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I'm a little skeptical here. There is nothing on the ISA web site reference this, and it comes from Mailchimp, not from ISA. Time will tell if it is from ISA in a round about way, or if it is just a data collection program.
It would be nice if it is legit.
 
ghostice said:
Feb 28 2023 - Received an email from them this morning with some info on a climber involved in ISA Tree Climbing Comps. Kinda wasn't what I expected frankly. But give some time for it to develop maybe.
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Tim Bushnell is really more than some climber. He's been a pivotal and influential participant in our profession for a long long time. What I got from the story is how adversity changed his career and what he was able to make out of a changed career. Tim is a true professional and one of the most knowledgable people I know. His participation in committees, professional organizations, gear manufacturing standards, TCC's, and standards is pretty impressive. To my knowledge he's not on here but many of the conversations we have on here re: work practices and gear have been touched by him in some aspect or another. I'm not jumping on you but what I have learned about the younger generation (not putting you in that group by any means)is if they haven't heard of them, they assume the person isn't anybody notable. Please know I'm not putting you on blast. I'm just soap boxing and seeing a pattern @Tom Dunlap spoke on about the Z committee comments. I think we are stuck in this loop of instant notoriety based on social media and forums. If you don't get lots of clicks nobody knows you. If nobody knows you then there must not be any benefit to know you or your story.

Maybe it wasn't the greatest story for everyone but I enjoyed it and I would venture to say, anyone who knows Tim or knows of Tim probably enjoyed that little snippet. I can see your point of view from the science of arboriculture. A story about a climber and a comp doesn't really make me a better arborist, or teach me something new about the science and practice. It did potentially drum up some interest in volunteering for comps.

Please don't take this as a hit. I'm just tossing this out there as my opinion.............understanding my opinion really doesn't matter anyway. Just tossing an alternative perspective and background on the story.
 
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Steve Connally said:
Tim Bushnell is really more than some climber. He's been a pivotal and influential participant in our profession for a long long time. What I got from the story is how adversity changed his career and what he was able to make out of a changed career. Tim is a true professional and one of the most knowledgable people I know. His participation in committees, professional organizations, gear manufacturing standards, TCC's, and standards is pretty impressive. To my knowledge he's not on here but many of the conversations we have on here re: work practices and gear have been touched by him in some aspect or another. I'm not jumping on you but what I have learned about the younger generation (not putting you in that group by any means)is if they haven't heard of them, they assume the person isn't anybody notable. Please know I'm not putting you on blast. I'm just soap boxing and seeing a pattern @Tom Dunlap spoke on about the Z committee comments. I think we are stuck in this loop of instant notoriety based on social media and forums. If you don't get lots of clicks nobody knows you. If nobody knows you then there must not be any benefit to know you or your story.

Maybe it wasn't the greatest story for everyone but I enjoyed it and I would venture to say, anyone who knows Tim or knows of Tim probably enjoyed that little snippet. I can see your point of view from the science of arboriculture. A story about a climber and a comp doesn't really make me a better arborist, or teach me something new about the science and practice. It did potentially drum up some interest in volunteering for comps.

Please don't take this as a hit. I'm just tossing this out there as my opinion.............understanding my opinion really doesn't matter anyway. Just tossing an alternative perspective and background on the story.
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X2
 
Steve Connally said:
Tim Bushnell is really more than some climber. He's been a pivotal and influential participant in our profession for a long long time. What I got from the story is how adversity changed his career and what he was able to make out of a changed career. Tim is a true professional and one of the most knowledgable people I know. His participation in committees, professional organizations, gear manufacturing standards, TCC's, and standards is pretty impressive. To my knowledge he's not on here but many of the conversations we have on here re: work practices and gear have been touched by him in some aspect or another. I'm not jumping on you but what I have learned about the younger generation (not putting you in that group by any means)is if they haven't heard of them, they assume the person isn't anybody notable. Please know I'm not putting you on blast. I'm just soap boxing and seeing a pattern @Tom Dunlap spoke on about the Z committee comments. I think we are stuck in this loop of instant notoriety based on social media and forums. If you don't get lots of clicks nobody knows you. If nobody knows you then there must not be any benefit to know you or your story.

Maybe it wasn't the greatest story for everyone but I enjoyed it and I would venture to say, anyone who knows Tim or knows of Tim probably enjoyed that little snippet. I can see your point of view from the science of arboriculture. A story about a climber and a comp doesn't really make me a better arborist, or teach me something new about the science and practice. It did potentially drum up some interest in volunteering for comps.

Please don't take this as a hit. I'm just tossing this out there as my opinion.............understanding my opinion really doesn't matter anyway. Just tossing an alternative perspective and background on the story.
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Steve, I would like to read the article about Tim Bushnell. Is it possible to share it here? Thanks.
 
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Staying Connected to Climbing​


Earlier this year, Tim Bushnell pulled up the waistband of his harness and competed in The Legends Tree Climbing Competition in Florida. Although he's a little embarrassed he didn't do as well as he wanted, he's happy because it helps him stay connected with climbing.

