TCI Magazine Audio Edition

BY BRIAN BRUCE As the sun set on another late September day, more than 4,000 volunteers and participants completed the ninth-annual Saluting Branches Day of Service. With nearly $4 million in services contributed across a staggering 100 locations spanning 49 states, Puerto Rico and even extending into Mexico, Saluting Branches’ 2023 event once again proved that the power of unity, service and resp...

BY PAT TURLEY Safety isn’t always sexy. It’s true. In your role as an advanced tree care professional, your attention is easily pulled away by new equipment or that next project pursuit. And safety initiatives – especially ones that feel comprehensive and time consuming to implement – can easily take a backseat to more lucrative and low-hanging fruit. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI...

BY TAMSIN VENN Mike Earl, owner of Old Growth Tree Service LLC, an eight-year TCIA member company based in Eagle, Colorado, says he loves the Registered Arborist Apprenticeship Program. His first arborist apprentice, Ryan Mack, will soon complete his U. S. Department of Labor (USDOL) journeyworker certificate. Based on that success, Earl has another apprentice lined up and plans further expansion...

BY EMILY BOWMAN, SAM HILL, BOB ROUSE  and TIM BUSHNELL, CTSP In the world of tree care and arboriculture, the ANSI A300 standards have long been regarded as the gold standard for industry practices. This collection of 10 standards, which covers various aspects of tree care, has provided essential guidelines to arborists, urban foresters, horticulturists and landscape architects and contractors for...

BY ANTHONY TRESSELT, CTSP Regardless of the increase in mechanization on the production- arborist job site, many tasks still require the fundamental equipment of rope, harness, connecting link, mechanical aids and other various pieces of climbing and rigging equipment. As such, basic equipment inspection is still a prerequisite skill for arborists working in the field. As with many fundamental ski...

By John Ball, Ph. D., BCMA, CTSP Electricity is such an integral part of our daily lives that we take it for granted. We flip the switch on the wall, and the lights come on. We give no thought about where it came from or how. But to safely work around overhead power lines, it is essential that arborists understand the basics of our electric power system. Remember to get your free subscription to T...

BY DAVID RATTIGAN “This is a monumental thing we’ve pulled off,” says Shipp, senior vice president with Hub International Insurance, a 27-year TCIA corporate member company based in Santa Barbara, California. “I’m so excited about it. It’s been open for a year-and-a-half, and we’ve got 13 members. We’ve got a tremendous amount of wind in our sails. All the services we’re providing are around risk...

BY JOSH LEONARD On August 31, 2023, TCIA hosted a congressional site visit together with Gilford, New  Hampshire-based member ArborTech at the company’s headquarters.  ArborTech is a 10-year TCIA member company with dual TCIA Accreditations for residential and commercial as well as Utility Contractor operations. Taking place during the August congressional recess, the event emphasized the importan...

BY TAMSIN VENN The CTSP training teaches methods intended to help arborists and company owners develop and nurture a culture that fosters a safe work environment at their companies. Bogus notes that having some formal methods in place is preferable to relying solely on previous experience or “just doing one’s best.” Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY BRIAN FAIN As an insurance advisor to the tree care and landscape industries, I often receive calls from my clients in regard to using a neighbor’s yard to access their client’s property. Unfortunately, the call is usually reactive and a little too late.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP Most arborists are aware of the Z133 American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations – Safety Requirements. This standard is our road map for safely navigating through the numerous hazards associated with arboricultural operations. It is a living standard, one that is periodically reviewed and updated as our gear evolves and our knowledge of the work and ri...

By Mark Chisholm, CTSP There is nothing more difficult and exhilarating than being challenged to remove a tree that doesn’t fit the norm. The biggest risk I see with this proposition would be not giving the situation the level of thought, creativity and focus it requires.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Michael J. Raupp, Ph. D.   Last year was the fifth hottest year in recorded history. This year followed suit, with June, July and August of 2023 being the hottest months ever recorded globally, according to the European Union Climate Change Service.  In this article, we explore direct and indirect effects of global warming on insect and mite pests of trees and shrubs.  Remember to get your free...

Here comes TCI EXPO ’23, the ultimate trade-show experience that will immerse you in every aspect of the tree care industry. Whether you’re a seasoned industry professional or a newcomer looking to network, learn and explore the latest trends, TCI EXPO has something for everyone.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Josh Ulman  Environmental initiatives have long been a focal point for the state of California. Leveraging its unique position under the Clean Air Act, which allows the state to request a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement emissions regulations exceeding federal standards, California continues to push ambitious environmental policy. Remember to get your free subs...

By David M. Anderson, CTSP  As busy professionals, we all have way too much to do every day. Selling work, scheduling work, managing our people, etc. Sometimes we are busy being busy. How do we make time to engage our employees?  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Renee Bissett  From its modest origins in Minnesota, Saluting Branches has grown into a nationwide movement that celebrates our fallen servicemen and women. Created by Rainbow Treecare, an accredited, 35-year TCIA member company, this annual Saluting Branches Day of Service now extends its reach far beyond its initial boundaries.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicki...

By Mike Sisti One of the questions I’m most commonly asked when visiting with small-business owners is, “What marketing should I do to grow my business?” For starters, it’s important to understand what the term “marketing” really means. It also is important to understand the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by cli...

By Fred Rose  The quiet tranquility of a coastal Sunday afternoon in Virginia Beach, Virgina, was shattered on April 30, 2023, when an EF3 tornado swept through the region, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By David M. Anderson  “Tim had a good business and managed to stay busy, but he had no health  insurance and almost no retirement savings,” says the author. “I was too young to truly understand what that meant.”  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Patricial Chaudoin When TCI Magazine first wrote about Cumberland Valley in 2013, the company had 30 employees. A decade later, they have 85 full-time, year-round employees. "When we hit the growing-pains size of our company, we realized we needed everything TCIA offers to help us," says George Pogue, co-owner with his wife Lisa.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine...

 "Normally, someone doesn't come to me out of the blue and say, 'I want to borrow a million dollars.'" In tree care, loan money buys equipment that can create a stronger business. Our experts share tips on getting the loan to match your vision.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Anthony Tresselt, CTSP As arborists, it is our job to make sure the interface of trees and our society, with all its infrastructure, is functional, and that trees and our society coexist. Mother Nature often stresses this relationship! When storms hit, arborists must clean up the mess and repair the trees that are left. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By David Rattigan This is the first article in a planned series on pricing and getting paid for storm-related tree work. As anyone who does emergency storm response knows, it’s rewarding work, but it comes with costs. As Dustin Meyers learned, with storm work, sometimes it can be tough to get paid what you’re worth. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By Don Staruk We spoke to Merritt as he was driving into Lahaina on the morning of August 21, 13 days after wildfires burned through the town and the same day President Biden was to visit the island to see the damage firsthand.   Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .