Written by Zachary McCurry, ISA Certified Arborist (Cert. #PN-10373A).

When you need tree work done, most people search for “tree service” or “tree care near me” simply because they don’t know there’s a more precise term. That search brings back a wide range of results, and tree companies know exactly which keywords bring in the most traffic. The problem is that your decision ends up being shaped by who advertises best, not who does the best work.

Why “Tree Service Near Me” Searches Can Backfire

Searching “arborist near me” instead tends to bring back higher-quality results, because a certified arborist has years of education and hands-on experience behind their credential. ISA Certified Arborists agree to a code of ethics that requires safe, competent service backed by independent professional judgment, truthful representation of their qualifications and recommendations, and staying within the limits of their expertise rather than taking on work they aren’t qualified for.

Where to Find a Certified Arborist

TreesAreGood.org, run by the International Society of Arboriculture, is an excellent resource for finding a certified arborist near you. It also has articles on tree ownership, care, and what to watch for when it comes to tree health or decline.

Vitality Is Not the Same as Structural Integrity

Arborists specialize in the health and structure of trees, and knowing the signs and causes of root disease is a core part of that work. According to the Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks and Washington State University Extension, five root diseases (laminated root rot, Armillaria root disease, annosus root disease, black stain root disease, and Port-Orford-cedar root disease) account for most of the serious tree damage across Oregon and Washington, with several more causing damage locally. Douglas fir, western hemlock, and true firs are especially vulnerable.

“Vitality is not the same as structural integrity” is something I tell clients in the field all the time. A full, green canopy is always a welcome sight, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a tree is structurally sound. A few dead branches in the canopy might look like a simple trim job, but it can also be an early sign of root disease slowly killing the tree from below, even while the rest of the canopy still looks vigorous. In our evergreens especially, these signs can be difficult to spot: per WSU Extension, laminated root rot symptoms in Douglas fir “often do not appear until root damage is advanced,” and infected trees can blow down in a windstorm before any above-ground symptoms are obvious. That’s the difference between a tree climber and a certified arborist: arborists are trained to evaluate structure, not just vitality, and to catch these problems while there’s still time to act. They’re not just tree climbers, they’re tree doctors.

Signs a Tree Trimmer, Not an Arborist, Is Doing the Work

Do your best to have a certified arborist assess your trees. Tree trimming companies often recommend unnecessary work, and their climbers sometimes use practices that do more harm than good, such as:

• Using climbing spikes or spurs in trees that aren’t being removed, which leaves lasting wounds in the tree
• Not disinfecting saws and tools between trees or job sites, which can spread pathogens
• Working without the proper equipment, resulting in damage to your property and lawn

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a tree service and a certified arborist?

A tree service can legally trim or remove trees in Washington with no formal credential required. A Certified Arborist has passed an ISA exam covering tree biology, diagnosis, and safe pruning standards, and must maintain continuing education credits to keep the credential active.

Will the certified arborist actually be the one working on my trees?

Ask this directly, because the answer varies more than homeowners expect. At many larger tree companies, having a certified arborist on staff mostly means one is available to write proposals or make sales calls, while the crew doing the actual climbing and cutting doesn’t include that arborist. At Emerald Arbor Care, I’m the ISA Certified Arborist who assesses your trees, and I’m also the one on-site leading the crew, so the diagnosis and the work come from the same trained eyes from start to finish.

How can I verify someone is ISA certified?

Search their name or certification number in the ISA’s public database on treesaregood.org. Ask for the number before hiring, and confirm it yourself rather than taking a company’s word for it.

Does hiring a certified arborist cost more than a regular tree service?

Not necessarily. What you’re paying for is a diagnosis, not just labor. A tree service may recommend removal because that’s the job it knows how to sell, while an arborist is trained to recommend the least invasive option that keeps the tree healthy, which can save the cost of an unnecessary removal.

What are the warning signs of root disease in a tree?

Root disease often shows up first below ground, long before the canopy changes. Above-ground signs to watch for include thinning or yellowing foliage, dead branches scattered through an otherwise full canopy, fungal conks at the base of the trunk, and trees that lean or shift after wind events. By the time symptoms are obvious, root damage is often already advanced, which is why a structural assessment matters more than how green the canopy looks.

Work With a Certified Arborist

Emerald Arbor Care is led by an ISA Certified Arborist, and every recommendation we make is grounded in tree health, not upselling. If it’s time for a tree health assessment or you just want a second opinion on work another company recommended, call (206) 558-2814 for a free consultation. Let’s work together to keep trees healthy and beautiful for decades to come.

Sources: Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks; WSU Hortsense, Washington State University; ISA Code of Ethics, International Society of Arboriculture.