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In May 2002, ISA began a public relations and education campaign focused on making the general public more aware of the value of trees in our communities. We want to communicate that trees require care and that arborists are the professionals who provide tree care. You won’t see our tree messages at the same frequency as the "Got milk?" campaign (with a budget of $25 million per year) but over time our message’s momentum will build, and you’ll see more references to tree benefits, tree care, and ISA Certified Arborists specifically.

Here’s an overview of what’s been accomplished so far, how it was accomplished, and some insight into what to expect in the future. Keep in mind that ISA is more than just an acronym for an organization and a building in Champaign, Illinois. ISA is you and 15,000+ members worldwide, and you are part of our public relations plan.

The goals of the public relations plan for 2002/2003 are to

• effectively position ISA as the resource for tree care information
• build ISA’s image and raise awareness of the need for tree care
• tell stories that demonstrate the benefits of tree care
• communicate proactively and purposely to the media and policy makers

To achieve these goals, we created an editorial calendar, identified trade and consumer media targets, actively pursued news story placements, and shared relevant news and insight with policy makers, editors, and reporters.

Monthly Editorial Calendar

The public relations firm Royse Wagner helped ISA develop a month-by-month editorial calendar and distribution plan for press releases that are both seasonal and topical in nature. We’ve written about everything from proper mulching techniques to the International Tree Climbing Championship. One by one, these press releases have been disseminated to the most appropriate media at the best possible time of year. (All releases are available for download at www.treesaregood.org.)

I work with Kelly Sego, our Royce Wagner public relations consultant, to develop a story line for the monthly topic; Kelly writes the press release in layman’s terms and then coordinates nationwide distribution to media outlets that are most likely to carry the story or care about the topic. For example, tree care tips geared to home owners were sent to newspaper and magazine garden editors. A release about the ITCC, however, was written in two formats—one for local reporters to attract event coverage and one for arborists reading a professional or trade magazine.

Once distributed, the story often is picked up and printed word for word. Other times, an editor or writer might require additional information. Kelly or I get follow-up calls or e-mails on a regular basis. Each contact represents the beginning of a media relationship. Reporters want good information, written in their lingo, provided by their deadline, and relevant to their readers. Kelly and I work together to give them what they want, when they want it. Doing so requires working with ISA staff members, contacting members for specific information, or directing reporters to members for a local story angle. For example, we direct reporters to local arborists when they call with specific questions about locally historic trees, regional disease or pest problems, or local ITCC competitors.

Once reporters identify good, responsive sources for information, they stay in contact and call again and again. The relationship is reciprocal, too—when we need help spreading the word about a tree topic, we contact reporters who have previously written such stories.

Using these tactics, we have placed more than 100 stories in newspapers and magazines and in news broadcasts worldwide in the past three months. Some of the larger successes include a front-page story on sudden oak death in USA Today, a short story in the Wall Street Journal about how to find an ISA Certified Arborist, and an interview on Australia’s national TV network with Kiah Martin, 2002 runner-up in the women’s ITCC.

Watch for more PR updates in coming weeks from your chapter leadership. In the meantime, if you have an interesting story to tell or know a media person who should be receiving our press releases, contact me at (888) 472-8733 or jskiera@isa-arbor.com.