BY DAVID WHITE, CAE The following is the text of the “2025 State of the Association” speech presented by David White, TCIA president and CEO, during the Association’s annual business meeting, held during Winter Management Conference on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, this past February. It has been edited slightly for brevity. Remember to subscrib…

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP, AND NICK GREENWOOD, CTSP Over the first three installments of this series, we’ve explored the role of supplemental tree-support systems – why they’re needed, how they’re installed and the equipment required to implement them effectively. While these systems play a crucial role in mitigating risk and extending the life of struct…

BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN Sometimes doing the right thing is just, well, the right thing to do. And for Mark Stephens, owner of Eager Beaver Tree Service in Floyds Knobs, Indiana – and a Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP), a Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA), Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ), pesticide applicator licensed and a New …

BY RICK HOWLAND Hydraulics are one of a tree care pro’s best friends, powering tools that lift and move heavy objects and debris, or doing specialty work like cutting, digging or grinding. The growing proliferation of tool carriers and hydraulic tools has expanded the capability of almost every arborist operation and, by transferring tasks from the…

BY MONICA HEMINGWAY, Ph.D. As a licensed arborist and marketing strategist for tree care companies, I’ve seen my fair share of industry transformations. But none quite matches the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize how we operate our businesses, serve our customers and grow our bottom line. Remember to subscribe to TCI Magaz…

BY TAMSIN VENN “Luck Runs Out, But Safety Is Good For Life” So says a post on the Tufts Tree Service LLC Facebook page. It could be owner Brandon Tufts' guiding principle. Remember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine

BY JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP During the past year, natural disasters rippled across the country, from hurricanes in the East to wildfires in the West. These disasters destroyed properties, disrupted essential services and, tragically, resulted in the loss of lives. They also left a trail of shattered and fallen trees in their wake. Remember to s…

BY KEVIN BREWER, BCMA, RCA In today’s competitive green industry, professional arborists, landscapers and plant-health-care providers face mounting pressure. Stabilizing revenue, managing rising labor costs and navigating a market of price-sensitive customers make the road to sustainable growth a winding one. Remember to subscribe to TCI Magazine b…

BY NOEL BOYER As I visit with my tree friends in person and online, I often hear of the challenges we all face as we work to keep our customers happy and our team safe. There are a lot of important pieces to our safety programs, including training, equipment inspections and maintenance and documentation. Remember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by vis…

BY KOREY CONRY, CTSP There are many aspects to being a successful trainer, but for the sake of this article, we are going to focus on just one: building and presenting effective PowerPoint presentations. Remember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine

BY JIM KASPER How did your tree-work journey begin? Did you grow up in the midst of arboriculture, a member of a family team? Did you, like me, stumble upon men swinging – precariously! Wildly! How are they doing that? – far above you as you passed them on the street? Maybe you simply needed a job and answered an ad in a local listing. Remember to …

BY CRAIG BACHMANN, BCMA, CTSP, TRAQ The goal of “zero incidents” is an impossible standard. As a profession, we have promoted this concept, but it is simply not realistic. While safety is always a priority, arboriculture is performed in a high-hazard environment, and every day requires thousands of decisions with incomplete information. Rember to s…

BY SARA DREISER AND RICH ALEXANDER On December 31, 2024, a man in Massachusetts barricaded himself in his house after shooting at a line-clearance crew with a high-powered air rifle. The crew was working down the road from his house, with no direct connection to his property. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY LEO ROLDAN, CTSP, QT I presented on this topic at TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, where I had a great audience and received excellent feedback. When I started working on that presentation, I realized we had never really addressed language and cultural barriers for our tree workers. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY DON STARUK We asked about a dozen arborists, all of whom have been contributors to TCI Magazine at one time or another, if they had an example of a time when personal protective equipment (PPE) made or could have made a difference on the job. Could they briefly recount a time when PPE saved the day? Or when the lack of it cost or nearly cost som…

BY LINDSEY PURCELL, BCMA Conditions of concern may be defined as tree issues that the client and arborist perceive as unacceptable. In my experience, they usually fall into one or more of three categories. Typically, it is about structure, clearance and appearance. (Photo 1) Our task, as arborists, is providing solutions to these issues. Rember to …

BY DAVID M. ANDERSON, CTSP Looking back to my high school years, I realize that although I had passion, I was not the strongest student and lacked direction upon graduation. I was lucky enough to see a job ad for a small company as I started my professional career. The company was Olde Colonial Tree and Landscape, and the owner was Jay Ippolito. Re…

