ISA TRAQ FULL COURSE -

TREE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALIFICATION

December 6-8, 2023

Full agenda available here

COURSE LOCATION: 

Georgia Convention & Trade Center

Meeting Rooms 204/205/206

801 Front Ave Columbus, GA 31902

TEST LOCATION:

University of Georgia Extension - Muscogee County

420 East 10th Street Columbus Ga 31901

Instructor:

Jimmy Walters 

14.5 CEUs Available

Registration Deadline:

Monday: Oct 30, 2023

(Slots fill up fast!  Register now!)

Registration Cost:

$625 - Georgia Arborist Association & ISA Member Rate

$625 - Georgia Arborist Association Member Only Rate (not a member of the ISA)

$700 - ISA Member Only Rate (not a member of the GAA)

$795 - Non-Member Rate (not a member of ISA or GAA)

If you are interested in becoming TRAQ qualified, please take some time to read the “ISA TRAQ Application Guide” available here - TRAQ-App-Guide.pdf . The guide will provide details about the application process and let you know what pre-requisites are required to apply for the credential.

The TRAQ course and credential provide an opportunity for professionals in the arboriculture industry to expand their knowledge through education and training in the fundamentals of tree risk assessment. This qualification promotes the safety of people and property by providing a standardized and systematic process for assessing tree risk. The results of a tree risk assessment can provide tree owners and risk managers with the information to make informed decisions to enhance tree benefits, health, and longevity.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Earning the qualification requires attendance at a 2-day educational course followed by a ½-day assessment that includes both a written and field exams. The first two days are typically 8am-5pm and the third day (exam day) is 8am-noon. It is required that you attend the entire course and successfully complete the assessment in order to receive this qualification. Coffee and a light breakfast are typically included each day along with lunch the first two days. If overnight travel is needed you will need to make hotel reservations on your own.

At the bottom of this email you will find recommended accommodations as well as more information about the location

The course includes Tree Biology and Mechanics, Tree Inspection and Assessment, Data Analysis and Risk Categorization, and Risk Reporting. The Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) Course prepares the participant to take the TRAQ assessment to become ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. Once registered, you will receive a course Manual and a Course Workbook that you can read and study to prepare for the course. It is strongly suggested that you read the materials prior to the course. Not all of the materials on the exams will be covered in detail in the classroom. The Manual and Workbook are essential parts of the learning process for this course.

Meet the Instructors:

Jimmy Walters: Certified Arborist since 1996. SC Registered Forester. 1971 graduate of Clemson University, BS Forestry. Retired with over 40 years service with SC Forestry Commission. Retired as Program Coordinator for Urban and Community Forestry in SC. Charter member of SC Urban and Community Forestry Council (now Trees SC).  Board of Directors, SC Vegetation Management Association, active in the SC Green Industry Association. Past President, Southern Chapter ISA and member of Florida Chapter as well. Now operating an arboricultural consulting firm, Urban Forest Advisors, LLC. Skilled teacher and public speaker. Many classes and lectures on Hazard Tree Management (old terminology) and Tree Risk Assessment prior to TRAQ. 

Skip Kincaid: Skip served on the ISA committee that developed the TRAQ credential and has been teaching the course since its beginning. After 40 classes, he still has an appetite for sharing new information with the arboriculture community. Skip connects well with TRAQ students and shares his experiences in the commercial, municipal, and consulting areas of arboriculture. 

He is currently the Director of Urban Forestry with Hansen’s Tree Service and Environmental Wood Resources in St. Louis, Missouri. He recently served as Commissioner of Forestry for the City of St. Louis and was the Senior Urban Forestry Consultant for Davey Resource Group after nearly 20 years as a private consultant.  

Skip has completed tree risk assessments for dozens of major university campuses; National Park Service historic landscapes including the Arch grounds in St. Louis, MO; the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY; the Lincoln Home Historic Site in Springfield, IL; and prominent public parks including the 1370-acre Forest Park in St. Louis. He has also completed forensic investigations for hundreds of tree failures with expert witness testimony provided at deposition and trial.  

Skip is a Board Certified Master Arborist and Municipal Specialist (MW-0155BM) with the International Society of Arboriculture and a Certified Forester (#1516) with Society of American Foresters. 

HOTEL BLOCK INFORMATION:

COMING SOON

Disclaimers, Important Information, & Refund Policy:

• Applicants for TRAQ courses must register 30 days prior to the session they plan to attend. These classes often fill up quickly since class size is limited. Register as early as possible to avoid missing the location you want!

• The FULL course is required for those qualified applicants that wish to earn the TRAQ credential.

• This class provides the needed exams that must be passed to earn the TRAQ credential.

• Please bring your own hard hat and vest to the event.

• Please bring your government ID.

• Be sure to bring your course materials. (This will be mailed to you by the ISA in advance.)