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ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification®

The ISA TRAQ program is voluntary and developed to train and assess an individual’s degree of knowledge and skill in a specialized field of arboriculture. When a professional earns the ISA TRAQ credential, they should be recognized by their peers and the public as a tree care professional who has specialized knowledge and skills in tree risk assessment. To earn the qualification, applicants must meet eligibility requirements, complete a training course, and pass both a comprehensive written assessment and a performance-based assessment. To maintain the qualification, current credential holders must retrain and retest every five years.

Skills / Knowledge

  • arboriculture
  • tree risk assessment
  • consulting arborist
  • community tree assessment
  • urban tree assessment
  • tree risk mitigation

Earning Criteria

Required

knowledge

One of the listed accepted credentials that demonstrates achievement in at least four of the core areas of knowledge (i.e., A basic knowledge and comprehension of tree biology, especially as it relates to basic tree anatomy, wood structure and function, and wood decay; The knowledge to identify the major tree species in the local area; A fundamental knowledge of arboricultural practices, including pruning and tree support systems; The knowledge to assess tree health and diagnose biotic and abiotic disorders common to trees in the local area; A basic understanding of soil science and local soil conditions.)

participation

Participate in the standard ISA TRAQ course: a two-day, in-person training course. The training includes lectures, discussions, small-group activities, applied case studies, and field activities.

exam

Written exam: score at least 75% on an examination with 100 multiple-choice graded questions. Each question has four answer choices, and only one is correct. Candidates have two hours (120 minutes) to complete the written exam.

exam

Performance-based exam: receive a passing mark on a performance-based assessment (i.e., an actual, outdoor tree risk assessment will test the candidate's ability to apply tree risk principles to a tree at the training site. Candidates have one hour (60 minutes) to complete the performance-based exam.

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