Do Tree Loppers Need Qualifications?

When trusting someone to safely cut down a tree on your property (and especially trusting them not to bring it down upon the property), you want to ensure they have the right qualifications. Otherwise, you may be trusting someone with no formal arborist training to do sensitive work; this can end in disaster. In this article, we'll look at whether tree loppers need qualifications to conduct their work in Queensland.

First and foremost, it is paramount that we identify the distinctions between a tree lopper and an arborist – it is not uncommon for people to use the two terms interchangeably, but they are distinct. Arborists must have specialist training to climb, prune, and remove trees. On top of this, they are typically part of the Queensland Arboriculture Association or the nation-wide Arboriculture Australia. 

Tree loppers, in contrast, require no such training or formal qualifications. In Queensland, there are generally no statewide laws that forbid tree removal. This theoretically means that, depending on the type of tree, you could even remove it yourself – but, for obvious reasons, you should not attempt this.

There are plenty of tree loppers who do their job on par with qualified arborists, but the fact remains that the average tree lopper does not have the training or insurance that comes with operating as an arborist. Without this training, they can only do so much – the process is often far more complicated than cutting the tree down and letting it fall. 

Even when it comes to just branch work, a lopper might not entirely cut off a branch, causing it to grow back. Any trusted arborist will hold themselves to the Australian Standard AS4373, which sets out the accepted standard for pruning trees. Arborists also understand tree health to a deeper level, letting them give better tree maintenance and growth advice.

To be on the safe side and to get the best job possible, you should stick to professional arborists with the relevant accreditations and experience. There are so many ways that any tree-based job can go wrong with disastrous consequences – and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

Barlows Tree Services relies upon the expertise of qualified arborists for every job. With us, the only people cutting down your trees are those who meet our high standards. For more information on our tree services, or to get the help of a trained arborist, feel free to contact us today.