Tropical tree climbing?

[BenR]

Hi Guys and Girls,

 

I am about to leave Australia in the coming months after living, working and exploring in some amazing places. I will be sad to leave but also excited about the next adventure!

 

Canopy access/research is something I am very keen on. I am an Arborist of 4 years experience, currently working in Melbourne. I have done research on E.regnans over here but I am really keen to climb some tropical trees!! I just wanted to enquire to see if there is anywhere/anyone you would recommend getting in touch with?

 

I also have a degree in physical geography with a focus on epiphytic lichen communities in trees as my dissertation if that helps at all.

 

Any suggestions or volunteering positions you may know of would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks, Ben

[atree]

Sounds interesting,think there some stuff going on in Borneo,I have seen a link or 2 about it

[BenR]

Thanks Atree will have a search

[Ian88]

I did a course called a BCAP - basic canopy access proficiency. It is run by a company called Canopy access Ltd (CAL). It specializes in the technique in climbing big tropical trees. Pretty cool course, it has taken me to Chile for 6 weeks and then shortly after to Honduras for 2 months where I was actually working as an assistant instructor for CAL on a operation wallacea site.

 

This is a link to there page about training

Canopy Access Limited UK | safety and filming services for forest canopy | training courses

 

If you wanted to do some trips with people they would love the fact you have a arb background but expect a BCAP (or some thing similar!?) would be a must for most of them.

[RobArb]

how much was the course you did ian?

[BenR]

Thanks for the info Ian! CAL are a pretty sweet setup. Ive seen the system they teach for the BCAP course and I'm pretty confident I can set it up. Will get in touch with them and see what the deal is. I did look at this course about 3 years ago Rob. I seem to remember it being in the region of 600 quid if you did it in the UK somewhere. Teaches basic SRT access from a twin rope lowerable base anchor setup with the view to make rescues easier if a beginner freezes halfway up the rope.

[BenR]

Ian was that trip to Chile with Waldo? Grant Harris was telling me he pretty much set that trip up himself.. Sounds like fun, I bet you got some great photos!

[RobArb]

Thanks for the info Ian! CAL are a pretty sweet setup. Ive seen the system they teach for the BCAP course and I'm pretty confident I can set it up. Will get in touch with them and see what the deal is. I did look at this course about 3 years ago Rob. I seem to remember it being in the region of 600 quid if you did it in the UK somewhere. Teaches basic SRT access from a twin rope lowerable base anchor setup with the view to make rescues easier if a beginner freezes halfway up the rope.

 

I best get saving then:thumbup:

 

Sent from my Galaxy S2

[BenR]

I best get saving then:thumbup:

 

Sent from my Galaxy S2

 

Haha:thumbup: Me too by the sound of it mate!

 

Here are some photos of two separate Strangler figs (ficus virens) I saw up in Northern Queensland earlier in the year. Hopefully they might inspire other people to visit some of the cool trees in the tropics:thumbup1:

[BenR]

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