TCI Magazine Audio Edition

BY TAMSIN VENN Rare is the employer who does everything he or she can to help an employee secure their next job. But that was the case with Daniel Miraval, BCMA, and Brianna White, ISA Certified Arborist, co-owners of Emerald Tree Care LLC, a 14-year TCIA member company in Roselle, Illinois, when they sent Anthony Santisi, who had been with them for three years, off to his new job at the Biltmore...

REVIEWED BY STEVEN F. PREGLER These two books were written by Linda Chalker-Scott, former urban horticulture extension specialist and a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Washington State University Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY BAILEY GRAVES In July 2025, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced it reinstated and updated self-audit programs run by its agencies, including the reimplementation of the Wage and Hour Division’s Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) Program and expansions to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s On-Site Consultation and Voluntary Protection Programs. The efforts...

BY AUSTIN BONNEMA As a TCIA Board member and a long-time industry participant, I’ve seen plenty of challenges come and go, but few have been as persistent and unpredictable as tariffs. For those of us involved in equipment manufacturing or purchasing, the ongoing shifts in global trade policy are more than headlines – they’re real issues that affect our businesses and bottom lines Remember to get...

BY BRIAN FAIN, P&C, L&H Day in and day out, I have conversations with many of my clients expressing their frustrations on how to hire and retain reliable, qualified employees. I am sure you will agree that this is one of the more, if not the most, difficult aspects of your business.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY KATE ZABRISKIE  Ever had that moment when a project seemed crystal clear during a meeting, only to find out weeks later that everyone had completely different interpretations? It’s like playing a grown-up version of the game “telephone,” where what starts as “We need this done by the end of the week” ends up as “We’ll get to it when we can.” Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazin...

BY BETHANY KEMPPAINEN, CTSP Arboriculture often requires physically and mentally demanding effort, constant attention to risk, complex logistics and care for challenging clientele. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY DAVID M. ANDERSON For many years, shears have been the popular choice for trimming shrubs. Whether performed by a homeowner, a landscaper or an arborist, shearing is faster and easier, and it seems like the logical choice. The problem with electric shears is, if they are used too often or too aggressively, they can harm plants.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking...

BY TIM WALSH, CTSP In the tree care industry, safety is everything. From the moment a chain saw roars to life or a climber ascends into the canopy, risk is ever present. For decades, safety programs have focused on controlling that risk through policies, checklists and training modules. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP Every September, tree care professionals across the country load up their gear, shut down their regular schedules and head to a national or state veterans cemetery – not for work, but to serve. It’s called Saluting Branches, and it’s become the largest single-day volunteer event in the arboriculture industry. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking he...

BY TIM BARTELT TCI EXPO is a great opportunity to peruse exhibitors’ booths and check out their latest equipment innovations or earn CEUs in educational seminars. It also is a great opportunity to demo equipment, get hands-on experience or learn a new, practical skill under the tutelage of top experts in their field. In this article, we’ll highlight three of the latter opportunities available on t...

BY BETHANY LENEHAN  Selecting the right hand-fed woodchipper can make a significant difference in the efficiency, safety and overall success of your tree care operation. With the wide range of chipper models, configurations and features available today, understanding how different components impact performance can help professionals make informed decisions. Remember to get your free subscription t...

BY TIM BARTELT  With its strong focus on the customer, safety and training, BIK Boom Trucks has become a household name for trucks and knuckle- boom cranes in the tree care industry.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY DUSTIN MEYERS, TRAQ The following was originally submitted as a letter to the TCI Magazine editor. I have dedicated my professional life to tree care. For more than 20 years as a TCIA member and an ISA TRAQ arborist, I have watched this industry evolve from ropes and bucket trucks to knuckle-boom cranes, tracked lifts and highly mechanized, safety-first operations. Remember to get your free sub...

BY TRACEY MILLER Each year, TCI EXPO grows, evolves and delivers new opportunities for tree care professionals to learn, connect and discover the tools and strategies they need to succeed. Whether you’re coming to explore equipment, build your network or sharpen your business skills, this year’s event has been designed with one goal in mind: to help you maximize your time and walk away with real v...

BY MICHAEL J. RAUPP, PH.D., AND PAULA M. SHREWSBURY, PH.D. At TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland, we conducted a Pre-Conference workshop entitled Plant Health Care Pathways. This tripartite workshop included sessions on honing diagnostic and management skills, tree nutrition and soil management and pruning by the ANSI 300 standard.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicki...

BY JONATHAN TANK, CTSP In any competitive field, success often is attributed to a company’s technical skills, efficiency and bottom-line profits. There are endless books about success in business, including different strategies and approaches for how to improve and grow. Marketing is important, as well as fiscal responsibility. However, after 25 years in this industry, one thing has stood out to m...

BY BAILEY GRAVES Over this summer, federal policy developments have emerged related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) work, workforce development and employer-sponsored immigration. TCIA’s government-relations team has tracked the following notable actions and events that will shape the policy agenda through the fall. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Maga...

BY ERIC CAMPBELL Since 2015, Saluting Branches has grown from a one-time civic project of Rainbow Treecare of Minnetonka, Minnesota, to a nationally recognized 501(c)(3)  non-profit with a singular mission: “We honor American service men and women by organizing volunteer tree and landscape care for the property dedicated to our veterans. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by cl...

BY DAVID M. ANDERSON, CTSP As a hard-core, self-proclaimed tree nerd, I love to talk, read and write about all aspects of tree care. I guess you may be guilty of the same obsession if you are reading this. Unfortunately, most people aren’t. Most of my friends, family and random strangers have had to tell me to shut the “heck” up when I go off on “tree tangents.”  Remember to get your free subscrip...

BY Eric Petersen In case you are unfamiliar, TCIA’s Board of Directors is responsible for setting the strategic direction and overall performance of the organization. Our responsibilities include establishing our vision, formulating policy, providing strategic planning and ensuring strong financial oversight. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY TYLER LYON, CTSP, ASP; and CHRIS SPRAGUE, MEng, CTSP, ASP  In 1986, millions of people witnessed the Challenger space-shuttle explosion that tragically killed seven astronauts, including a civilian teacher on board for the Teacher in Space initiative. Investigations revealed the explosion was caused by the failure of a large O-ring designed to seal a fuselage joint in the rocket booster.  Remem...

BY TAMSIN VENN Out in the 150-mile stretch between Duluth and Twin Cities, Minnesota, Brandon Pankey, owner of Blue Pine Works LLC, a two-year TCIA member company, has honed a respected reputation for tree work by having an emphasis on safety. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY HOWARD GAFFIN, BCMA, RCA A cold wind blew outside. Holed up in my toasty office, I was contemplating how grateful I was to no longer have to endure the agony associated with getting the feeling back in my numb digits so I could work the climbing rope and resume the task at hand on a sub-freezing day. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY EDWARD MORROW It’s one thing to project the financial results you want. It’s something else to do the right things to produce those results. And it’s a whole other process to become the person who can make it all happen. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .