Key Points:
- An ISA-Certified Arborist is the best landscape professional to provide tree healthcare, maintenance, and structural risk assessments. Further credentials in the state of Massachusetts include the Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA) program.
- Arborists, landscapers, and lawn care providers all serve distinct purposes, and knowing the differences among them can help homeowners hire the right professional.
- Arborists respond to tree emergencies but also provide pruning, pest control, seasonal maintenance visits, and a range of other services.
You may not think about the differences among an arborist, a landscaper, and a lawn care provider unless you have an outdoor emergency, such as a leaning tree or a storm-damaged limb. But it’s important to know which services each professional provides and which they don’t.
For example, when it comes to the health and structure of your Massachusetts trees, landscapers and lawn care providers are not qualified to inspect, diagnose, and manage tree problems. Only an arborist who has the requisite training, certification, and experience can do this job.
At Tree Tech Inc., our ISA-Certified Arborists have obtained the highest credential of the tree care industry from the International Society of Arboriculture. We serve in communities in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, providing a full range of services to improve the health and beauty of your trees and landscape.
Let’s review the key roles within the landscape industry and why an ISA-Certified Arborist is the best choice for your tree care needs.
Who’s Who in the Landscaping Industry?
There are three key roles within the industry—an arborist, a landscaper, and a lawn care provider—each serving a distinct purpose. While their roles sometimes overlap, it’s important to understand their areas of focus and limitations before bringing someone on to care for your yard.
Landscaper
Landscapers design, build, and maintain outdoor spaces, such as yards, gardens, and patio areas. More than gardeners, landscapers alter and refine the structural elements of a landscape while maintaining plants.
With a primary focus on aesthetics and upkeep, their responsibilities often include:
- Planting new shrubs, flowers, and trees
- Mowing and fertilizing lawns
- Trimming hedges and shrubs
- Cleaning up debris, such as fallen twigs and branches
There are no standardized landscaping criteria, although landscape professionals can obtain certification through the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals, which demonstrates their expertise and dedication to safety and best practices. Also, professionals who apply pesticides must hold a valid license or certification issued by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
While landscapers may be knowledgeable about tree and plant health, they are not professionally trained or certified to diagnose tree issues or conduct structural risk assessments.
Lawn Care Provider
Unlike landscapers who handle the aesthetics of your entire landscape, lawn care providers focus solely on turf health and appearance. More than just mowing, these professionals offer a range of lawn-specific services. They work to improve drainage and soil compaction in residential and urban neighborhoods.
Their core services include:
- Putting down seed for new growth
- Fertilizing the soil to improve grass growth
- Removing weeds to keep the lawn neat
- Treating and preventing pests
When hiring a lawn care provider, it’s important to know that they are not qualified to work on your property’s trees, shrubs, or other plants. Their soil assessments are limited in scope and do not account for how soil health connects to tree and plant vitality.
However, some tree care companies, like Tree Tech, also offer lawn care services. Tree Tech’s ISA-Certified Arborists provide soil assessments that account for the full picture of your property’s health. We also offer aeration and overseeding, topdressing, fertilization, and other lawn care services.
Arborist
Arborists are professionals in arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of trees, shrubs, and other perennial woody plants. ISA-Certified Arborists have earned certification from the International Society of Arboriculture and are required to recertify every 3 years through continuing education units. In Massachusetts, many arborists also earn the Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA) credential, demonstrating expertise in tree care practices specific to the region and a commitment to ongoing professional standards.
Of the three roles, arborists offer the widest range of services related to your landscape’s health and appearance:
- Conducting tree risk assessments to ensure tree stability and property safety
- Safely removing undesired, hazardous, or dying trees
- Diagnosing tree problems and diseases
- Providing plant healthcare services such as fertilization and invasive plant management
- Pruning tree branches in hazardous positions
- Preventing pests and regional threats through proactive monitoring
Arborists have the equipment and experience necessary to provide professional tree care that accounts for your landscape’s entire ecosystem, not just one aspect.
