Industry Standards
ISA Research & Best Practices
We follow International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) standards on every job. Here's why that matters for your trees.
Why ISA Standards Matter
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) sets the industry standard for proper pruning, trimming, and tree care. Crews that follow ISA standards avoid over-pruning, topping, and improper cuts that can permanently weaken or kill a tree.
Proper Pruning Cuts
Cuts should be made just outside the branch collar — the area where a branch meets the trunk — to allow the tree to heal naturally. Flush cuts or cuts left too far from the trunk both slow healing and invite disease.
Topping Hurts Trees
Topping — indiscriminately cutting back large branches to stubs — is not an ISA-recommended practice. It stresses the tree, encourages weak regrowth, and increases long-term hazard risk. Our arborists use crown reduction and thinning instead.
When to Remove vs. Treat
Not every damaged or diseased tree needs removal. Our ISA-certified arborists assess root structure, decay, and lean before recommending removal, and will always suggest treatment or selective pruning when it's the safer, more cost-effective option.
Have a question about your tree?
Talk to one of our ISA-certified arborists before deciding on removal vs. treatment.