• Tree Risk Assessment
• Pruning Guidance and Maintenance
• Evaluation of Pests and Diseases
• Expert Witness Testimony
• Tree Inventory
• Homeowner Consultations
• View Obstructions

• Tree Assessment for Health and Vigor
• Construction Management for Trees
• Irrigation Assessment and Recommendations
• Tree Reports for Cities and Counties
• Dispute Resolution Involving Trees
• Educational Advice About Trees
• Fire Damage
• Tree Appraisals

Meet the Registered Consulting Arborist: Kelly Lewis

Kelly Lewis is a Registered Consulting Arborist with the America Society of Registered Consulting Arborists (ASCA) of which the Courts consider to be tree experts. As a tree expert, Mr. Lewis does testify as an expert witness to help clients resolve tree related disputes. Mr. Kelly Lewis also provides the services to clients of tree and plant appraisals, tree health and risk assessments and insurance claims related to damage done by trees. 

Kelly Lewis has over 34 years of experience in arboriculture and the tree care industry. Mr. Lewis is the owner of a tree service in Ventura County where he provides personal service to homeowners and commercial property owners. Kelly Lewis also worked for the Urban Forestry Division of the City of Los Angeles for 30+ years and retired in 2019 as a Street Tree Superintendent. 

Kelly Lewis is among a small group of Registered Consulting Arborists who not only have an extensive knowledge of trees but also have the many years of hands-on experience climbing trees to prune or remove them.

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Why Choose a Registered Consulting Arborists and What Sets Them Apart in Their Field?

Whether you own a home or business or have a hand in managing an entire city, trees can make a wonderful addition to the property you’re in charge of. They add beauty while preventing the loss of a more natural look and feel to at least some extent. Of course, we can’t overlook the benefit of their ability to create the oxygen all living things on the planet need to survive. 

Having said all that, having trees on a property and keeping them healthy aren’t exactly identical situations. Planting them in just the right places and ensuring they’re sustainable isn’t a simple feat, either. 

For all those underlying details, having a registered consulting arborist on your side is the key to success. If you’re like many people, though, you’re probably wondering just what a registered consulting arborist is and how he or she might be able to help preserve and manage your arboreal efforts. 

What Is a Certified Consulting Arborist?

When most people think of arborists, they typically envision the general idea of a practicing arborist. Practicing arborists offer a range of services, including tree trimming and pruning, stump removal, and removal of dead or diseased trees. They can also plant trees on properties. 

Certified consulting arborists, on the other hand, provide more in-depth services. They must have a great deal more knowledge in arboriculture, or tree care and cultivation, than basic arborists. In many cases, certified arborists work hand-in-hand with standard tree services or even operate them. Some of the services offered by certified consulting arborists are: 

• Tree Inspections and Safety and Risk Assessments
• Writing Tree Safety Reports
• Identifying Types of Trees if Needed
• Finding and Identifying Tree Pests and Diseases
• Helping to Mitigate Insects, Fungi, and Diseases that Affect Trees
• Aiding Municipalities in Developing Tree-Related Ordinances
• Helping to Create Tree Planting Programs
• Advising on Tree Protective Zones for Local Construction Projects
• Managing Tree Nurseries
• Tree Management for Parks and Golf Courses

Those are some of the most often required services from certified consulting arborists. Their services can go above and beyond those parameters as well. As masters in tree care, management, and all things pertaining to arboriculture, these professionals can provide their services during forensic investigations when needed. They may also serve as expert witnesses for legal matters in which their expertise is relevant.

Digging Deeper

This may leave you wondering how certified consulting arborists are further set apart from practicing arborists. For one, they’re required to undergo much more extensive education than practicing arborists to become registered and certified. It’s also important to mention that there are different levels of certification.

Certified Arborists

General practicing arborists specialize in the care of woody plants and trees, but they’re not required to hold any specific types of certifications. Certified arborists are officially certified by a professional organization, such as the International Society of Arboriculture, or the ISA. They must meet certain prerequisites to become certified. 

Certified arborists can acquire their certification by earning a two-year degree in arboriculture and having two years of experience in the field or obtaining a four-year degree in arboriculture and gaining a year of experience in the field. In addition, they must pass an in-depth exam. They’re also required to earn another 30 continuing education unit credits every three years to maintain their certifications. 

Consulting Arborists

To become a consulting arborist, a person must have at least five years of experience as a certified arborist. He or she must also have documented training in writing reports and 240 education units under his or her belt. Membership in the American Society of Consulting Arborists is also expected of professionals with this type of certification. 

Registered Consulting Arborists

Registered consulting arborists are required to hold ASCA memberships and must graduate from the ASCA Consulting Academy. They have to complete 420 education units and prove their proficiency in technical writing as well. On top of that, they’re required to complete 30 continuing education units every two years to maintain their status as registered consulting arborists.

Determining Which Tree Care Professional You Need

In short, the titles and certifications become more complex based on the amount of classroom training, hands-on experience, and ongoing education a person has in tree care and maintenance. Practicing arborists provide the most basic services whereas registered consulting arborists have the most training and can provide the broadest range of services. 

You may not need the extensive services a registered consulting arborist is capable of offering. If you have a few trees on your property that need a trim before winter sets in or want to have your shrubs shaped, a practicing arborist will certainly suffice. In the event you have some problematic stumps that need to be removed, a practicing arborist can do that as well. 

Trees you know are dead or pose a risk of falling on your home or business can be taken care of by a practicing arborist, too. If there’s a tree on your property that has been hit by lightning, a practicing arborist can certainly cut it down or pull it up for you to prevent it from becoming a hazard later on. Those who want to add structures or hardscapes to their property and need to have some trees removed to do so can call a practicing arborist as well. 

When to Call a Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA)

All that brings us to understanding when to call a registered consulting arborist. If you have trees surrounding your home or business that don’t seem to be thriving or you aren’t sure if they’re healthy or not, the services of an RCA will be necessary. As tree doctors, RCAs can assess the trees to determine whether they can be saved, tell you what’s wrong with them if they’re unhealthy, and recommend further action.

Those who are concerned about certain trees on their properties can contact an RCA for help as well. RCAs can look at the trees and determine if they pose safety hazards to people, structures, and other trees on the property. Some common examples are storm-damaged trees and those that are infested with pests or diseases. 

Another instance in which an RCA is necessary is when planning and carrying out construction projects. RCAs can provide advice on removing trees for land development and construction as well as planting new trees following those efforts. Law firms, insurance companies, and other professionals also often require the services of registered consulting arborists. 

In essence, anytime your needs go beyond basic pruning, trimming, and tree removal, it may be best to call in an RCA. Once the RCA brings his or her experience into the mix, a practicing arborist can come in and carry out the recommended courses of action.