ISA HK/China --- Where to Look for a Degree In Arboriculture

Please note that +95% of the training institutes are actually situated in Northern America. In there, the Arborist Profession is regarded as important & it is known to ISA HK/China that the Americans place high value for their trees. At present, the majority of research in Arboriculture & Urban Forestry would come from North America. Some of the tallest & largest trees in the world also grow & are protected over there.

It is to be made aware of that certain European Colleges are offering 'distant learning' for a Degree in Arboriculture, & ISA HK/China would compare this to training a Medical Practitioner over computers & literature alone. The same do not appear to be available in North American Colleges since practical training like Tree Climbing, Structural Pruning & Rigging can not be taught over media alone.

One worthy comment from ISA HK/China is that it is an ISA requirement for any Arboricultural Degree holder to have a minimum of one year full-time tree work experience before he/she is allowed to take the Certified Arborist (CA) exam. This is to make sure the candidate to have the minimal working experience & not just the academic qualification alone to become a CA.

As for the Independent Practicing Arborist (IPA, http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2008/08/isa-hkchina-independent-practicing.html) credential in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China, there is a language, legal knowledge, networking & operation requirement to become an IPA. The IPA will enter practice in any situation from Tree Planting Design, Tree Work Supervision, Rigging Operation, Consultancy & Court Presentation in any form it may arrive. The possession of a degree in Arboriculture is not seen as the focal point but rather the genuine abilities of the IPA to solve problems in a practical situation which are to be valued.  

ISA HK/China would encourage our young & able to go for an Arboricultural Degree & use it as a foundation to steer into the Arboricultural Profession. On the other hand, anything taught in college would usually have a time lack of several years from the latest practices in the industry. For a Practicing Profession like Arboriculture, placing oneself in the front line & to learn from an experienced master to solve problem on the spot may help an apprentice many times over his study in a classroom situation. The foundation of the IPA is built on this principle & ISA HK/China do not wish to see our future Practicing Arborists just shining credentials & need to rely on 'Method Statements' of those 'Specialist Contractors' to finish a job on site.

HK has already become the first city in the Far East to practice international arboriculture to try to turn trees from liabilities to assets. HK is also the only city in the Far East to have a Tree Management Office to specifically look after the urban trees. ISA HK/China would like to see our future Arborists, with or without a degree, to be able to bring up the standard of Tree Planting in our territory to international requirements, one tree & one Arborist at a time.