Joe Public - how do you think they see the Arb world?

[Taupotreeman]

Sums up the the average Joe Public for me Mesterh.

 

Also sums up many people, including managers, at my place of employ unfortunately. We hardly ever get called to ask our advice or thoughts on trees by the hierarchy. Why should we? We're just glorified chainsaw hacks. A manager with no idea can make a decision on a tree without even referring to us. What chance do we have with the public?

 

 

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[Gary Prentice]

Also sums up many people, including managers, at my place of employ unfortunately. We hardly ever get called to ask our advice or thoughts on trees by the hierarchy. Why should we? We're just glorified chainsaw hacks. A manager with no idea can make a decision on a tree without even referring to us. What chance do we have with the public?

 

 

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I found out last year that a planning officer had visited a client, on her own, in response to my TPO application. The arb officer, for that council, told me it wasn't that an uncommon occurrence.

 

Of course she would have had full knowledge of the implications of Kretschmaria as a planning officer, wouldn't she?:lol:

[Andy Collins]

[quote=btggaz;981507I've read on other posts that what we do isn't rocket science:001_rolleyes: That sort of self opinion is so damaging to ourselves. It doesn't do us any favours.

.

 

But it isn't rocket science, it is the ability to climb a tree, cut a bit off, throw it down or drop it accurately in a given space, or fell it from the bottom. It's an ability, achieved through practise. Nor is it a profession. A profession is such as a doctor, a lawyer, or a vetenary surgeon. This is more of a vocation, that anyone with the minimum of training can go out and do, with the appropriate saws and ropes. Trying to dress it up as anything else also does nothing for the "image", the only people we are kidding are ourselves, no one else really cares less. Don't get me wrong, I love this job I do, and I do it to the best of my abilities, but I don't pretend to be something greater than I actually am.

[Gary Prentice]

But it isn't rocket science, it is the ability to climb a tree, cut a bit off, throw it down or drop it accurately in a given space, or fell it from the bottom. It's an ability, achieved through practise. Nor is it a profession. A profession is such as a doctor, a lawyer, or a vetenary surgeon. This is more of a vocation, that anyone with the minimum of training can go out and do, with the appropriate saws and ropes. Trying to dress it up as anything else also does nothing for the "image", the only people we are kidding are ourselves, no one else really cares less. Don't get me wrong, I love this job I do, and I do it to the best of my abilities, but I don't pretend to be something greater than I actually am.

 

We are a profession, at different levels. The arborist, at the craft level, through to the consultant. We all practice it or should be. Maybe this is our downfall, that we ourselves don't realise it, as an industry..

 

"A profession is such as a doctor, a lawyer, or a vetenary surgeon."

 

A profession has a governing body, ours is the ICF. To achieve status in the profession requires a first degree, used to be the Professional Diploma, now the L6 Diploma in Arboriculture which allows membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.

 

Whilst we seem to have a low self image of our craft, how can we expect the public, let alone other professionals to recognize us. It riles me that a client wants to write their own specification to top trees, against our advice. Do they treat a lawyer, a doctor or a surgeon the same? We are often our own worse enemy.

 

Before I get lampooned, I have run businesses and know the problems of needing to provide income and I'm very much involved in the business I'm employed in. I'm also studying for the L6.

[treequip]

But it isn't rocket science, it is the ability to climb a tree, cut a bit off, throw it down or drop it accurately in a given space, or fell it from the bottom. It's an ability, achieved through practise. Nor is it a profession. A profession is such as a doctor, a lawyer, or a vetenary surgeon. This is more of a vocation, that anyone with the minimum of training can go out and do, with the appropriate saws and ropes. Trying to dress it up as anything else also does nothing for the "image", the only people we are kidding are ourselves, no one else really cares less. Don't get me wrong, I love this job I do, and I do it to the best of my abilities, but I don't pretend to be something greater than I actually am.

