Have we lost our way?

[mrtree]

When I read definitions of Arboriculture and Arborist it is always stated about the care and cultivation of trees. I wonder if as an industry (not individuals) if we have become far too concerned with removals and pruning as opposed to "caring" for trees. In my area arborists and tree services are all about removals and most people call a landscaper to care for anything growing.

Do we as an industry need to move away from the big toys and towards a more biological based product of growing trees?

 

[sean_freeman]

Yes I think so, but I also think we face a dilema, our clients often want to see a result for their investment, even the ones into whom we have poured hours of advice and education about PHC, the importance of total care for the tree as an organism, the single most important element...the soil, and the living biota in it.

Even these clients crave the satisfaction of hearing the roar of the big saws and the movement of many men and women on the ground working up a sweat, a climber doing high altitude yoga ith a chainsaw.

The fact that often the best action for their trees is not the use of a saw, but one person with some soil improving solution in a watering can!!! Now thats can be a hard pill to swallow.

The diference between percieved risk in trees, and actual assessed risk in relation to actual targets from trees is one that many clients just cannot or will not grasp. Let alone make the comparison with the very real (much greater) non tree related risks they happily accept as part of their daily lives.

 

[fastlil1]

I think there is a different way of looking at it. Yes, most "tree care" companies do put a lot of emphasis on pruning and removals, but I think that is mostly due to that is what the costumers preceive to be what tree care companies do. Many of these tree care companies do have the certificates and capability of doing the other care tequnices, they simply are not the ones that get the call when it is time for that to happen. IMO The industry is following the jobs/money. We do what we get called to do, regardless of the advise we give and what not.
As a side note, and maybe worthy of it's own thread...
I think there are many worthy landscapers who do very good things for trees, and may warrent being called an arborists, or atleast considered on the same feild of expertise.

 

[treehumper]

Maybe we should spend more time selling our arboricultural services to Landscapers so they can concentrate on herbacious plants and lawncare. Many would be glad of it.

As for perceived risk, we live in a zero tolerance society. With very few immediate dangers in our lives there is a tendency to find them and mitigate them. It's often only the desire for feeling in control then anything else.

 

[guymayor]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe we should spend more time selling our arboricultural services to Landscapers.

[/ QUOTE ]This is the way to go. Yesterday I taught tree planting at a landscaper's field day. Got lots of interest on subbing for them, and doing training sessions for some big companies. Landscapers and planners are the 2 audiences we need to work with if our profession is to take its rightful place.

We have not lost our way; we have yet to find it.