---
title: What Is an Arborist? Definition and Credentials
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

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- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- Arborist

# What is an arborist?

An arborist is a person who is trained to look after individual trees: pruning them, judging their health and deciding when one has to come down. In the industry the word usually points to an ISA Certified Arborist, a person who has passed the International Society of Arboriculture's exam and keeps the credential current with continuing education.

## Why the word needs checking in Nevada

Anyone can print "arborist" on a truck door. Nevada does not license tree trimming and removal as contracting work, according to the State Contractors Board's consumer guide, so there is no state licence number that tells you who is a trained arborist. The credential that does exist is the ISA's, and it is held by a person, not by a company.

A company can employ certified arborists, so ask to see the credential: but the certificate number belongs to the individual and can be looked up on the ISA's Find an Arborist directory.

## What an arborist actually does

A working arborist reads a tree before touching it: the species, how the crown is shaped, whether the trunk or [root flare](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/root-flare/) shows decay, and what the tree would hit if part of it failed. In Northern Nevada that last question matters more than usual, because so many trees stand over roofs, fences and driveways on lots that were laid out decades ago.

The arborist then decides between pruning, support such as cabling, monitoring, or removal, and explains the reasoning in plain language. Removal is the answer when the tree is dead, structurally unsound, or too close to a building to keep safely.

## How Battle Born uses the term

Battle Born Tree Service has two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, and ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A is one of them. A certified arborist assesses every job before work begins, and the estimate that follows is free. The credential is named by number so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. For the long version of what to ask, see [what an ISA Certified Arborist is and how to verify one](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/).

### Sources

- [International Society of Arboriculture: Find an Arborist](https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist) (read October 17, 2026)
- [Nevada State Contractors Board: Choosing the Right Landscaper](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Choose_Landscaper_english.pdf) (read October 1, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- [What is an ISA Certified Arborist, and how to verify one](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/)
- [Arborist vs tree service vs landscaper in Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/arborist-vs-tree-service-vs-landscaper/)
- [Arborist consultation](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/arborist-consultation/)

## See also

[ANSI A300](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/ansi-a300/) [ANSI Z133](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/ansi-z133/) [DBH (diameter at breast height)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/dbh/)

## Where you will see it on this site

[Pruning and trimming questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/) [What is the sticky sap dripping from my tree?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/tree-health-and-problems/what-is-the-sticky-sap-dripping-from-my-tree/) [Trenching and grade changes near trees](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/trenching-and-grade-changes-near-trees/)