Banner for LA Arborist Education. Photo: Keith Hawkins, LSU AgCenter
Dr. Hallie Dozier, Arboriculture Instructor. Photo: Keith Hawkins LSU AgCenter
Scott Cartright, guest speaker, borrowed a 4-H display of a wood collection to emphasize species awareness. Photo: Keith Hawkins LSU AgCenter
Since the 1980s, professional arborists must have a license with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) to deliver tree-care services in Louisiana. They must undergo testing and maintain professional standards through regular training to stay current with new practices and procedures.
Thirty-one professional arborists attended a training event near Rosepine, LA as part of their continuing education on August 19, 2022. Also, several arborists were able to participate remotely. Dr. Hallie Dozier, a Forestry Professor at LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources (LSU/SRNR), has been bringing this program to arborists for over 20 years. Dr. Dozier has also published articles for homeowners on how to select an arborist for general tree maintenance and for hurricane and storm recovery.
Scott Courtright, a Consulting Arborist with Trinity Tree Consultants, was the guest instructor. Courtright is a graduate from LSU with a BS Degree in Forestry Management and holds a MS in Urban Forestry from Southern University. Courtright discussed the methods of detecting unseen decay inside a tree. After using equipment from the basic sounding mallet to the high-tech sonar-like technology, a professional arborist can then advise a homeowner about the degree of trunk degradation and make appropriate recommendations on tree removal.
Courtright also showed a video of a drone examining the upper canopy of a mature elm tree. From the images projected to a laptop computer, Courtright detected a lightning strike that was unseen from the ground.
The training also included the need for safety awareness and the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Courtwright’ s company provides safety equipment to all employees including a hardhat. The policy of the company is to loan a pink hardhat to employees who forget their own hardhat. This policy encourages employees to remember to bring equipment assigned to them.
Several arborists from DeRidder, Sulphur and Moss Bluff were pleased with coming to the Rosepine Research Station (RRS) rather than going to Alexandria or Baton Rouge. Dr. Dozier is planning to have another arborist training at RRS in 2023. For more information about future arboricultural trainings, contact Dr. Dozier at hdozier@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-578-7219.
If you want to contact Working in the Landscape, please send your questions and pictures to Keith Hawkins, Area Horticulture Agent (AHA), 337-463-7006 or khawkins@agcenter.lsu.edu. Also, you can be on the “commercial horticulture” email list by emailing your request to the address above.
“This work has been supported, in part, by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Renewable Resources Extension Act Award, Accession Number 1011417.”