About Us
ISA CERTIFIED URBAN FOREST PROFESSIONAL®
ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional (formerly called ISA Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist®) credential holders are recognized by their peers and the public as tree care professionals who have attained a fundamental level of knowledge in core areas of the arboriculture practice within an urban forest context and management of trees as a community providing societal benefits. Areas of knowledge measured include communication skills, public relations, policy and planning, administration, risk management, and arboricultural practices.
Data comes from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
For more information, please visit Types of Credentials: ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional.
ISA CERTIFIED TREE CLIMBER®
The ISA Certified Tree Climber program is available in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese and is designed for those who often climb trees as part of their job in the tree care industry.
The ISA Certified Tree Climber program is the only global, industry-wide climber certification to test knowledge and skills against internationally accepted standards related to skill and safe work practices. As an integral part of a career journey, being an ISA Certified Tree Climber allows you to show your competencies as a professional climber and ignites a continued passion for learning and development in this industry.
Data comes from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
For more information, please visit Types of Credentials: ISA Certified Tree Climber.
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (ISA TRAQ)
The ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (ISA TRAQ) is a voluntary qualification program designed to train and assess candidates in a specialized field of arboriculture. When a professional earns the ISA TRAQ credential, they should be recognized by their peers and the public as a tree care professional who has specialized knowledge in tree risk assessment. To earn the qualification, eligible candidates must complete a training course, and pass both a comprehensive written assessment and a performance-based assessment. To maintain the qualification, current credential holders must retrain and retest every five years.
Data comes from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
For more information, please visit Types of Credentials: ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.
Meet The Team
Samuel Ma is the Director and Consulting Arborist of Kassod Arbor, and a leading figure in the arboriculture industry across Asia. He holds multiple international certifications, including ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, ISA Certified Tree Climber, ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), and other professional recognitions. With a strong academic background in environmental sciences and extensive field experience, Samuel specializes in advanced tree risk assessment, urban forestry consultancy, and sustainable tree management.
He is a two-time ISA international award recipient, having been honored with the 2018 ISA M.F. Blair Award for Exceptional Contribution to Practical Arboriculture and named a 2024 ISA True Professional of Arboriculture Award
Recipient. Samuel is widely respected for his commitment to professional excellence, innovation, and leadership in the arboriculture community.
Steven Keung is an accomplished arborist specializing in applied biology and practical tree care solutions. He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Applied Biology and multiple professional arboriculture certifications, including ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Certified Tree Climber, and ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
Steven combines strong scientific knowledge with real-world experience to deliver expert tree assessments, risk management, and sustainable care practices. His work reflects a commitment to high professional standards and a passion for advancing the health and safety of urban forests.
