ISA HK/China --- HK Tree News (Arborist Credentials)

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Dear Station Members,

ISA HK/China has recently given an interview to Ming Pao, a leading newspaper in HK, on the Arborist Credentials in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China. Published details are in the attachment.

The Certified Arborist (CA) & Certified Tree Worker (CTW) credentials of ISA were originally designed to recognize the knwoledge & skill of a practicing Tree Care Professional to meet a designated standard. The tests were first given in English-speaking countries like North America & Commonwealth countries where English is a native tongue. In these places, candidates have been mostly honest to obtain the 3 year Tree Work experience, before applying for the exam.

When the CA & CTW exams were brought into our territory with HK as the first place in 2005, the candidates applying then were mostly veterans in the landscape industry, with years of Tree Work experience as known to the Station Manager. As time progressed, ISA HK/China began to notice that candidates not possessing the relevant experience also came to take the exam. Salesmen, environmentalists, construction workers & others all came to take the test. Among the candidates, some can read, but not speak or write, adequate English to communicate on an international level. Yet a lot of them could produce a "company letter" of some kind to 'verify' their working experience. This would not be good for the credibility & respect of the Arborist Credentials.

In our opinion, getting the quantity is one thing, but these credentials are really about quality & standard. We want our profession to obtain public trust & respect. The tests have the element of relevant years of Tree Work in them. They should be honoured. On the other hand, the Arborist Profession constantly touches law. ISA HK/China has therefore a duty to safeguard the credibility of our Arborist Credentials to make it trustworthy & respectable. we must let it develop in a healthy & sustaining manner, so that we do not become a moment of glory like firework.

To meet the challenge, ISA HK/China has put up our own local credentials of Independent Practicing Arborist (IPA, http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-hk-tree-news-14410-report.html) in Aug 2008, & then the Qualified Arborist (QA, http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/09/isa-hkchina-qualified-arborist-qa.html) in Sep 2010, to re-assert standard & credibility. Both credentials have included a range of professional elements such as working years, international conference, academic qualification, CEU, etc. to make these credentials meeting our social expectation. We shall use the IPA & QA to enter China to clear their doubts.

The major distinction between the QA & IPA rests on Field Work capability & legal knowledge. While the QA remains a "Desk Arborist" at large producing reports, the IPA is all round with climbing, rigging & Expert Witness in Court. International experience has shown that letting office personnel to supervise Field Work would mess things up. Putting the right Arborist for the job would be like "Planting the Right Tree in the Right Place". Otherwise, it will be Mother Nature makes the Rules again.

We now ask our Station Members & public to support the QA & IPA credentials for the good of the Arborist profession & our Tree Planting. They are established out of our practical need. We shall also use them as our tools to enter China & Taiwan later.

best regards,

Sammy Au
Station Manager

"If a tree is not designed, installed, maintained & inspected properly, it is likely to become a liability rather than an asset."

"Trees are good for the community. Trees need care like human beings. Arborists are the Tree Care Professionals."