Davey Tree Flipbooks

20 | May/June 2014 R eceiving an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist certificate has its benefits. According to Davey's Steve Matravers, ISA Certification earns arborists more opportunities to take advantage of speaking engagements in the community. It makes arborists better —better able to do their jobs. And ISA Certification helps arborists advance their careers. But Matravers says the work he accomplished to prepare for his certification test was overall the most beneficial aspect of the process. Matravers, sales arborist at Davey's West Chicago R/C office, learned many new ideas, techniques and more as he studied for his ISA Board Certified Master Arborist exam. He read many books and other materials to learn how to better put a value on trees, as well as how to perform the new tree risk assessment. He discovered recently developed techniques for climbing and rigging, too— arborists' responsibilities he hasn't been involved with in approximately 12 years. "Certification is great to have," he says. "Being up to speed on current techniques is part of it, as well as being in tune with new equipment." Matravers was so eager to learn more new information, he read additional books as he prepared for the exam. "I look at things differently now," he says. "I feel like a better arborist." Steve Matravers, sales arborist, West Chicago R/C Knowledge Matters M ichael Bova has a new number. It's No. 549, and it represents the number of people who had so far earned registration with the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) —a task no more than a handful of Davey employees have accomplished. But what does it take to become an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist? Because Bova often consults with clients for his job with Davey Resource Group, he received the suggestion to pursue the ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist program. "First, I wanted to fine tune my report writing skills," Bova explains. "Then, it made sense to take the next extra steps to become registered and help to expand the scope of services we offer our clients." Bova began the ASCA Consulting Academy two years ago in Pennsylvania, where he met fellow DRG employee and classmate Peter Shields. For four months, Bova completed two mock reports under specific requirements and structures to pass the Consulting Academy and improve his writing skills. He then applied to become an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist—an attainable achievement upon the submission of an additional two reports. While one of his additional reports applied to a mock scenario ASCA provided, Bova based his final report on a client he had a few years ago. To become ASCA Registered, Bova's final report required a 75 percent score. His result? Drumroll, please … 95 percent. Way to go! Not only was Bova excited to earn a passing score, but he was also happy to increase his ability to serve clients in DRG's western region. "I do a lot of private commercial consulting on golf courses, HOAs, office complexes and universities," he says. "ASCA qualifications make a difference when it comes to landscape appraisals and legal guidelines; to be an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist is unique." Trusted Tree Care, In Writing Michael Bova

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