Success StoryTree Risk Assessment Program & Tree and Landscape Appraisal Training



Tree Risk Assessment Program & Tree and Landscape Appraisal Training

Author: William Fountain

Planning Unit: Horticulture

Major Program: Commercial Horticulture - Landscape Ecosystems

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

The Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) is a professional credential developed and managed by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). This 2-day course and half day exam instructs the professional arborist in how to predict the likelihood of failure, likelihood of a hazard striking a target, and the consequences of a target being struck. This allows the arborist to provide the client with a risk rating and mitigation options that will provide a lower residual risk. This program is offered to green industry professionals by the Kentucky Arborists’ Association (a.k.a. Kentucky Chapter, ISA) about 4 times per year. I am one of about 20 individuals certified by ISA to instruct arborists in this discipline.

The second paragraph references a 1-day class taught to green industry professionals on techniques detailed in the Guide to Plant Appraisal (9th ed.) and how this course not only allowed him to provide a needed service to a client but also allowed him to bring income into his company. The following is an unsolicited testimonial of the value of these two training programs one of my students who participated in both courses.


“Just a few lines to express my gratitude to you and UK for the above courses. Last week I was in Trigg County at Prizer Point doing a level 3 Tree Risk Assessment on their Zip Line Course. They are required by insurance to have this course examined by a Certified Arborist who holds a TRAQ qualification in order to certify the integrity of the trees to which these lines are attached. The one-day examination provided triple the cost of the TRAQ course in revenues for my Company. 

“After recently completing the class Plant appraisals for tree and shrubs I was able to use this information in Evansville, Indiana to help a client whose Tree had been damaged by a Line Clearance company recover monies for the cost to repair/cure. On one trip out I cleared over 10 times the money that the class cost. Thanks again for your hard work. And thanks to UK for all they do. I truly appreciate it.”
 Kind regards,

Via email (6/1/2018)






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