BY EDWARD MORROW You’ve seen it – improper pruning, unforgiving topping, suffocating mulch volcanoes; it’s 2025, like, why do we still see mulch volcanoes? And if you talk to enough property owners, you may hear mountains of tree myths and misconceptions. What’s an arborist to do? In this article, we’ll climb into another facet of tree care: urban-…

BY SUSAN DIPIETRO TCIA offers two scholarships for travel and related expenses for women in the industry to attend TCI EXPO and take part in the Women in Tree Care (WITC) Pre-Conference Workshop held there each year. The winners for TCI EXPO ’24 were Jabeen Ratanshi of Ontario, Canada, and Katie Kranich of Delaware. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magaz…

BY RICK HOWLAND You may know the name Ash Connelly. If you don’t, you will. She is arguably one of the fastest up-and-coming young guns in tree care. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine

BY TIM BARTELT Human nature tells us to give of ourselves and to give back to our community. Your company vehicles probably drive by a dozen places every day where people could benefit from your giving. And chances are, your kids or your neighbors’ kids are those people. We’re talking about the local high schools – both vocational/technical schools…

BY NOEL BOYER, BCMA, CTSP We all know how hard it is to find good help right now. While hiring great help is a challenge, it’s just the first part of building a great staff. Your company is probably a mix of experienced help, untrained new hires and everything in between. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY DAVID RATTIGAN At law school, observers tell you, the biggest thing they teach is not the law. Instead, they teach you a different way of thinking. How to think like a lawyer. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine

BY TAMSIN VENN A passion for tree climbing and supportive, on-the-job training led Jenny Rexroad to her dream job as climber and crew chief at Madison Tree Care & Landscaping in Milford, Ohio, where she has worked since March 2019. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine

BY KATHY GLASSEY Pesticides are an essential tool in protecting plants from harmful pests, diseases and weeds. It’s crucial that those involved in the production, distribution and application of pesticides understand the importance of adhering to regulatory standards. In this article, I’ll explain why compliance isn’t just a legal requirement, but …

BY LUKE SCHEBERL Soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the most critical components of a healthy urban soil. While it is often a small component (<8%) of soil, it influences nearly every aspect of that soil’s ability to support tree health. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY ROBERT J. LAVERNE, PH.D.; ALEX JULIUS, BCMA; AND TIM BUSHNELL, CTSP Climbing arborists and tree workers rely on the structural strength and stability of a tree’s branches, trunk and roots to support their weight and the forces associated with rigging operations. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY LINDSEY PURCELL It’s tough out there for trees, especially when they are trying to survive in the “un-natural” urban forests where we live. Trees tend to grow well on more natural, undisturbed sites like arboreal areas, but there is nothing natural about the built environment. Trees planted in suburban and urban areas require supplementary care …

BY ZACH SHIER, BCMA Soil and foliar sampling are not exactly a new science, nor are they new ideas in the world of arboriculture. However, it is my opinion that they are still underutilized or underemphasized in the field. As practicing arborists, we must use all the tools at our disposal to not only provide good service to our customers, but also …

BY SCOTT CARLSON, BCMA Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. We have all heard it. I believe it. I am an aging arborist in Iowa. Like a lot of us seasoned “tree guys,” I have followed a familiar path. As I got older and less agile in the trees, I focused on selling. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.or…

BY JEREMIAH SANDLER, BCMA I’ve had a number of consultations in Pleasant Ridge, a small community with many mature oak and early veteran trees, after a hollow tree failed onto someone’s house (nobody was injured). Around the same time, another oak nearby had a significant failure that totaled a neighboring garage. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazin…

BY EDWARD MORROW Financial jargon coupled with astronomical numbers. All splattered across a piece of paper or computer screen. What is this?! Your anxiety surges out of control. It’s just an income statement – profit and loss statement, or P&L for short. If we could just, maybe, alter this financial statement a tad. Just to condense it, to make it…

BY BILL OWEN, CTSP Arborists are practicality driven; we recognize what works and then incorporate best practices into our processes. With our industry’s spirit of innovation, we have seen major improvements year over year as our techniques and technologies evolve. As rapidly as we have seen innovation in field operations, we also have enhanced our…

BY BRIAN LEDONNE In the tree-service industry, particularly for TCIA members, the challenges of managing a successful business extend beyond physical labor and service quality. The digital landscape can feel overwhelming, with countless tools and platforms that demand your time and attention. In this article, we’ll look at a five-step approach, “Th…

BY MICHAEL ROCHE “Is a peer-to-peer group right for you?” That’s a question many business owners might want to consider, because, after gaining enough information on the topic, many owners will see that having regularly scheduled meetings with fellow business owners can be one of the most valuable things you can do for the growth, safety, profitabi…

BY RICK HOWLAND For this article, we talked with end-users who pretty much agree that successful implementation of customer relationship management (CRM) software comes after many steps accompanied by diligence, time and sometimes frustration. But – and it’s a very large but – all say the journey is well worth it. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazin…

BY ANDY FELIX Do you know – really know – that your business is making money? If you know it for a fact and have no doubt your business is making money, and are comfortable with the percentage of profit your company achieves, there is no reason to read this article. However, if you “think” you’re making money or are not quite sure if you are, pleas…

BY EDWARD MORROW You’ve either read about it or experienced it firsthand. If you find yourself in a room full of elite climbers – they may be from different places and use different climbing hitches and gear – one thing is common: They usually light up when the subject swings over to SRS climbing. Stationary-rope systems increase ascension speed an…

BY BRANDON JOHNSON Trees are a sign of strength, longevity and life. Species live for hundreds, even thousands, of years. They withstand changing climates, harsh storms and invasive pests. In a world where these magnificent life forms survive so much, human beings have often been their biggest adversary. Carr’s Tree Service has spent 50 years worki…

BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN When Jason James, CTSP, ISA Certified Arborist and owner of Tree Wise Men LLC – a TCIA member company since 2022 – started noticing the ash tree epidemic spreading across southern Wisconsin, he saw a demand for tree work he knew he could fill. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY THOMAS BOFINGER I had the trip – and learning experience – of a lifetime in 2024, traveling the U.S. for two months visiting 11 tree care companies in eight different states. After seeing those top-quality operations, I am back home applying – and looking to share – the lessons learned. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia…

BY MEGAN TOWNSEND “I’m ready to grow my business, but I’m stuck with too much on my plate already.” “I can’t take a vacation. My business will fall apart without me.” “It’s either time with family or a flourishing business. I can’t have both.” Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY RICK HOWLAND With up to a half-million dollars in equipment to protect, not to mention personnel safety and potential liability if something goes wrong on the job site, sometimes it’s the little things that save the tree care day. Take, for example, mats, pads and cribbing for cranes and aerial lifts. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visit…

BY MATTHEW BORDEN, DPM Another doom-and-gloom story? There is an ever-growing lineup of new and invasive pests, weeds and diseases with which we, as tree care professionals, must keep up. For foresters and arborists in the mid-Atlantic, New England and parts of the upper Midwest, beech leaf disease (BLD) is one such problem. It has raced toward the…

BY DON STARUK John Langdon Iurka, 78, of Sound Beach, Long Island, New York, passed away October 1, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer. Despite his wish to return home for a cherished old-fashioned cocktail and a quiet moment petting his beloved dogs, that farewell was not to be. He is now at peace and has found comfort and rest. Rember to…

BY RYAN TORCICOLLO, CTSP, AND MATTHEW MECKLEY, CTSP Before we even get into the details of how to fell a tree, the most important questions we can ask are, “Can we even fell this tree? Do we have room? What are the hazards? ( How much lean does it have? Do we have the tools we need?” To determine if we can even fell the tree, we need to create a fi…

BY DAVid RATTIGAN Space Perspective, a space-tourism company, has developed a balloon-and-capsule to take eight passengers about 20 miles in the air, at $125,000 a ride. As Jamie Goddard explains it, that’s, “right at the edge of where you would need a spacesuit.” Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.…

BY MARK CHISHOLM, CTSP Whenever I am asked to speak about working with cranes, I always start by discussing the accidents that are happening. This is the foundation for what we should all craft our practices around in order to ultimately avoid the problems others have had. What slings to use, how to attach them, where to make the cut, what cut to u…

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP Eight years ago, my best friend and now business partner gave me a copy of “Knots at Work” for my birthday. This gift came just a month into my journey into the captivating world of tree work. As an aspiring climber, I devoured the book and committed many of its pages to memory. Jeff Jepson’s straightforward style and no-nonsens…

BY CHRIS GIRARD Webster’s New World Dictionary’s definition of a mentor is the following: 1. A wise advisor 2. A teacher or coach. Rember to subscribe to TCI Magazine by visiting tcimag.tcia.org.By TCI Magazine