Is dragging wood good experience?

[Mesterh]

Do i really need to drag wood to be a tree officer?, does any one have any opinions, or ideas as to what other work I could get that would be more helpful in my career.

 

Too right you do.

 

How can you ever tell someone what to do without ever having experienced it yourself?

 

As the others have said you will get a lot more respect if youve been there yourself.

[skyhuck]

I'm still a "brash bitch"!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But my hourly rate has improved

[Mike Hill]

When I am working i really feel like I am not learning much, there is no time to stop, watch and learn, its all go,go,go!

 

Thats your job I'm afraid,when there is brush ,you move it.Observe when its the right thing to do.I think your doing the right thing by starting your career on the ground.Its where 99% of good climbers began.

 

Keep your chin up mate!

Edited December 4, 2008 by Mike Hill
typo

[dannyT]

agree with skyhuck, if your in this trade you NEVER stop dragging brash.

 

If you want more experience try some "rec" climbing, jobs for friends and family, and get some more training modules done.

 

Theres no easy route into this trade, iam just starting to make a bit of proggress and it was hard work...............but i love it Like someone said on here arb is a way of life its either in your blood or not.

[bill]

i enjoy doing the ground work every now and again, you will be surprised what you will learn to be honest, it just takes time.

[treequip]

If you are going to talk the talk you need to be able to walk the walk. You won’t be just dragging bash forever.

Andy

[mdvaden]

It may depend on whether or not you will ever be involved with tree related decisions that are related to the cost of tree work, or any potential financial hardship to be endured by a tree owner. Do you plan to be involved with any decisions like that?

 

If yes - then some ground work would be useful. I'd say at least 1 or 2 months minimum.

 

Some trees have branches and debris that is easy to extract and move. Other trees are very hard and much more expensive. Pin oak limbs have a velcro-like quality. Young Himalayan birch limbs tend to fold and collapse and squeeze nicely through gaps. Some trees scratch paint and siding - others don't. Where the tree debris is to be dropped, and where it has to go to, can make a difference of hundreds or thousands of dollars.

 

This would relate to species selection like urban tree selection. Too many of the wrong trees can raise a city's labor costs and increase fuel consumption.

 

After experiencing a certain level of sinus irritation from London Plane Tree, you may understand design, tree preservation and maintenance differently.

 

One of the best things you can learn from debris removal, is being able to see the interior of the dissected remains. In fact, as I've been exploring and reading about redwoods the past few years, this is one area where I think that Arborists are light-years ahead of canopy research scientists.

 

The research climbers are often in trees to be preserved, and only see occassional tree damage. On the other hand, arborists (and groundies) daily dissect trees, whether it's pruning or removals. They can see the extent of damage and decay, wood layers, cavities, etc.. That experience literally engrains in their soul an understanding of how a tree might be on the inside, in relation to what they see on the outside.

Edited December 4, 2008 by mdvaden

[bill]

councils got with the cheapest quote mostly.

[mdvaden]

Also ...

 

More groundies could use the experience to their benefit. Or anybody in the tree profession - even a tree officer. What I'm referring to, is removing and taking home samples for learning from. I don't just take pictures of stuff I cut apart. I remove pieces for seminars or taking with me to teach people. The last one I cut was from an apple tree. One piece to show a channel of decay that merged between two pruning cuts at different levels. And another piece to show sunburn damage and what followed.

 

Groundies have access to a myriad of damaged and healthy wood, and the saws to cut it. I'd never object to any employee spending 5 minutes of company time to dissect a few pieces to take home afterward.

[Frank]

Agree entirely with all above, years down the line you will be the one answering this question to a young aspiring T/O, and you will be answering the question with the utmost pride, because you will have been there and done it, and have the scrapes to prove it. Try asking your boss for a few minutes at the start,and end of day to explain the plan of action and then how successful a day its been.(Questioning anything you think you've missed). I dont believe you will be head down dragging brash for 8 hours, never looking up, never taking notes, never gaining any experience, its nearly impossible, Surely??

 

Then think yourself lucky, you could be in an office making cups of tea. muhuhuhuhuhu