Florida's Top 2% of Arborists

At Branch Tree Service, every job is led by Christopher Johnson, an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (ISA #FL-6502BU)—the highest certification the International Society of Arboriculture awards, held by fewer than 2% of arborists nationwide. It's a distinction that separates true experts from general tree-cutting crews, and it's the reason municipalities, property managers, insurers, and attorneys across Brevard County trust us with their most demanding work.

Backed by more than 66+ years of local experience—Branch Tree Service has served the Space Coast since 1959—Christopher pairs deep knowledge of Florida's live oaks, palms, coastal conditions, and hurricane realities with credentials that qualify us for contracts many companies can't even bid on.

Credentials & Certifications

Christopher holds a stack of professional certifications that, together, make him one of the most qualified arborists in the region:

  • ISA Board Certified Master Arborist — ISA #FL-6502BU
    The highest level of certification the International Society of Arboriculture offers. The ISA states that fewer than 2% of ISA Certified Arborists hold it, and many municipal and commercial contracts require it to bid.
  • Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)
    The ISA's standardized method for documented, defensible tree-risk evaluation — a two-day course plus written and performance assessment, retrained and retested every seven years.
  • ISA Certified Arborist Utility Specialist
    The ISA specialization for work around energized conductors: line clearance, integrated vegetation management, electrical knowledge and storm response.
  • Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP)
    The Tree Care Industry Association's credential and the industry's only individual safety certification — safety leadership, hazard identification and incident prevention, recertified with 30 CEUs every three years.

What Christopher Actually Does on a Job

The credentials describe qualifications; this is the work they translate into. On a typical assessment he is doing four things at once: identifying the species and reading its structure, looking for the decay, root and load indicators that predict failure, weighing what sits beneath the tree if a part comes down, and deciding whether the correct answer is pruning, cabling, treatment, monitoring, or removal.

That decision then becomes a written record. Because the same person holds the TRAQ qualification, the assessment follows a standardized method an insurer, permit reviewer, HOA board or court can evaluate rather than take on faith. Because he holds the Utility Specialist certification, jobs involving service drops and line clearance stay in house instead of being declined or handed off. Because he holds CTSP, the crew executing it works to ANSI Z133 with the insurance and safety structure that keeps the liability off your property.

The through-line is that one qualified person owns the decision from diagnosis to documentation. See all four credentials and what each required.

Why a Master Arborist Matters for Your Property

Credentials aren't wall decorations—they're requirements for high-value, high-liability work. Many city and county RFPs require a Board Certified Master Arborist on staff just to submit a bid. Insurers demand TRAQ-certified risk documentation. Utility and right-of-way work requires a Certified Utility Specialist. When you hire Branch Tree Service, that expertise signs off on every job—protecting your property, your budget, and your liability exposure.

Consulting & Professional Arborist Services

Beyond crew work, Christopher provides credential-gated professional services that only a Master Arborist can credibly deliver—from tree appraisals and consulting reports to expert witness testimony, TRAQ risk assessments, and urban forestry management plans. Explore them below.