"Judging [a tree climbing competition is a different story than competing," said Bushnell. "You can't replace that feeling of when the clock is going, the judge has their clipboard and you're the one climbing. The experience allows me, when I'm back with the clipboard, to relate with the competitors, and that helps me with my decision-making, compassion, and empathy for the climbers."
While The Legends competition isn’t an ISA affiliated tree climbing competition, it was held in Florida and the event features climbers over the age of 40 showing off their skills and teaching the younger generation of arborists; however, this isn't Bushnell's first time being on the competitor side of the competition. Earlier in his career, Bushnell competed in the ISA Mid-Atlantic Chapter tree climbing competitions and won all the events one year or another.

It was during this time that Bushnell met and competed against Scott Prophet. "I used to compete against Scott in the Mid-Atlantic Chapter," Bushnell said. "We were friendly, but he was more advanced than I was in my technique, and he shared some of his technique and equipment with me." Unfortunately, Bushnell was forced to take a break from climbing due to an accident that ended his production career; however, his accident didn't deter him from finding other ways to stay connected to climbing, and through his relationship with Prophet, he began volunteering at tree climbing competitions and other events.

"Scott got involved with the International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC) and our relationship from competing with one another resulted in an invitation," Bushnell said. "So, I started doing whatever they needed me to do—running stopwatches, cleaning trash bins, or getting coffee—and over time I built trust and worked my way up the ladder."

Bushnell eventually worked his way up to Head Technician for the ITCC. The 2006 Minneapolis ITCC was the first time he served as the Head Technician.
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"It was nerve-racking, but I'm very glad that I accepted that role and went through it because I became a much better individual for it," he said.

Bushnell said the most nerve-racking part of his first ITCC was gear check. He was fortunate that he had a great team to support him, but he recalls spending a lot of time studying different manufacturers' user instructions. He spent hours reviewing how different equipment is supposed to be used, how it's not supposed to be used, what equipment it's compatible with and what are the appropriate ropes for the equipment.

Knowing he put in the work reassured Bushnell on the day of the inspection. Further, he knew that if he didn't know the answer, he was okay with that because he knew he couldn't have all the answers. He could rely on his team or get in touch with the manufacturer and then decide whether the equipment was appropriate.

Looking back over his time as the Head Technician, Bushnell noted that the Gear Check didn't have as many processes and procedures as it has today, and it was because of this that the approval process for equipment and techniques was more informal. "I wanted to tighten that up," he said. So he began asking competitors for manufacturer specifications to see if it was approved for tree climbing.
"If we didn't have the information or enough data to approve it for use, we'd fall back and say no," he said. "I think over time the climbers started to realize they've got to bring the information so will be comfortable saying yes."

Today, Bushnell is an ISA Certified Arborist® and works as an Arborist Skills Specialist for The Davey Tree Expert Company. He spends most of his days training people how to not only climb trees but how to teach other people to climb trees as well."

"My involvement with any tree climbing competition, first as a competitor and then as a volunteer, really helped to steer my career and opened so many opportunities," Bushnell said. "Through the tree competitions, I advanced in the direction I wanted to which was staying close to the climbing, equipment, and climbers. I couldn't have done it nearly as enjoyably or progressed as far in my career without the tree climbing competitions."

Although he no longer volunteers as the Head Technician for ITCC, Bushnell is still involved in tree climbing competitions.

"I still judge at local competitions, but I allow space for the younger group of climbers to come in and fill the vacuum left by myself and other former volunteers," he said. "We still like to be there if they have some questions or to just help out."
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Bushnell said that if a climber wants to be successful, they should learn the rules and get familiar with the scoresheet.

"There's a whole bucket of points out there you're trying to collect and what you do on the job site in your everyday work is not necessarily the same thing you'll do in the competition," he said. "We've done a nice job trying to connect the competition with the everyday job site, but it's still different. Go to the score sheet, that's the easiest place to look and see where you can get points and what penalties will cost you points. Lastly, above all else, build camaraderie. Talk to the other competitors, judges, and techs. Build those relationships because that's the best thing to come out of the competition."
 
"He spent hours reviewing how different equipment is supposed to be used, how it's not supposed to be used, what equipment it's compatible with and what are the appropriate ropes for the equipment."

I'm glad someone is able to make sense of all those little pictographs that come with climbing equipment. I gave up long ago.
 
JCB said:
"He spent hours reviewing how different equipment is supposed to be used, how it's not supposed to be used, what equipment it's compatible with and what are the appropriate ropes for the equipment."

I'm glad someone is able to make sense of all those little pictographs that come with climbing equipment. I gave up long ago.
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He's an encyclopedia on gear and compatibility. Spent many years as the Technical Expert at Sherrill
 
Steve Connally said:
Tim Bushnell is really more than some climber. He's been a pivotal and influential participant in our profession for a long long time.
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I worked with Tim during his many years at Sherrill and he's an awesome guy. I worked closely with him on the catalog where he'd review it and give me a spreadsheet full of notes. He knows his stuff and genuinely cares about safety.
 
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