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Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Mahoning Valley TreeCorps has started the ISA Certified Arborist Exam Prep Training course for Fall 2026. There are 19 students registered for this fall’s course, making it the largest class yet.
The 8-week course prepares local people working in the forestry profession to obtain their professional Arborist certification, a critical credential for career advancement and a necessity to fill local jobs in urban forestry.
The course also helps eliminate barriers by providing paid training after hours in an accessible location and includes sessions taught by experienced Arborists along with weekly study sessions.
Gary Davenport from the Mahoning County Landbank taught the class on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after graduating from YNDC’s class in 2024. He said the Arborist certification is helpful to his workplace because he can advise homeowners on the safety of the trees on their property. Davenport also said nature is a passion of his.
“I like trees. I like natural resources. If you don’t take care of nature, then others will step up to do it, and they will not care for nature the way that you do or appreciate it the way you do. So, we need to step up and protect it the way we need to.”
Over the last two years, YNDC has created 13 certified Arborists in the Mahoning Valley.