I didn’t see myself being an arborist in college. At that point, I didn’t know an Oak from a Birch or any other deciduous tree. A bumper sticker on an older pickup introduced me to the profession. That bumper sticker and the subsequent Google searching led me to a part-time job at a tree service where I found the hands-on experience and fast-paced environment an inspiring mix of challenging, rewarding, and valuable. Tree biology alone is fascinating, not to mention climbing, forestry equipment, soil science, or tree health care. 

I took a special interest in climbing and rigging. Dismantling entire trees, all their looming limbs and diverging leads, with nothing but a few bags of gear is very, very cool. As impressive as big removals are, I find the technical difficulty and aesthetic nature of trimming to be my favorite part of the job.