Rob's Blog
 

Trees Plus™ Owner Secures National Finalist Slot in Arbor Industry Award – the True Professionals of Arboriculture Award by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Navarre, FL – July 12, 2010 –Trees Plus, one of northwest Florida’s oldest and most respected full service tree care and landscaping companies, today announced owner, Rob Williamson was named as a finalist in the ISA’s True Professionals of Arboriculture award, for the second consecutive year. Mr. Williamson was one of twenty-one finalists out of more than 20,000 ISA certified arboricultural professionals from around the United States. Mr. Williamson was also named The State of Florida’s 2009 ‘Outstanding Professional’ by the Florida Urban Forestry Council earlier this year.

 “It was a very difficult process to choose our finalists from so many outstanding nominees. Rob really stood out by his commitment to client service and his extensive community involvement. We hope he gets nominated again in 2011,” said Sonia Garth, ISA Public Relations Manager. The award finalists are judged on their interaction with customers, leadership of employees and their communications.

It is common for nominees to come from the northeast United States and areas with high emphasis on nature and national parks, where local citizens and government are acutely aware of the need for knowledgeable Arborists. Commercial, municipal, military and residential property owners and managers in Northwest Florida can now benefit from having a nationally recognized, highly trained tree care specialist available in their own backyard.   

Rob Williamson is an ISA Certified Arborist and his professional affiliations include the ISA, TCIA (The only TCIA member in Northwest Florida), Florida Urban Forestry Council, Nursery Growers and Landscape Association and the Society of Municipal Arborists. Prior to acquiring Trees Plus, Rob enjoyed success in the golf industry as a General Manger for Walt Disney World® Golf, American Golf and Meadowbrook Golf properties.  Under his management each property experienced unprecedented growth in revenue and membership. 

“To be recognized by the ISA again as a finalist for the True Professionals award, lets me know we are headed in the right direction as a business. Having said that, of course I want to win it! I will continue to raise awareness for tree related issues and increase our presence in the community I call home.”

More information about Trees Plus or to read Rob’s blog can be found at www.TreesPlusOnline.com. Contact Trees Plus via email at info@TreesPlusOnline.com, or by calling (850) 939-9979. Information about the ISA award program and the certification program is found on the International Society of Arboriculture website at www.ISA-Arbor.com.

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About Trees Plus
Serving Okaloosa, Walton, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties since 1992. Trees Plus is a full service tree care and landscaping provider. Services include hurricane preparation, tree preservation, consulting services, expert witness, construction site planning, tree appraisal services, tree pruning, tree installations, emergency tree care, tree removal, and stump and debris removal. 


About the International Society of Arboriculture
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), headquartered in Champaign, Ill., is a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research and education around the world. As part of ISA’s dedication to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees, it offers the only internationally-recognized certification program in the industry. For more information, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist or visit www.isa-arbor.com.

I was conducting a hurricane evaluation for a client recently and a question came up. How do I hurricane-proof my trees? Many clients have the same goal of tree preservation along with home protection. The truth is, most indigenous trees, if properly maintained, should perform without failure during a wind event. The key is eliminating pre-existing conditions while lead to tree failure. Following Hurricane Ike that struck the Houston area in 2008, insurance carriers commissioned a study to analyze the claims they paid. One Houston company discovered that roughly 50% of all structural losses were caused by fallen trees and tree limbs. However, his insurer went one step further and hired an arborist to inspect the trees and determine why the failure had occured. That high winds caused the tree failures was not a surprise; the surprise was 100% of the sampled trees exhibited pre-existing health and/or structural conditions which served as the catalyst to the trees' failure. Of the sampled properties, there was not a single healthy tree which failed. As a result, many arborists, me included, believe most trees losses can be avoided with proper identification and treatment of pre-existing symptoms and regularly scheduled maintenance.

So now that we know tree failures can be avoided, what are the steps to take to protect trees and structures? Trees' conditions can be very difficult to diagnose. Even a hollow trunk can still support a full crown. This is when an arborist with experience in risk assessment is vital to proper diagnosis. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), of which I am a member, provides a list of certified arborists in your area to aid in selecting a tree service provider. Take the appropriate steps to reduce or eliminate potential tree hazards prior to the next storm. Use an arborist to assist you in this risk assessment process and with all your tree service needs. Next time I will discuss how trees can save and even make us money.

Originally printed in August 2009 in the Fort Walton Beach Chamber Official Publication