Understanding the Difference
Many homeowners equate arborists with landscape service providers. But, as this chart shoes, when it comes to plant counsel, protection, and preservation, there are significant differences between them.

	Arborist Enterprises	Landscapers and Tree Services
Accreditation	#PA-003 - Tree Care Industry Association Accredited Company	Possible although not likely
Master Arborist	One International Society of Arboriculture Board Certified Master Arborist; Ben Tresselt III	Possible although not likely
Safety Professional	Tree Care Industry Association Certified Treecare Safety Professional - Tony Tresselt	Possible although not likely
Certified Arborist	Five International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists; Tony Tresselt, John Brewer, Steve Booth, Mike Ferich and Shawn Shufflebottom	Possible although not likely
General Liability Insurance	$3,000,000 umbrella coverage	Minimum for PA applicators license $300,000 or None
Workers Compensation Insurance	All employees covered under PA codes #0005 - tree pruning or #0012 - landscape contractor as appropriate	Employees classified under landscape contractor only or not covered at all
Pesticide Applicators	Five PA Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicators for tree and shrub care	Possible although may not be licensed for tree and shrub applications
Employee Education	An average of 40-plus hours per year per employee	Minimal, if any
Arboricultural Standards	Follows all ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Z133.1 - Safety Requirements and A300 - Standards for Care and Maintenance of Trees and Shrubs	Does not even know they exist or disregard for standards
Safety	Weekly meetings, written and adhered-to company safety policy, Certified Treecare Safety Professional on staff	Occasional to none

Even with the best arborist care to reduce risk of trees damaging property from wind or lightning, many homeowners' casualty insurance policies may be surprisingly inadequate.