MAA Committee Opportunities

About MAA | Member Benefits | Quarterly Newsletter

The Massachusetts Arborists Association (MAA) is a professional trade organization that serves the commercial arboriculture industry. The MAA advances the goals of its members through education, certification, networking, advocacy, research support, and promotion of the value of arboriculture to the public.

The Massachusetts Arborist Association is a member-driven organization which relies on its member volunteers. There are plenty of opportunities for MAA members to get involved. Take a look at the following list and if you’re interested in volunteering, contact the MAA at info@MassArbor.org.

Arbor Day
What we do:
Provide a meaningful, annual experience for members, celebrate the spirit of Arbor Day, and give back to the local community.

How we do it:
The committee solicits member input and makes recommendations as to sites for the MAA’s annual Arbor Day celebration. Working closely with the management team and other volunteers, the committee is responsible for oversight of the event including promotion, logistics, volunteer coordination, and follow up. The committee meets approximately 5 times per year, typically at the host site.

Education
What we do:
Provide educational programs, based on current and projected trends and issues in the tree care industry that meet the educational, training and networking needs of the MAA membership. The committee is responsible for offering input and suggestions on coordination, promotion, and execution of educational programs.

How we do it:
The Education committee makes recommendations for programming at dinner meetings and special seminars. They serve as a liaison with speakers and assist the management team with preparations for the meeting. The committee meets about 3 times per year for 3 hours at a time. Attendance at MAA educational events is strongly encouraged.

New England Grows
What we do:
Represent the MAA’s best interest in the implementation of New England Grows, a green industry conference and exposition held annually in Boston, MA.

How we do it:
As one of four partner organizations, the MAA has one voting seat on the New England Grows Board of Directors. Additionally, the MAA has two voting seats on the New England Grows education committee. The Board of Directors meets approximately 6 times a year for 4 hours at a time and board members fully participate in the execution of the conference in February every year. The education committee meets twice a year, for 4-5 hours at a time, and members serve as speaker liaisons during the course of the three-day event.

Green Industry Alliance/Advocacy
What we do:
Responsible for oversight of the MAA’s political relations and awareness activities. Members of the committee advise and establish the MAA’s position on legislation and regulatory activities, in conjunction with other members of the Green Industry Alliance (GIA) members and its legislative agent.

How we do it:
Members of the GIA committee are occasionally called upon to meet with legislators and regulators. There is one representative to the GIA and, ideally, one alternate. The other members of the GIA include representatives from the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals (MLP), Massachusetts Association of Lawn Care Professionals (MALCP), New England Pest Management Association (NEPMA), Irrigation Association of New England (IANE), and Golf Course Superintendents Associations of New England (GCSANE). The GIA meets about 6 times a year for about 2 hours at a time, unless pending legislative action requires additional activity.

MCA Examining Committee
What we do:
The Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA) program is a voluntary certification program provided by the MAA. There are approximately 650 MCAs who are currently certified. The committee responsibility is to improve the quality of the arboriculture industry in Massachusetts through evaluation of tree care professionals’ core competencies. This is accomplished through oversight of MCA study material, examinations, and recertification.

How we do it:
Certification committee members write, administer, proctor and correct exams; help conduct training seminars; review and update study material; and oversee the recertification system. There are 8 committee members and committee members are required to be current MCAs. In addition to two exams per year, the committee meets 4 –5 times annually for approximately 3 hours at a time.

Membership
What we do:
Oversee the organization’s membership experiences including recruitment, retention, networking, and recognition.

How we do it:
The committee evaluates member benefits and services; as well as recruitment opportunities and delivery options. It monitors membership statistics and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors about dues levels on an “as needed” basis. The committee meets about 4 times a year for 2 hours at a time.

Safety Saves
What we do:
Increase safety awareness and provide safety programs, based on “best practices” in the tree care industry that meet the safety training needs of the MAA membership. The committee is responsible for offering input and suggestions on coordination, promotion, and execution of all Safety Saves programs. They also provide input and direction to the MAA’s designated ANSI Z-133 representative.

How we do it:
The Safety Saves committee makes recommendations for programming at pre-dinner meeting seminars, as well as other safety awareness activities. They serve as a liaison with speakers and assist the management team with preparations for the meeting. The committee meets about 3 times per year for 3 hours at a time. Attendance at MAA Safety Saves events is strongly encouraged.

Strategic Association Focus
What we do:
Provide overall, visible leadership to the industry and the MAA, ensuring that the MAA’s activities reinforce the organization’s Strategic Framework, including its mission, vision, long and short-term goals.

How we do it:
Regularly revisit, re-examine, and re-assess the strategic goals and mission of the organization. Initiate discussion at Board of Directors meetings, identify emerging trends, explore beneficial alliances, and actively recruit future leaders.

Student Outreach
What we do:
The committee’s focus is to develop ways and implement means to educate students about the importance of trees and to attract individuals into the field of commercial arboriculture as a career.

How we do it:
The committee maintains close contact with the career guidance office of Massachusetts vocational schools, high schools and middle schools. They also communicate regularly and work in concert with Stockbridge and UMass. The committee is also responsible for overseeing the MAA’s annual scholarship awards program. They evaluate and select appropriate applicants for various scholarship funds available through the MAA. Committee members volunteer their time to participate in and assist with curriculum development, career fairs and mentoring programs. This committee meets about twice a year.