Why Arborist Solutions?

An ISA Certified Arborist is a tree care professional who has passed a formal examination administered by the International Society of Arboriculture and maintains certification through ongoing continuing education. The exam covers tree biology, soil science, pruning, pest and disease identification, risk assessment, and more.

ISA certification is the most widely recognized professional credential in arboriculture. It does not mean someone is simply experienced with trees — it means they have demonstrated knowledge across the full scope of tree care and committed to staying current as the science evolves.

To verify any ISA Certified Arborist, you can search the ISA credential registry at trees.isa-arbor.com. Our arborist credential number is OH-7011A.

A tree service company can legally operate without employing a single ISA Certified Arborist. Many do. They may have years of experience cutting trees without ever studying tree biology, disease identification, or proper pruning standards.

A certified arborist has passed a formal exam and is trained to evaluate tree health, diagnose problems, assess structural risk, and recommend appropriate care — not just removal. The difference matters most when you are trying to decide whether a tree should come down, whether a diseased tree can be saved, or whether a structural defect can be addressed with cabling instead of removal.

At Arborist Solutions, a certified arborist leads every site evaluation and is involved in every job we take on.

Ask whether the person making the recommendation is an ISA Certified Arborist, and ask for their certification number. Then verify it at trees.isa-arbor.com. A company that leads with a certified arborist on every evaluation — rather than a sales rep — has a fundamentally different incentive structure.

Also pay attention to how a company handles uncertainty. A trustworthy arborist will tell you when a tree does not need work, when they are not sure and want to monitor, or when the right answer is a second opinion. If every assessment ends in a removal quote, that should raise questions.

We encourage you to get multiple opinions on any significant tree work. Homeowners who do that tend to become long-term clients because the comparison usually speaks for itself.

Yes. We work on the full range of tree species common to Central Ohio — oaks, maples, ashes, elms, crabapples, ornamental cherries, Norway spruces, arborvitae, and everything else typical to residential and suburban properties in the Columbus area.

Species matters for pruning timing, disease susceptibility, and structural assessment. Oak Wilt, for example, requires specific timing restrictions on pruning cuts. Emerald Ash Borer requires an evaluation of whether treatment is viable before recommending removal. Knowing the species is part of making the right call.

Emergency removal — a tree on a house, a downed tree blocking a driveway after a storm — requires a different operational setup than the work we do. It typically means 24/7 availability, crane equipment, and crews built around rapid response. That is a legitimate and valuable service. It is just not what we are built for.

What we are built for is deliberate, assessment-first tree care. Every job we take on starts with a proper evaluation. If you have a genuine emergency, we are happy to point you toward a reputable company in Columbus that handles that work well. If the situation is urgent but not an emergency — a tree that looks concerning, a branch you are worried about — call us. That is exactly the kind of thing a site evaluation is designed to assess.