For an amateur gardener, the term arborist and landscaper might mean the same. But there is a big difference between their work responsibilities, training and other aspects of their profession. It is important to know the difference because you should be looking for a suitable person depending upon the kind of work you need them for. Arboriculture consultancy in India like Treecotech can help you in finding the right arborist but first you need to find out whether you need a certified arborist in India or a landscaper.
Landscaping is a traditional term and being a landscaper means doing those traditional tasks like hardscape installation, taking care of the lawn right from the point of making it till its maintenance phase. Landscapers also take care of irrigation needs of the plants and trees and they also prepare the bed for the plants. Arboriculture knowledge goes a step further than this.
Treecotech Arboriculture specialists are responsible for taking care of trees which have grown mature, removal of trees or their pruning, stump grinding and other similar things.
As far as the knowledge and background are concerned, arboriculture knowledge is little bit more complicated and wider than the knowledge required for being a landscaper. If the landscaper is made to do the job of an arborist, they might face issues with the usage of tools. Since tree safety is important, you should call an arborist to look after the trees in your property. Arboriculture training involves handling of complex and dangerous equipment and practice of different types of pruning techniques.
Some of the arborists also have liability insurance whereas most of the landscapers don’t have it. Liability insurance helps both the parties- the arborist as well as the owner of the property.
To summarise in simple words, if you need someone who can prepare the lawn for you, then a landscaper might be a good option but if you need someone who can take care of the existing plants and trees with professional knowledge including the knowledge of safety procedures, then you should call a Treecotech arboriculture specialist instead. They are also knowledgeable enough to identify any diseases in the trees and can be real saviours for the dying trees.
Another misconception is that you can either use the services of an arborist or a landscaper but not both. This is not true. Sometimes, you might need both of them to work together. They are sort of complementary jobs and when things are done collaboratively, it leads to a beautiful setup of plants and trees in good health.
As an owner of the property, as long as you know understand your needs and basic jobs of a landscaper and an arborist, then you will be able to find the right person for the job. Note that a tree specialist in India is more likely to provide you with suggestions about the health of the trees. Even if you need a landscaper after that, they will let you know about it!