TCI Magazine Audio Edition

Rejuvenation pruning is the aggressive cutting of stalks, or stems, of certain shrubs to the ground in late winter. There is a limited group of plants that consistently respond well to this type of pruning.  Rejuvenation or basal pruning is a great tool to have in the pruning toolbox. Just remember the decision pruning-guide matrix before you prune anything.  Remember to get your free subscription...

Crystal Kappen is majority owner of Kappen Tree Service LLC, a TCIA member company since 1996. As a female majority owner, she was able to secure Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification for Kappen Tree Service, which she says has played a part in securing some of the company’s utility-line-clearance contracts.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

In November 2018, 85 members of the Forest Ranch community and the town of Paradise, California lost their lives in the Camp Fire. Named after Camp Creek Road, its place of origin, the Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. The fire severely impacted some of the P31 Enterprise Inc. crew members, some of whom lost homes, suffered injuries or lost loved on...

"Our company’s team attends at least a couple of TCCs every year, with nearly all of our employees participating as competitors or volunteers. The TCC community has become one of the most critical elements of our company culture. After every TCC they attend, the whole team comes back on fire, beaming with pride for their newfound knowledge, their awards and prizes, and in their improving abil...

Marshall Badeaux grew up in the tree care industry, the son of a company owner. What makes his story different than most legacy stories is that the company owner and primary tree climber was his mother, Betsy. Badeaux started off dragging brush for his mother, but today he operates Charleston Tree Experts, an accredited TCIA member company that runs five tree care crews, two plant-health-care crew...

The cost of your insurance should be based on several factors, including the type of coverage, your location, the value of the property being insured and your business’s past claim history. Somehow, your premiums are always impacted when your claim history is poor, but never seem to truly reflect the positive years.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

In what appears to be a perfect merger of needs, a program in Boston is training people in search of a vocation to work in an industry historically in need of people. PowerCorpsBOS (Power Corps Boston) is currently in its second session of giving job seekers training in arboriculture and urban forestry. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

We may be living in the “Golden Age of Arbor Care!” Both science and technology have advanced to new levels – new tree cultivars and hybrids, and new exotic pests and diseases that keep cropping up. And we are dealing with them all.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

It’s lonely at the top, and it helps for tree care business leaders to have solid branches for support. Enter TCIA’s Peer-to-Peer (P2P) program, the only one of its kind dedicated to the tree industry. It has been on a recent growth trajectory both in the number of participants and the variety of groups available for different income levels. Here is how it works and how you can get involved to hel...

While the first grapple saw debuted only a handful of years ago, an emerging community is growing alongside their popularity. From manufacturers to mechanics to fellow owners, grapple saws are forging strong bonds and community.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

The annual Women in Tree Care (WITC) pre-conference symposium continued its momentum at TCI EXPO ’22. The workshop provided targeted and relevant information to attendees interested in improving both personally and professionally and introduced them to a broad network of contacts to help them do so. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

The annual Women in Tree Care (WITC) pre-conference symposium was held at TCI EXPO ’22. Through the generosity of the event’s sponsors, two attendees received merit scholarships to cover the event and travel expenses. TCI Magazine caught up with the scholarship winners to learn about their experience and their career paths in the tree care industry.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI M...

Why do arborists care about soil? Because it is everything to the trees that are in our care. Proper soil management may take some time to assess and understand, but it is worth it to the trees and their owners. Consider yourself not just an arborist but also a soil manager for urban trees, and make decisions that promote healthy soils that can support healthy trees.  Remember to get your free sub...

Organic matter (OM) is not a single product in a single state, but an ever-changing pool of compounds, nutrients, microbes and other materials. We’ll look at specific products and why you might choose one over another, depending on what stage of decomposition or form the OM is in.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

A ban on some uses of neonicotinoid  pesticides in New Jersey will go into effect in fall 2023. With existing restrictions in five other states and at least 11 more states considering limiting use of the pesticides, it is time to look at what else is available to take their place for those providing care for trees and ornamental shrubs. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by cli...

 At the innermost parts of cities, tree density and diversity are often dramatically lower than nearby suburban areas or forested parklands within city limits. In this article, we will visit three species of scale insects that often outbreak in cities and learn what factors contribute to these eruptions.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

There’s much to learn about biomechanics. A greater understanding of mechanical concepts can help you plan work and assess likelihood of tree failure with more confidence. Even though arborists can’t use some of the more sophisticated approaches that engineers use, knowing the basics can help avoid dangerous practices. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

The Z was last published in 2017 and is scheduled to be revised every five years. While revisions to Section 4 –Electrical Hazards have not yet been approved by the Accredited Standards Committee, ANSI Z133, this podcast provides an overview of some proposed changes.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

Korey Conry is a field safety supervisor/trainer with Mountain F. Enterprises Inc., a 14-year TCIA member company based in Folsom, California, that does work for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in California. He conducts onboarding and training with new hires. The EHAP training is a key component in that field of work, he says.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by click...

Howard Gaffin is one of thousands of small enterprise arborists who carved out a niche amongst the big boys. He wore every hat and was present on almost every job. Whenever an irate individual threatened to call the owner of the company for some perceived injustice, Gaffin was always delighted to save them the time. Listen as he recalls on his time in tree care! Remember to get your free subscript...

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (the CAA) to fund the federal government through fi scal year 2023. The legislation is considered a “must-pass” bill and, as such, is often used as a vehicle to pass unrelated legislation that may not have the votes to move as a stand-alone measure in either chamber of Congress. Remember to get your free subsc...

TCI Magazine was on site in Smithfield, Rhode Island, in October 2022 to capture a root-collar excavation performed by Stanley Tree Service Inc., a dual-accredited, 33-year TCIA member company based in Smithfi eld. Jarod Shaw and Will Wolf were there to excavate the roots of a Bradford pear tree, which had been the victim of mulch mounding for some time and was not in the best shape. Remember to g...

Whether you are a tree care company, a vendor serving the industry or a trade association like TCIA, chances are you have spent time and resources developing your brand. You have considered your value proposition and a market you want to target with that message. You then leveraged various marketing tactics and channels to attract new customers. But how much attention have you given to developing...

As professionals, we have a responsibility to identify many issues and present solutions. All too often the problem isn’t a pest or disease, but rather abiotic issues such as girdling roots, compact soil, construction damage or simply stress from being planted in an area completely unsuitable for a tree to grow.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .