Seven years...

[TMW]

I still find it hard to believe that it has been seven years. Very few days go by that I dont remember him, think about him, think about something that he taught me.

I think that the most significant thing that he taught me was the tree is a "system."

He also made me question everything that I saw, everything that others said was true about trees.

I just wanted to take the time to remember you, publicly, today Alex. I wanted to thank you for all that you did for us as a profession as well as all that you taught us.

I also would like to challenge all of the other "Buzzers" out there to remember, and share what Dr. Shigo did for, or meant to you.

Gone but not forgotten...

Tim

 

[Gerald_Beranek]

Thanks for the reminder, Tim. I never knew the man personally but admired his insight and research immensely.

Hoo Ra

 

[rfwoodvt]

Seems just like yesterday when I heard the news.

 

[MisterSir]

I had the honor and privilege of attending his 3-day workshop at Appalachian State University in November 1994. In addition to the almost overwhelming body of knowledge gained during that time with him, he also entertained us in the evenings with story and song on the clarinet, including "Happy Birthday" to me.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

My first memories of Alex are all kind of muddled together. He spoke at Arbor Age Expo and then at many TCIA Expo's too. The room was always packed. During his early presentations there would be some short but lively Q&A sessions too. At his booth they were even more lively.

A buddy of mine had a great observation about how the profession accepted Modern Arborculture from Alex. Instantly climbers tossed aside the paint pots! Wooeeee! No more mess...this guy is great...we like what he says...

Then, reality set in. Not painting wounds was the smallest part of Modern Arborculture. Now we actually were made responsible for where we made our cuts. We couldn't be sloppy anymore. That is, if we were going to be total Modern Arborists. Of course, too many, at least at first, claimed to make the changes by only stopping painting. After a while the conversion was overwhelming.

The trees, and arborists too, have benefited from Alex's teaching. I learned where to make my cuts, how many cuts to make [less and less over the years] and to start to think in Tree Time.

Alex's face, wonderful face too , is in George Washington's position in my personal Mt. Rushmore of influences on me as an arborist.

 

[pigwot]

I was impressed at what a kind-hearted, calm presence Alex was... never fire and brimstone preachy. Heard him speak at Longwood Gardens in 1987 and afterward a group of about ten of us stayed and talked for a long time. His passion for trees was infectious, and I remember feeling a great thirst for really understanding how trees grow and 'work'.

Every time I look through my handwritten notes from his talks I can remember that feeling of discovery. At that first lecture he signed one of the books I purchased (Tree Biology and Tree Care, A Photo Guide 1987) in his typical manner, with the inscription (photo attached):

"Touch Trees
Alex L. Shigo"

I think seeing that inscription, and hearing him speak with such passion and knowledge made me aware of why I loved trees so much. My whole life I had been climbing trees since I was about 5 years old, and I realized that trees had been 'touching my heart'. His admonishment to "Touch Trees" made sense.. to understand them and gently touch them back... Tree Care, with the emphasis on 'care'.

 

[chris_girard]

Tim, I still remember that day with Alex, you, Kevin Smith, Mary and a few others down at the Sugar Shack for one of Alex's last talks...very special time.

 

[KTSmith]

Thanks Tim for the reminder and Chris for your thoughts... everybody elses' as well.

This past Friday, I was presenting at a Britton Fund (an offshoot of the Western Chapter, ISA) tree research event. The anniversay was on my mind, to be sure.

The challenge is to keep the clearly true parts of Al's message out there. I see all sorts of misplaced techniques coming back around: crown roundovers, topping, blind prescriptions without diagnosis leading to malpractice, etc. The galling thing is that some of these folks invoke Alex's name as a talisman to support stuff that he would decry.

No, he didn't have all of the answers. My own views continue to evolve, I'm learning every day. That's what "Touch Trees" was all about, to validate or discard our preconceptions in the light of experience and experiment.