Our congratulations go out to Dave Kidd who has become the second ISA Certified Arborist at Owen Tree Service to achieve the status of Oak Wilt Qualified specialist.

Oak wilt is a complex tree disease that has become more prevalent in southeast Michigan landscapes over the past several years. Proper identification and procedures are necessary to successfully contain and manage oak wilt in urban landscapes. It is for this reason the Arboriculture Society of Michigan developed the Oak Wilt Qualification program.

Candidates to attend the Oak Wilt Qualification program must either be an ISA Certified Arborist, a Certified Forester or have a 4 year degree in a related field of study. The 2 day course involves both classroom and hands-on training concluding with an assessment test which must be passed. Topics include how oak wilt infects oak trees, oak wilt prevention and best practices for oak wilt management.

More information on oak wilt can be found at: http://www.owentree.com/Oak_Wilt.php