|
Municipal Specialist Certification Now Available
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact
Lindsey Bowman
Certification Marketing Coordinator
International Society of Arboriculture
217-355-9411, EXT. 17
lbowman@isa-arbor.com
Advanced Certification to Assess Skills of an Urban Arborist
-- Available For Testing at an ISA Chapter near You -
CHAMPAIGN, IL (December 3,2004)-Launched in October at the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) annual meeting, the new Municipal Specialist certification is designed to assess management skills essential for an arborist active in municipal work. The Municipal Specialist credential was developed by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the SMA for those involved in managing tree care programs in an urban environment. Exams are being held at ISA Chapters around the country and world. A complete listing of upcoming exam locations and dates can be found at www.isa-arbor.com.
Certified Arborists working in a municipal environment should consider attaining ISA's Municipal Specialist certification, to not only help distinguish the credential holder, but to help in daily dealings with city agencies and decision makers, according to Lisa W. Grant, Chairman, ISA Certification Board.
"Municipal arborists work with so many different sectors and professionals -- engineers, community planners, contractors, politicians, city tree care volunteers and even the general public," says Grant. "Speaking from experience as an urban arborist, people don't always understand the vital management role we play in helping to shape community policy while also working to gain trust and support from citizens. While they might not understand the fine line we walk, they'll respect the authority of someone who's been recognized by their peers and certified in their profession."
The municipal certification examination was developed by a panel of experts from the SMA, and questions were derived from a job analysis survey filled out by municipal arborists in the U.S. and Canada. Questions are constantly analyzed by a Municipal Test Committee using the latest test statistics, and new questions are developed regularly. The test consists of 100 multiple choice questions, and will assess communication skills, public relations and education experience, administration, risk management, arboricultural practices and policy and planning
To qualify to take the Municipal Specialist exam, an individual must be an ISA Certified Arborist in good standing and have an additional three years of documented and verifiable work experience in an urban setting. Examples of experience include city/municipal arborist or forester, tree warden, urban forester or specialist, park superintendent, municipal or urban forestry consultant, and others.
The Municipal Specialist study guide is currently under development; contact the certification department for an application and a list of recommended articles and materials appropriate for review prior to the exam at cert@isa-arbor.com.
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research around the world, offers the only internationally-recognized certification program in the industry. Certification is a voluntary program providing recognition of one's professional knowledge by one's peers. ISA has been certifying arborists for more than a decade in order to improve the level of overall knowledge, to develop and implement standardized tree care practices, and to uphold a code of ethics. Credentials may be obtained in tree worker practices, tree climbing skills, applied sciences, management, specialized and advanced practices. To begin or expand a career path that will help bring more recognition and revenue, contact the ISA certification department at cert@isa-arbor.com or visit www.isa-arbor.com.
|