Key takeaways
- Arborist is a skill, tree service is a business, and landscaper is a different trade.
- Nevada's contractors board says removal and trimming of trees and shrubs does not need a contractor's license.
- Big trees, tall work and power lines belong with a trained tree crew.
- Ask who will be in the tree, not only whose name is on the truck.
- Insurance and a clear estimate matter more than the job title.
The words get used loosely, and the Nevada rules do not draw a bright line between them. What matters is the work you need and who is qualified to do it safely. Battle Born Tree Service is a tree service with ISA Certified Arborists on staff.
What does an arborist do?
An arborist is trained in the care of individual trees: pruning, assessing health and structure, and deciding when a tree can stay or has to go. Some work as consultants, and some work inside tree companies.
The ISA credential is the common way to show that training. See what an ISA Certified Arborist is.
What does a tree service do?
A tree service is a business with crews and equipment for pruning, removal, stump grinding and storm cleanup. The best ones have an arborist assessing the work and trained climbers or equipment carrying it out.
Battle Born lists removal, large and crane-assisted removal, stump grinding, trimming and pruning, dead wooding, cabling and bracing, emergency service and more. See the services.
What does a landscaper do, and where does tree work fit?
A landscaper designs and maintains yards: lawns, beds, irrigation, hardscape and planting. Some also do light pruning of shrubs and small trees.
The Nevada State Contractors Board's consumer guide on choosing a landscaper separates landscape construction, which falls under a contractor classification, from removal and trimming of trees and shrubs, which it lists as work that does not require a contractor's license. That is a licensing fact, not a skill test, so it does not tell you who is qualified to climb a large tree.
Who should do which job?
Match the job to the training. Anything that involves climbing, rigging, large limbs, wires or a tree near a building is tree-crew work. Mowing, planting and edging is landscaping.
The table is a rule of thumb, and the specific company's crew still decides.
| Job | Usually call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Large tree removal or crane work | Tree service | Equipment, rigging and risk assessment |
| Tree near wires | The utility first, then a tree service | Only qualified workers go near lines |
| Pruning a mature tree | Arborist or tree service | Structure and timing matter |
| Lawn, beds and irrigation | Landscaper | Not tree work |
| Low shrubs | Landscaper or tree service | Either can do it |
What should you ask any of them?
Ask for proof of insurance, a clear scope and who will be on the job. The ISA also advises checking credentials and comparing scope and professionalism.
Our guide to reading an estimate helps you compare answers.
How do you decide for your own yard?
Start with the problem. If the question is about a specific tree, such as whether it is healthy, safe to keep or worth pruning, ask for an arborist's assessment. If the job is cutting, lifting or hauling, you need a crew with equipment.
If you are still unsure, describe the tree to the office when you call 775.232.8243 or use the free estimate form. A good company will tell you honestly if the job belongs with someone else, and a landscaper or nursery is the right call for planting.
Sources
- Nevada State Contractors Board: Choosing the Right Landscaper (read October 1, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist (PDF) (read October 17, 2026)
- NV Energy: A Tree on Your Property (Tree Pruning Explained brochure, rev. 2017-05) (read October 17, 2026)