer education.<\/p>\n
Ben Vanderbeck
\nNJ Certified Tree Expert #573