From the NJDEP:
A Certified Tree Expert (CTE) [Now known as a Licensed Tree Expert] is a person who has been examined and proven to be competent in the science and art of diagnosing, treating and preventing tree injuries. These professionals demonstrate high ethical and moral standards in the practice of tree care and are certified by the Board of Tree Experts. CTEs produce correct, long-term management techniques required in the science of tree care.
In 2010, the Tree Experts & Tree Care Operators Licensing Act was passed in the State of New Jersey to protect the public and make the tree industry safer. Under these new rules, CTEs are now known as Licensed Tree Experts. On Monday April 17, 2017, the new rules were adopted and approved on the New Jersey Register and a full Implementation of the new law is now in place.
While many unscrupulous tree companies continue to operate without these official designations, placing you, your home, and their businesses at risk, as a Licensed Tree Expert, Mike Virgil, owner of Precision Tree & Landscape LLC, continues to uphold the highest levels of certification in the field of tree care.