Why Hire an Arborist Instead of a Landscaper?
When it comes to caring for your yard, many homeowners assume landscapers and arborists do the same job. After all, both work outdoors, plant trees, and help maintain beautiful spaces. But while landscapers play an important role in lawns, shrubs, and garden design, trees are a different story.
Trees are complex, long-lived organisms that require specialized knowledge to manage safely and effectively. That’s where an ISA Certified Arborist comes in. If you want to protect the health, safety, and value of your trees, choosing an arborist instead of relying solely on a landscaper can make all the difference.
The Role of a Landscaper
Landscapers are skilled in:
Designing and installing lawns, flower beds, and garden features.
Planting shrubs, smaller ornamentals, and groundcover.
Performing regular maintenance like mowing, edging, and seasonal clean-up.
Installing hardscapes such as patios, pathways, and garden borders.
In short, landscapers are experts in aesthetic design and general property maintenance. They ensure outdoor spaces are attractive, functional, and enjoyable.
But when it comes to tree health and safety, their training is often limited. A landscaper may be excellent at planting a tree but may not be equipped to handle diseases, structural concerns, or hazardous removals.
The Role of an Arborist
Arborists, by contrast, are trained specifically in tree biology, health, and safety. An ISA Certified Arborist has passed rigorous exams, follows international standards, and is required to continue their education to stay current with best practices.
Arborists provide:
Pruning for Health and Safety – Proper techniques that improve structure and reduce hazards without harming long-term growth.
Disease and Pest Diagnosis – Identifying issues like black knot fungus, root rot, or insect infestations that landscapers might overlook.
Safe Tree Removals – Using specialized rigging, climbing, and equipment to prevent property damage.
Risk Management – Assessing whether trees pose danger to people, vehicles, or buildings.
Species Selection and Planting – Recommending trees suited to Calgary’s unique climate and soils.
This training ensures your trees receive science-based care, not just aesthetic trimming.
The Added Value of TRAQ-Certified Arborists
Some arborists go further by earning the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) from the International Society of Arboriculture. This credential focuses on evaluating risks trees may pose to people or property.
A TRAQ assessment considers:
The tree’s overall health and structure.
Root stability and soil conditions.
The likelihood of failure under stress (such as Calgary’s windstorms and heavy snowfalls).
The potential consequences if failure occurs.
This structured, science-backed process provides homeowners with a clear risk rating and professional recommendations—whether to retain, mitigate, or remove a tree.
For Calgary homeowners, where storms and chinook winds often turn weak trees into emergencies overnight, TRAQ-certified expertise is invaluable.
Why Choosing an Arborist Protects Your Property
Hiring a landscaper for general maintenance is perfectly fine—but when it comes to trees, you need specialized expertise. Here’s why:
Safety First – Tree work is dangerous. Climbing, cutting, and working near power lines requires training and safety equipment landscapers often don’t have.
Preventing Costly Mistakes – Improper pruning, such as topping, can shorten a tree’s lifespan and lead to expensive removals.
Protecting Your Investment – Healthy, mature trees add 10–20% to property value. Neglected or poorly managed trees become liabilities.
Legal and Insurance Compliance – Arborists carry liability insurance and understand Calgary’s bylaws, protecting you from fines and liability.
Long-Term Health – Arborists don’t just focus on aesthetics; they prioritize long-term structural integrity and resilience.
In the long run, working with a Certified Arborist saves money by avoiding unnecessary removals, property damage, and liability risks.
Landscapers and Arborists: Complementary Roles
It’s important to note that landscapers and arborists aren’t competitors—they’re partners. A landscaper might design your outdoor space, while an arborist ensures the trees within it grow safely and thrive for decades.
Together, they create landscapes that are both beautiful and sustainable. But when it comes to tree safety, disease management, or removals, only an arborist has the training and certification to handle the job properly.
The Bottom Line: Hire the Right Expert for the Job
Landscapers excel at designing and maintaining lawns, shrubs, and gardens, but trees require a higher level of expertise. An ISA Certified Arborist—and ideally one with TRAQ certification—provides the knowledge, training, and safety standards needed to manage Calgary’s trees responsibly.
By hiring the right professional, you’re not only protecting your trees but also your property, your neighbors, and your long-term investment.
When it comes to your trees, don’t settle for aesthetic trimming—choose science-based care that keeps them safe, strong, and beautiful for years to come.
