CLEMSON --Change is inevitable.  In fact, change is a fact of life in so many fields, including medicine, computer technology, and automobiles.  Rapid changes also occur in the "green industry":  professionals engaged in the growing, selling, establishment, and maintenance of plants.

Ongoing research in arboriculture--the art and science of tree care--has led to advancements in tree care techniques to improve the health and longevity of trees around our homes and in our communities.  In addition, improvements in fertilizer and water use and plant selection have contributed to the "greening" of our outdoor spaces while also protecting our environment.

Green industry professionals must stay abreast of these new techniques and scientific findings to improve their services to their customers and the residents in their communities.

To stay "at the top of their game," voluntary certification programs have been created for green industry people.  Certification is one way of raising the standard of performance among professionals.  It's also a measurable assessment of a person's knowledge and competence.

In South Carolina there are four noteworthy certification programs:  Certified Nursery Professional, Certified Landscape Technician, Environmental Landscape Certification, and Certified Arborist.

The Certified Nursery Professional program began in 1985 and is administered by the S.C. Nursery and Landscape Association (www.scnla.com).  It was designed for growers, landscape professionals, and retail garden center employees.  To become certified, passing grades must be obtained on two tests.  The first is a written test based on the Certified Nursery Professional Manual.  Topics include plant development, soils, irrigation, plant nutrition, plant propagation, pest management, nursery production, greenhouse production, turfgrass installation, landscape maintenance and much more.  The second hands-on test measures the individual's ability to identify 120 plants.

Landscapers can become Certified Landscape Technicians in a program administered by the S.C. Nursery and Landscape Association in coordination with the Associated Landscape Contractors Association.  The intensive certification exam involves written and hands-on components that assess the proficiency level of the individual.  Topics include plan reading, sod installation, irrigation, grading and seeding, and plant identification.

The S.C. Landscape and Turfgrass Association (www.sclta.com) administers the Environmental Landscape Certification program.  This program requires the successful completion of three tests.  One test is based on the best management practices found in the Environmental Landscape Certification Manual.  Another is a hands-on planting and pruning test.  In the third test candidates must identify 75 plants.  Recertification credits are required every year to maintain Environmental Landscape Certification status.

Arborists trained in the art and science of planting and maintaining individual trees can become certified through the International Society of Arboriculture ( www.isa-arbor.com).  To become eligible to take the exam, the candidate must have a minimum of three years of experience in arboriculture, which includes practical experience involved in pruning, fertilization, tree planting and establishment, diagnosis and treatment of tree problems, cabling and bracing, climbing, or other tree care-related services.  The eligibility requirement may also be satisfied with education.  Certified arborists who pass the comprehensive exam have demonstrated their level of knowledge of the basic fundamentals of tree botany, problem diagnosis, maintenance practices, safety, and other disciplines within the tree care profession.

The ISA-certified arborist designation is only valid for three years.  To maintain their certification, certified arborists must accumulate 30 continuing education units by the end of the three-year period and pay a renewal fee.

To find a certified arborist in your area, check your local phone directory or visit the S.C. Forestry Commission ( www.state.sc.us/forest/index05.htm) or International Society of Arboriculture web sites.

Although these voluntary certification programs do not guarantee quality, they give you, the consumer, the opportunity to identify professionals who understand the importance of being at the top of their game.  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) said it best:  "Knowledge comes by eyes always open and working hands; and there is no knowledge that is not power."

Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry grant assistance program administered through the S.C. Forestry Commission and funded by the USDA Forest Service and the S.C. Nursery and Landscape Association.