Tree Work As A Trade

“Where do you go to learn to cut trees?”

This question requires context to answer correctly.

If the question refers to standing on the ground and cutting a whole tree down (Felling a tree) it’s something a lot of people learn from a friend or family member. Small and simple trees may need little more than this quick tutorial to manage safely. More complex situations can be instructed by professional loggers, the US Forest Service, or a forestry program at a school.

If the question refers to climbing into and through a tree’s canopy, understanding the characteristics of the tree’s species and how to prune it, knowing the techniques of rigging material from the tree safely, and how to diagnose struggling and hazardous trees the answer is a little more muddled.

There are few options for learning the mix of skills a climbing arborist needs all in one place. Some large companies offer apprentice programs and some colleges have programs that cover a large number of these skills, but most people approaching this as a trade skill are forced to gather skills from a variety of sources.

Our team of skilled arborist have gathered education and experience from a large variety of places:

US Forest Service Training

Working for large tree companies with training programs

Dad and Grandpa

Formal classes from industry education groups

Informal classes from skilled arborists

Years of practice

College classes

Information sessions from industry suppliers

Experience managing conservation projects

Apprenticing under a Master Rope Splicer

Working for a trucking company

Owning previous tree and landscape companies

Apprenticing under a Master Mechanic

YouTube and Instagram videos

Studying for industry certifications

Each of our team members has followed their own unique pathway for accumulating their skills. All of them continue to add to that skill set. Our industry is changing and we will continue to grow and develop along with it.