Continued Educational Units (CEU) Explained

CEU’s are a vital part of retaining Certified Arborist status and 30 of them are required to be attained in a three period from initially passing the exam. This remains true for the next three years and so on while one wishes to be recognised as a Certified Arborist. The attainment of these CEU’s is widely recognised as a crucial aspect to remaining current and up to date within the field of arboriculture.

There are many ways to obtain CEU’s: For example

Arborist News (1 CEU) bimonthly publication

The Landscape Below Ground/Workbook (4 CEU)
Tree Pruning Guidelines/Workbook (1 CEU)
Arbor Master Training Video/tests (1CEU each video)

College courses get 10 CEU’s per course and 5 CEU’s more where a laboratory session is included.

The ISA chapter office will be happy to view any application for CEU’s providing the courses/session details such as session title, speaker name, times, venue are provided and confirmation that you attended. 1 hour (seat time) of learning represents 1 CEU.

The criteria for approving CEU’s is as follows:

Anything educational pertaining to tree care in the following ten domains or that advances a certified arborist’s knowledge in the work place:

Tree Biology
Tree Identification
Tree/Soil Relations
Water Management
Nutrition/Fertilization
Tree Selection
Installation/Establishment
Pruning Concepts and Techniques
Cabling, Rod Bracing, Propping and Lightning Protection
Problem Diagnosis and Management
Construction Management
Climbing Techniques and Working in the Tree
Safety
Statutory Protection for Trees

Every ISA event will be recognised for attainment of CEU’s and allocated an ISA designated code which needs to be obtained by the Certified Arborist if he or she wishes to have the CEU’s count towards the 30 required. This code will be available to all attendees at an event; the code must be quoted along with other details pertaining to the event and recorded on the 2008 ISA CEU claims form available from the chapter office or online.

Certified Arborists may also claim CEU’s for non ISA events by recording the event, date, speaker name, start and finish times of session, number of CEU’s claimed and they must also provide evidence of attendance. The number of CEU’s claimed by the individual is up to the individual - 1 hour of learning represents 1 CEU.
However, the chapter office reserve the right to modified CEU’s claimed if it appears that an over claim has been made or if indeed an insufficient claim has been made.

ALL claims must be made on the ISA form to the chapter office at the end of the three year period of certification; no reminders will be sent out. The responsibility for claiming CEU’s and thus remaining a Certified Arborist remains with the Arborist. Failure to complete 30 appropriate CEU’s or failure to submit CEU’s will result in the Arborist being struck off the Certified list and an instruction to remove from stationary, clothing and vehicles any references to being a Certified Arborist.