Why This Distinction Matters
An arborist is the only expert trained to deliver long-term tree healthcare. This matters most when safety concerns arise.
Imagine if one of your trees’ branches is hanging over your fence. While a landscaper might attempt to trim back the branch, an arborist has been trained in proper pruning techniques and will ensure the tree’s health and structure are considered, mitigating future threats from neighboring branches. There is a distinction between tree trimming and pruning: Trimming focuses on shape and aesthetics, while pruning aims to improve the tree’s health and structure by removing damaged or dangerous branches.
Another example is soil care. While lawn care providers can fertilize and share insights about the health of your soil, they may not be able to provide a complete picture the way an arborist can. Soil health provides the foundation for tree and plant health. Working with a specialist who can assess every component of your landscape—both individually and as part of the whole—enables a better understanding and more accurate treatment plans.
When to Call an Arborist
Most homeowners call a local arborist for emergencies, such as storm damage. However, arborists can also provide regular maintenance visits, preventive treatments, and more. Here’s when you’ll want to call an arborist over another landscape professional:
- Tree Symptoms: Hemlock woolly adelgid, needle cast, and other common Massachusetts pests and diseases can damage trees over time. Be on the lookout for yellowing or dying leaves, hollow spots in tree trunks or branches, premature leaf drop, and other unusual symptoms.
- Safety Hazards: Leaning and exposed roots are signs of instability that an arborist looks for during a tree risk assessment. They can also prune branches too close to the home or power lines.
- Consultation for Removal: From safety hazards to aesthetic concerns, a certified arborist will assess your needs and manage the tree removal process from start to finish.
- Seasonal Maintenance: When an arborist visits your property every few months, they are more likely to catch early warning signs and take action before issues develop. This also means a decreased risk of tree emergencies in the future.
Support Your Landscape With Tree Tech Inc.
Protect your trees and landscape with tree care services from a certified professional. Our mission at Tree Tech is to provide tree services that emphasize safety, professionalism, and customer satisfaction. Since 1986, our ISA-Certified Arborists have partnered with residential and commercial property owners throughout eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, keeping their landscapes healthy and beautiful.
From common root problems and fertilization to tree pruning and removals, we are equipped to address all of your tree care needs. Call 508-715-3547 or contact us online to schedule a consultation today!
FAQs
What is the difference between a landscaper and an arborist?
A landscaper focuses on the design, structure, and maintenance of outdoor spaces, whereas an arborist is certified and trained in the cultivation, management, and study of trees, shrubs, and other perennial woody plants. ISA-Certified Arborists are always the best professionals to call when you have a tree health or safety concern. They are qualified to conduct tree risk assessments, hold a pesticide applicator license, and meet a 3-year certification renewal requirement.
How often should trees be inspected by a certified arborist?
Most healthy trees benefit from a professional inspection at least once per year, although higher-risk trees may require more frequent evaluations. Regular inspections allow arborists to detect early signs of disease, pest activity, nutrient deficiencies, and structural concerns before they become costly problems. Preventive care is often more effective and affordable than emergency tree work.
Can a landscaper diagnose tree diseases or assess tree safety?
No, this is the job of an arborist. Landscapers lack the specialized training to diagnose tree diseases or assess structural hazards. Tree health and risk assessments require expertise in arboriculture, including knowledge of pests, pathogens, decay, and tree biomechanics. An ISA-Certified Arborist has the qualifications and certifications necessary to deliver expert care in these areas.
How do I find a qualified tree care professional in Foxborough, Massachusetts?
When researching tree care professionals, make sure your options are reputable ISA-Certified Arborists who serve eastern Massachusetts areas. The International Society of Arboriculture has a directory you can use to search. Ensure the tree care companies you’re considering are fully licensed and insured, and that the arborists have deep regional expertise. For example, your arborist should have a strong understanding of the New England climate, soil conditions, and invasive species.