TCI Magazine Audio Edition

BY PETER FELIX It is with profound sadness that we say farewell to Jon H. Hickey, who passed away peacefully on July 9, 2025, at the age of 88. Jon, a resident of North Massapequa, New York, was not only a legendary arborist but also a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor and friend. His life was a testament to passion, integrity and a genuine love for trees and people....

BY TCHUKKI ANDERSEN, BCMA, CTSP If you’re looking to save your strength and move smoother on your next climb, Dekota Wall wants you to know how the Petzl Knee Loop can do that for you. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY TIM BARTELT Ricky Folse, founder of Veteran Tree Care, a second-year TCIA member company based in Houma, Louisiana, is a man on a mission, and that mission is to help both men and women. Military veteran men and women, to be more precise. Even though Folse was unable to complete the requisite military time commitment, he considers himself an “extreme veteran-activist” and has dedicated his adul...

BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN Strengthening the green industry was the driving force behind last year’s merger of SingleOps, Landscape Management Network (LMN) and Greenius, says Steve Samuels, the merged company’s senior account executive. The former GM/CFO of multiple businesses, including landscape and arborist companies, had served with SingleOps for four years before the merger went through October 31...

BY HEATHER DIRKSEN As tree care companies look to deepen client relationships and diversify their revenue streams, one opportunity continues to stand out – launching a plant-health-care (PHC) program. Yet, for many business owners and managers, the idea of starting a new service line – especially one that requires technical knowledge, licensing and client education – can feel overwhelming. Remembe...

BY KELSEY GRUENWOLDT In tree care, it’s easy to get consumed by the urgency of the day – storm calls, high-risk removals, employee situations, scheduling pivots, equipment issues. But if you want a sustainable company – one that thrives even when you step back – big-picture thinking must be woven into your daily execution. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY MARIE HAWKINS This column was written in response to the article “Insurance Pruning: Cut Risks, Not Canopies,” by Jim Kasper in the July 2025 issue of TCI Magazine. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY KATHY GLASSEY Let’s face it, when most people think of plant health care, they think about solving a customer’s problems and getting rid of the pests causing the problems. What they don’t think about – until the moment of truth arrives – is what to do with that half-empty jug of pesticide living rent free in the shop. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY BAILEY GRAVES On June 12, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14308, “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.” The order cites the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires as an example of the need for faster and more effective response and coordination. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ELIZABETH RODEWALD, CTSP As the tree care industry continues to evolve, professionals are constantly seeking opportunities to grow their skills, network with peers and stay on the cutting edge of technology. Enter TCI EXPO ’25, returning bigger, bolder and more exciting than ever.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY CHARLES KEMPER, CTSP For decades, gas-powered tools have defined the daily operations of professional tree care – bringing with them the unmistakable exhaust, engine maintenance and fuel handling that come with traditional equipment. But the industry is evolving. Concerns over worker safety, rising fuel costs, noise and increasing equipment maintenance are driving momentum toward battery-powere...

BY JENNIFER MCPHEE In the tree care industry, we often talk about building strong crews. But what if we thought of our entire company like a championship sports team? That’s the mindset we embraced this past year, inspired by Jack Stack’s book, “The Great Game of Business,” which outlines his economic engagement model, formerly referred to as open book management.” Remember to get your free subscr...

BY DANIEL KALLAI While in some areas of the country power companies are hardening their systems against high winds and torrential rains, here on the West Coast we have the additional hazard of fire. Power companies are employing thousands of hands in the effort to prevent fires from igniting, especially from trees contacting power lines. I’ve met tree workers who’ve traveled across the United Stat...

BY AARON SCHAUER, CTSP, WITH ERIC PETERSEN This is the second installment of a two-part article. Part 1 looked at the benefits of being a subcontractor and working with subcontractors (TCI Magazine, June 2025). Part 2 looks at how to become and operate as a subcontractor Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY JEFF INMAN JR., CTSP When I was a little kid – and if I’m being honest, it’s still this way today – I idolized the men in my family. My paternal grandfather was a serious goofball, and in many ways I feel like my sense of humor came from him, along with a sense of curiosity in finding diamonds in the rough. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP The tornado outbreak that ripped through the greater St. Louis area in early May 2025 left an indelible mark on the region’s urban forest and the people who call it home. What happened in those brief, violent minutes reshaped entire neighborhoods, devastated tree-lined streets and toppled century-old giants in Forest Park. As an arborist and a local, I’ve never seen anything li...

BY TAMSIN VENN For professional tree care companies, particularly those focused on residential work, the property-insurance industry represents a valuable referral channel, since it is one of the largest, if not the largest, consumer of emergency tree work each year, according to Gretchen Piechottka, director of program services at HMI-Horticultural Asset Management Inc.  Remember to get your free...

BY JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP We often speak of our arboriculture colleagues as buddies. We are the brotherhood – and/or sisterhood – of tree workers. After all, we are an exceedingly small part of the U.S. workforce, a little more than one-tenth of one percent. There is camaraderie forged in the unique experience of arboriculture. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicki...

BY JEFF INMAN JR., CTSP As I write this article, in our part of the world – the Mid-Atlantic states – we’re experiencing our first influx of storm work for the season. It’s fitting that I was requested to write an article on key hazards to look out for in storm work, almost as if we all willed this into being. Be that as it may, the topic is fresher in my mind than it otherwise might have been.  R...

BY STEVEN F. PREGLER Being an avid outdoorsperson and having had a career working outdoors almost every day, I have encountered several poisonous plants growing in our geographic region. Unfortunately for me, my job required me to deal with these hazards from time to time.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY BAILEY GRAVES The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken steps to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for certain countries, which could have workforce impacts for the tree care industry.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY PETER GERSTENBERGER If your company had 10 or fewer employees for the last full calendar year, you do not need to record and keep OSHA injury and illness records.* Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY KATHY GLASSEY In the pursuit of pristine lawns, pest-free patios and flourishing gardens, property owners often turn to pesticide products or pesticide-application services to handle the job professionally and safely. But what happens when the products are not stored properly or the applicator or company cuts corners?  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY SARAH GASKIN As professionals in tree care, the challenges of wood-chip management are nothing new. While traditional methods such as mulching and dumping have been the norm, a groundbreaking approach has been emerging – biochar production through pyrolysis – right in the heart of our cities. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ZACHARY RICHARDS With so many flashy devices and gear options available within the tree industry, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stick with the basics – or even just resort to the trusty “cut and chuck” to get the job done. “Cut and chuck,” if we’re being honest, is typically the practice of a climber or bucket operator holding a limb with one hand and using a chain saw to cut with the other....