Mark A. Webber, BCMA, C.P.H., CUCF LTE, MArborA, MCIHort, OCMNT, R.C.A., TPAQ, TRAQ
Principal Consultant
Background
Mr. Mark A. Webber holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and 20 different certifications, qualifications, accreditations, and licensures in the fields of arboriculture and horticulture. Most notably, Mr. Webber is a Registered Consulting Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist, and a Certified Professional Horticulturist with over 47-plus years of relevant professional experience.
Mr. Webber provides investigations, reports, and testimony in matters related to tree condition, maintenance, removal, and agricultural as well as horticultural matters. His expertise includes the management of nursery, arboricultural and horticultural, and agricultural operations; dendrochronology; pesticide use; crop and tree injuries due to biotic and abiotic conditions; appraisals of damaged crops, trees, and plants; tree failures and tree failures due to biotic and abiotic conditions; and an assortment of agricultural, arboricultural, and horticultural issues. Mr. Webber is an admitted member of approximately 32 industry organizations, including the American Society of Consulting Arborists, Chartered Institute of Horticulture, International Dendrology Society, Tree-Ring Society, American Phytopathological Society, and the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Small Business Advocacy Review Panel for Tree Care Industry Rules. Mr. Webber has been a court-qualified expert witness in his field in the state courts of Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Washington, and California. Mr. Webber has also been qualified to testify in Federal Court proceedings.
Mr. Webber has been working at farms and nurseries since 1975. He remains active in his industry by serving on various committees and boards and as the Founder/Co-owner of arboricultural and horticultural firms. In this capacity, he provides a full range of technical assistance regarding landscape design, installation, landscape management, and arboricultural matters. Mr. Webber provides tree evaluations, tree risk assessments, tree protection plans, plant inventories, lawn care, weed, and pest control advice to clients. Additional services include professional opinions regarding drainage improvements, soil health and leaf nutrient levels, root system location and management, management of trees during construction, installation of retaining walls, consulting, and other related areas. Mr. Webber has worked as a Research Assistant for the BASF Corporation involving fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides trials on a diverse assortment of economically important agricultural and horticultural crops. He also served as an Apiary (Honey Bee) Technician for The Ohio State University.
Mr. Webber earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture with a major in Horticultural Science with a minor in Agricultural Economics, both from The Ohio State University. He is designated as a Board-Certified Master Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture and is a Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Arborist. Mr. Webber is a Master Nursery Technician through the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association. He is designated as an MArborA by the United Kingdom’s Arboricultural Association. Mr. Webber is also a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert (LTE #639) and is a Licensed Arborist in multiple states. The American Society of Horticultural Science board has designated Mr. Webber as a Certified Professional Horticulturist. Mr. Webber is an admitted member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in the United Kingdom. The Chartered Institute of Horticulture has designated Mr. Webber as an MCIHort. Mr. Webber is an admitted member of the Society of American Forrester (SAF), which has designated him a Certified Urban and Community Forester (CUCF). He is admitted to the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA). ASCA has credentialed Mr. Webber as a Tree & Plant Qualified Appraiser (TPQA) and Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA) #706.
Education and Certifications
• A.A.S., BS, Agricultural with major in Horticultural Science, and a minor in Agricultural Economics: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 1984. These degrees included specialized education and training involving plant identification, plant nomenclature, crop botany, plant morphology, arboriculture, irrigation, drainage, soil science, landscape horticulture, landscape and nursery management, plant propagation, plant sciences, plant physiology, entomology, plant pathology (plant diseases), pomology, olericulture, viticulture, animal science, forage crops, weed science, and agricultural business management.
• 2020 Graduate from ASCA (American Society of Consulting Arborist) Consulting Academy: Sacramento, California, April 2020
• Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ), American Society of Consulting Arborists: May 2019-2024; TPAQ requalification (May 2024-2029).
• Certified Professional Horticulturist #30086, American Society for Horticultural Science: Alexandria, Virginia, 2017-Present
• Licensed Arborist:
· Rhode Island 2016-Present
· Minnesota 2016-Present
· Maine: First Class Landscape Arborist 2016-Present
· First Class Utility Arborist 2016-Present
· New Jersey 2017-Present
• Certified Tree Expert #639, Board of Tree Experts: Jackson, NJ, August 2016-August 2017
• Licensed Tree Expert #639, Board of Tree Experts: Jackson, NJ, August 2017-Present
• I.S.A. Board Certified Master Arborist OH-0824BUM, International Society of Arboriculture: 2013-Present (I.S.A. Certified Arborist, 1998-2013)
· Expertise in: Abiotic Disorders; Biology; Biotic Disorders; Plant Identification and Selection; Soil Science; Climbing, Rigging, and Removal; Diagnostic Process; Installation Practices; Plant Health Care; Pruning; Soil Treatment; Support and Protection; Water Relations and Irrigation; Inventory and Management Plans; Plant Appraisal; Risk Assessment; Safety; Right-of-Way Management (R.O.W.), Tree Preservation, and Wildlife Protection.
• I.S.A. Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist, International Society of Arboriculture: 2018-Present
· Expertise in: Municipal tree management, tree inspections, tree root public sidewalks and infrastructure conflict, tree hazards, tree volume needs, employee training and supervision, and tree planting.
• I.S.A. Certified Arborist Utility Specialist, International Society of Arboriculture: 2018-Present
· Expertise in: Growth rates of trees, pruning systems, pruning cycles, safe work practices in and near energized conductors, electrical conductivity in trees, tree removal and rigging near conductors, vegetation management in and near conductors, growth regulators, and customer relations.
• Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ), International Society of Arboriculture: February 2013-2017. Requalified 2017-2023. Requalified 2023-2028.
Expertise in: Identification of tree defects, causes of tree failures, determination of target risk exposure, quantification and qualitative of tree risk to targets, determination of impact on targets affected by tree failures, tree failure analysis of weather conditions that are caused by wind, rain, snow, ice, derechos, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
• Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicator 6A, 6C, 8: 1997-Present
• Wildlife Protector Certification, Wildlife Training Institute: 2014-Present
• Master Nursery Landscape Technician, Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA): Columbus, OH, 2005-Present
· Expertise in three areas of specialization: Core basics of plant science, Garden Center Management, Plant Grower and Landscape operations, and management. Once a person successfully obtains all three specializations, they are granted the Master Technician status.
• MArbor: designated by the Arboricultural Association, United Kingdom. 2018-Present; MArborA is the second-highest arboricultural designation in the United Kingdom.
• Registered Consulting Arborist #706, American Society of Consulting Arborist: 2020-Present
· Expertise in higher skills in technical areas related to trees and tree care, providing objective, independent opinions, with training for higher communication, presentation, and report writing skills.
• Sky Warn Weather Spotter Training Certification: National Weather Service, 2019-Present
Publications
- Peer-reviewed “Read the Label”. Written by Ronald Rothus. Trees4Ohio.org. July 2024.
- Co-Authored Spotted Latternfly.org.December.2023.
- Peer-reviewed “Turkish Filbert” Written by Drew Todd. Trees4Ohio.org. January 2024.
- Late Fall Is A Great Time To Check Your Trees for Fungi.org. October 2023.
- Osage Orange. org (Peer-reviewed). October 2023
- (Peer reviewed) Kentucky Coffee Tree. Trees4Ohio.org.July 2023
- (Peer-reviewed). How and Why to Hire an Arborist. Ohio State University Extension Bulletin. June.2023
- “Sample Ohio Tree Planting Specifications.” Co-authored with committee member Tree Planting Ohio Chapter ISA. May 2023
- “Good Bugs Bad Bugs.” org. Ohio Chapter ISA. April 2023
- Ohio Tree Planting Guide Ohio Chapter ISA. November 2022
- “Save the Tree ~ See the Benefits.” org. October 2022
- Garden Talk Newsletter. (Authored Numerous Newsletters) WHIO Radio 1997-2001
- “Good Bugs v Bad Bugs.”org. August 2022.
