Starting April 2017, with the adoption of the Board of Tree Experts Rules, full implementation of the 2010 Tree Expert and Tree Care Operator Licensing Act can occur. Current Certified Tree Experts in good standing with the Board will be converted to Licensed Tree Experts. The Board will start to register businesses and bring Tree Care Operators into the licensing program as well.
The act creates two new license categories for people doing tree work in the state of New Jersey, “licensed tree care operator” (LTCO) and “licensed tree expert” (LTE).
A Licensed Tree Care Operator (LTCO) is a person who has been examined or who has the required experience to be able to acquire the license and is competent in the knowledge and experience of tree pruning, repairing, brush cutting or removal, tree removal, and stump grinding or removal, all with safety in mind. These professionals demonstrate high ethical and moral standards in the practice of tree care and are licensed by the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. Licensed Tree Care Operators must obtain continuing educational credits over their licensing period, thereby ensuring LTCOs are up-to-date on new information, skills and techniques in the tree care profession.
A business doing tree care in New Jersey has to be approved by the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts and be registered. The registration of the tree care business involves the company demonstrating that it has the required level of insurance and worker compensation coverage found in the administrative rules. The registered business must have at least one licensed person employed. Good news for customers of Greenwood Tree Experts is that we already have to LTE’s, David Dubee #332 and Raymond Woytas #327. A registered business must abide by adopted industry standards and provide safety training for employees and submit safety standards and provide safety training for employees and submit safety documentation annually to the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts.
The Tree Care Operators Licensing rules were adopted to address the serious injuries and fatalities in the arboricutural industry, an increase in unresolved local consumer affairs complaints against tree care companies arising from dishonest ‘fly-by-night’ tree care operations, and the poor arboricultural practices that put tree owners and their properties at risk.