Municipal and Commercial Arborist Training Program (MATP/CATP)

MATP and CATP are designed to fit the needs of your staff, in both the municipal and commercial sectors, and are completely customizable to fit the skill levels of your team. Training is offered at your facility during the weekdays and utilizes your equipment, so you have a complete understanding of the equipment that you are already using on a day to-day basis.

MATP & CATP training topics include:

• Aerial Lift Safety, Rescue & Operations
• Chainsaw Basic Maintenance, Safe Operation, Cutting Techniques & Sharpening
• Chipper Safety & Operation
• Felling Safety & Techniques using the 6-step Precision Felling Plan
• Pruning Techniques
• Rigging Principles & Fundamentals

Many individuals and organizations have already taken advantage of MATP and CATP and since it was such a great success, we are continuing these programs indefinitely. In 2024 there will be changes to training requests, pricing, scheduling, and the amount of MATP and CATP training offerings per year so that our instructors are able to provide the best training possible. Current changes to Tree Worker Advanced Training, MATP, and CATP trainings include:

• Standardized Pricing for low- and high-risk trainings (within 200 miles roundtrip)
• Enhanced Online Training Request Form
• Elimination of Half-Day Trainings
• Maximum of 25 weekday classes for MATP & CATP – Maximum of 12 weekend classes for Advanced Training: Tree Worker
• Maximum of 12 students per instructor for MATP & CATP – Maximum of 7 students for Advanced Training: Tree Worker
• To accommodate instructor schedules and insurance deadlines, trainings will only be scheduled 1 quarter in advance – Example: only Quarter 2 trainings will be scheduled during Quarter 1

The Advanced Training Committee and its instructors hope that these changes will streamline training requests for the best experience possible and we look forward to working with your teams in 2024!

All our full-day training programs will follow a flat-rate pricing structure. Classes will cost $1500 for a maximum of 12 attendees. Please note that we will no longer offer half-day classes. 

*Any cancellations without 24 hour’s notice will incur a $150 cancellation fee. 

Please fill out the from below to request MATP/CATP training.

Name *

First

Last

Company/Municipality *

Email *

Phone *

Address *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

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We are interested in the IAA Arborist Advancement Training – One full day of training covers two of the topics below (Must choose two topics. We can offer one topic twice in one day, for a group larger than 12. ) *

• Aerial Lift Safety, Rescue & Operation
• Chainsaw Safety, Maintenance & Operations
• Chipper Safety & Operation
• Felling Safety & Techniques
• Pruning Techniques
• Rigging Principles & Fundamentals

Full-Day Training *

• Two Topics in One Day
• One Topic Twice in One Day for Larger Group

Total

$0.00

How many people will be in this training? *

Must have at least 12 attendees per class. If your group does not reach the maximum 12 attendees, we highly encourage inviting participants from neighboring communities to achieve the class capacity and subsequently share the associated costs. While we remain open to conducting the class for less than 12 attendees, we regret to inform you that we will be unable to reduce the fee for the class.

Please list names of all attendees. *

Are you a Municipality or Commercial Company?

• MATP
• CATP

MATP – Muncipal Arborist Training. CATP – Commercial Arborist Training

What Date / Time works best for you? *Please allow 4 weeks to accommodate our instructor's calendars. Some exceptions may exist.

Date

Time

All dates must start after April 1, 2024

Have any of your crew been in the field less than one year? *

• Yes
• No

If yes, how many?

Do you have Certified Arborists or CTSP Specialists on staff that would like to earn CEUs for this training?

• Yes
• No

If so, do you need…

• ISA CEU’s
• TCIA CEU’s
• Both ISA CUE’s & TCIA CEU’s

Comment or Message

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Below is a brief description of each training topic. Each Topic is a 1/2 day class.

(1) Aerial Lift Safety, Rescue & Operation and rescue goes over pre-trip inspection; flying the unit, to make sure it’s holding pressure, before leaving the yard; aerial lift positioning for the task at hand; leveling using the stabilizers; proper unfolding and folding procedures; using the platform controls to lower the booms; rescue techniques (bringing an injured or incapacitated operator down to a flat surface to begin 1^st aid or CPR).

(2) Chainsaw Safety, Maintenance & Operations includes checking for loose and missing parts, making sure the built-in safety features are properly working, proper cleaning techniques including air filter, guide bar resurfacing, drive sprocket replacement, proper chain tension, proper starting techniques, proper grip, proper stance, different cutting techniques and chain sharpening.

(3) Chipper Safety & Operation goes over pre-trip inspection; proper attachment to the tow vehicle, making sure the safety chains are crossed; proper starting method, how soon to engage the drum/disc after starting; checking the built-in safety features (rubber kickback flap, forward/reverse bar, etc.); proper road cone and traffic sign placement using MUTCD Standards; proper chipper feeding methods; using a ‘push stick’ for shorter sticks/raking’s; proper shut down method.

(4) Felling Safety & Techniques using the 6-Step Precision Felling Plan includes using six (6) steps to safely notch and drop a tree from near ground level. Felling is the ‘single, most dangerous act’ performed by an arborist. More arborists are seriously injured or killed by notching and dropping a tree than any other single act. Using the six (6) steps, greatly reduces the chance of an incident occurring.

(5) Pruning Techniques uses the ANSI A300 Standard to perform proper pruning cuts. The various pruning techniques: deadwood pruning, elevation pruning, subordination pruning, crown reduction pruning are all demonstrated. Using the proper pruning tool for the task at hand is also demonstrated.

(6) Rigging Principles & Fundamentals shows how using arborist hardware (pulleys, bocks, ring products, rope friction devices, connecting links) and software (spliced eye slings, ring tools, rope tools) will make the tree dismantling process much Safer and more efficient. Using the trees structure to the riggers advantage is demonstrated by placing blocks/rings in the crown to put the limbs in compression.

NOTE: For the (1) Aerial Lift Safety, Rescue & Operation, (2) Rigging Principals & Fundamentals, and (5) Pruning Techniques courses, a waiver form will need to signed & dated by all attendees before we can schedule a date.

A certificate of completion is provided upon completion of each training course.

Funding support for training the trainers was provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.