- “What is a Registered Consulting Arborist.” American Society of Consulting Arborist. May 2022.
- Ohio Green Industry Association Plant Health Care Newsletter volume 6 (Peer-review the document).
- “Oak Wilt Awareness” Trees4ohio.org. January. 2022.
- “Tree Benefits Worksheet Poster”. Trees4ohio.org. December. 2021.
- “Be Thankful that you can still plant a tree”. Trees4Ohio.org. November 2021.
- “Overcup Oak”. Tree of the Month. Trees4Ohio.org. September 2021.
- “Leave the Leaves be”. Trees4Ohio.org. September 2021.
- “Benefits of Removing Invasive Plants”. June. 2021.Trees4Ohio.org.
- “Ohio Tree Selection Using Soil pH and Drainage Data”. Buckeye Arborist. July/August 2021.
- “Soil Amendments when Planting Trees”. May.2021.Trees4Ohio.org.
- “Invasive Plants In Ohio.”, org. April 2020.
- “Spectral Reflectance, Tree Risk Analysis, and Management.”, New England Arborist. February 2021.
- “Tree Hazard Identification Flyer.”, Rimkus Consulting. January 2021.
- “Fruit Tree & Shade Tree Training.”, org. January 2021.
- “Tree Abnormalities Identification, Formation, Biology and Nomenclature.”, CEU’s For Arborist, Buckeye Arborist. January February 2021.
- “Paw.”, org. January 2021.
- “Dormant Pruning.”, org. January 2021.
- “American Sweetgum.”, org. December 2020.
- “Broadleaf Weed Control Products and Tree Injury.”, Buckeye Arborist. September/October 2020.
- “Properly Watering of Trees.”, org. July 2020.
- “Dangers of Do-it-Yourself Tree Pruning and Removals.”, org. May 2020.
- “Flowering Dogwoods.”, org May 2020.
- “Flowering Cherry’s.”, trees4Ohio.org. April 2020.
- “Spectral Reflectance, Tree Risk Analysis, and Management.”, Buckeye Arborist, vol. 51, number 2, March/April 2020
- “Swamp White Oak.”, trees4Ohio.org, March.2020.
- “Plan to Plant for Success.”, Ohio Chapter I.S.A., February 2020.
- “Bald Cypress.”, trees4ohio.org, December 1999.
- “Nootka Falsecypress or the Alaska Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis).”, trees4ohio.org, January 2020.
- “Increase Your Client Base-Takes Less than 5 Minutes.”, Buckeye Arborist, November/December 2019.
- “Sawtooth Oak.”, trees4ohio.org, November 2019.
- “Northern Red Oak.”, trees4ohio.org, October 2019.
- “Shellbark Hickory.”, trees4ohio.org, September 2019.
- Memorial Day Tornado’s Tree Damage: “Lessons Learned”, Buckeye Arborist, page 13, volume 50, no. 4, July/August 2019. Republished in the New England Arborist. April 2020. Republished in the New England Chapter I.S.A. Quarterly Newsletter. Spring 2020. Republish Arborist News. June/July 2020.
- “Tree of the Month-Tennessee Pink Flowering Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Tennessee Pink’)”, trees4ohio.org, July 2019.
- “Trees Are Cool! Press Release.”, trees4ohio.org, July 2019.
- “Tree of the Month-Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra).”, trees4ohio.org, June 2019.
- “Tree Root Damage from Lawn Mowers ‘Don’t Create a Tree Hazard.” Ohio Chapter I.S.A., press release for treesforohio.com, May 2019.
- “Can Trees Survive 185 mph Winds: Hurricane Irma & Maria Survivor Trees and Lessons Learned.”, Buckeye Arborist, Volume 49, Number 3, May/June 2018 (Republished Western Arborist August 2018), Republished as continuing education units for Certified Arborist Seminars for Municipal Arborist.
- “How Forest Forensics Could Prevent the Theft of Ancient Trees.”, Smithsonian.com, September 2017.
- “The Bark of a Tree, “The Great Protector and Resource.”, Shade Tree Notes, New York State Arborists, Winter 2017. Republished by Citygreen Australia, February 2017. Republished January 2018 at gibneyce.com as a continuing education unit for Certified Arborist.
- “Hand Saws” Finding the Right Cut, Tree Tech Bytes, Buckeye Arborist, Volume 47, Number 5, September/October 2016.
- “Improving Root Distribution in Nursery Trees.”, Western Arborist, Volume 42, Number 2, Summer 2016. Republished by Citygreen Australia, October 2016.
- “The 4 Steps to Training Tree Roots in the Right Direction.”, Shade Tree Notes, New York State Arborists, Summer 2016.
- “Electronic pH Testers.”, Tree Tech Bytes, Buckeye Arborist, Volume 47, No. 3, May/June 2016.
- “Swamp White Oak “The Adaptable and Long-Lived Urban Tree.”, Ohio Cemetery Association, Volume 6, Issue 2, April 2016.
- From the Ground Up “How to Protect Trees During Construction, Parks and Recreational Business”, March 2016.
- “How Healthy is my Tree? A Measure of Carbohydrate Storage,”, Buckeye Arborist, January/February 2016.
- “The Lovely Larches of Woodland.”, Woodland Wire, August 1, 2014, Republished by the Ohio Cemetery Association, January 2016.
- “Tree Herbicide Injury “How to Recognize and Prevent It.”, Buckeye Arborist, Volume 46, No. 6, November/December 2015.
- “Guide for Successful Pruning of Evergreen Trees.”, Buckeye Arborist, September/October 2015.
- “Diagnosis of Plant Decline and Death “What is the primary/root cause: abiotic vs. biotic?”, Buckeye Arborist, July/August 2015.
- “A Protocol in Foliar Analysis, “An Arborist’s Best Practices in Nutrient Management.”, Buckeye Arborist, May/June 2015.
- “Don’t Fertilize Without a Soil Test: “A Protocol on Soil Sampling.”, Buckeye Arborist, March/April 2015.
- “Vertical Mulching of Trees, “Giving Tree Roots a Breath of Fresh Air.”, Ohio Cemetery Association Journal, January 2015.
- “Fall Arrest Compliant Standards Beyond ANSI Z133.”, Buckeye Arborist, January-February 2015.
- “The Big Burr or Bur of Oak Trees.”, Buckeye Arborist, January-February 2015.
- Seeing what a Tree is REALLY telling you, “Stress Detection Glasses.”, The Buckeye Arborist, November/December 2014.
- “Cucumber Magnolia.”, Woodland Wire, October 2014.
- “Will that tree hit my house?”, The Buckeye Arborist, September/October 2014.
- “The Lovely Larches of Woodland.”, Woodland Wire, August 1, 2014.
- “How and when do you advise a client to water?”, Ohio Chapter I.S.A., July 2014.
- “Raging Redbuds,”, Woodland Wire, May 2014.
- “Tree Tech Bytes Editor for The Buckeye Arborist.”, 2014-2019.
- “Raging Redbuds Article.”, Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, 2014.
- “Dogwoods of Woodland Article.”, Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, 2014.
- At Home-Sophisticated Living in Southwest Ohio, “Finding the Perfect Tree.”, October-November 2012.
- At Home-Sophisticated Living in Southwest Ohio, “Don’t Let Your Tree Become a Thing of the Past.”, July-August 2012.
- At Home-Sophisticated Living in Southwest Ohio, “Marvelous Maples.”, May-June 2012.
- Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center Yearly Report, Value of Ohio Agricultural Research in Fight against Emerald Ash Bore 2012.
- “Mycorrhizae – Are They Right for Me?”, Co-Author with Dr. Mike Amaranthas, 2002.