 

Well said that man:thumbup:

[Andy Collins]

Btggaz, personally, I am not controlled by the ICF, the AA, the ISA or any other "representative" of this fragmented industry. I am controlled by the purse of the client. That is the long and the short of it. Does wearing a tie and giving yourselves a fancy title make you any more the professional, or is it better to do a good job, day in day out? I like to think I can stand shoulder to shoulder with any true professional, hold my head up without pretending to be something that i certainly am not.

[d-raittuk]

you do get the odd person that understands but mainly its questions like why you killing the tree. where not killing it love where pruning it to prolong its life. its people like them that let trees get to much then they fall over or snap a limb off then they are like how did that happen ?

[Yorkshireman]

The public at large & this is a generalisation of the urban dweller simply dont know what an Arborist is ,,

 

I have had people say , so what do you actually do in the Harbour then ?

 

Many people dont look at trees they are something that line our highways, roads & streets or somewhere as a collective to take the dog for a walk ..

 

Others do take notice but mainly when the weathers nice & they want to have a BBQ or get some sunshine in the back garden,

 

However there are those to whom trees are a more fundamental part of their home/ gardens and they truly value trees as an environment, a host ecological world supporting a diverse array of life.

 

others are aware of the issues surrounding trees & some clearly remember the Dutch Elm saga and the implications , the recent coverage of Chalara & phytophthora is reminiscent of this and is likely to be worse, the Media coverage of this has opened a world previously visually excluded from most people as the go about their daily lives.

 

So I think focus follows the tree , rather than ourselves

 

some don't know anything about us as an industry,

 

Some don't need to know or care about trees

 

some value the trees for aesthetic & ecological benefits

 

some think and arborist / tree surgeon is a made up job,, as that's lumberjack isn't it ?

 

where trees impact things people want to do , Ie build houses , or make alterations or indeed where they want to get a mortgage for their new home then they have a need to find out about consulting Arborists

 

BUT in general ,, most see us as a niche sector , some where between, Horticulture , Farming & Gardening

 

these are thoughts from my direct experience's & interactions and those comments I have heard.

 

We are needed by those who care enough to manage their trees or where there's a financial or social issue or a Hazard posed by the tree in relation to human habitation. These factors can dictate some geographical & or social variation of awareness and uptake of our services.

 

I have recently seen an upsurge in proactive tree management compared to the more if I pretend there's not an issue I wont need to spend money on fixing it, through to the Oh bugger where did that tree come from !, reactive panicked approach

 

Iain

Edited October 25, 2013 by Yorkshireman

[codlasher]

I have discovered another side though which is much more interesting and has resulted from not working with trees any more!

 

I come from a Forestry background but live a long way from where I used to operate so I was surprised to be asked by a local Gardening Society recently to stand alongside my Bee-Keeping friend and deliver a talk about trees. I was introduced as having been involved with trees all my working life, true, but never having done this before I was quite (read very) nervous. Standing up in front of 30 or so knowledgable folk is really quite daunting! The three days prior to the talk saw me writing copious notes, memorising certain technical issues and planning the delivery.

 

On the day.... I winged it......

 

The evening was well received because I have been asked to repeat the talk. I missed out so much that I have made a little plan on how to deliver more information in the time allotted. Never even mentioning that wonderful machine the mechanical harvester. No winging this time:001_smile:

 

In contrast to my earlier post, here are two groups of folk who are passionate about their surroundings and trees. The questions asked were thought provoking and that really made it fun to be up in front of them.

codlasher

[Paul Barton]

But it isn't rocket science, it is the ability to climb a tree, cut a bit off, throw it down or drop it accurately in a given space, or fell it from the bottom. It's an ability, achieved through practise. Nor is it a profession. A profession is such as a doctor, a lawyer, or a vetenary surgeon. This is more of a vocation, that anyone with the minimum of training can go out and do, with the appropriate saws and ropes. Trying to dress it up as anything else also does nothing for the "image", the only people we are kidding are ourselves, no one else really cares less. Don't get me wrong, I love this job I do, and I do it to the best of my abilities, but I don't pretend to be something greater than I actually am.

 

I can't agree on this Andy.

 

Mechanics (some) are professionals. Plumbers are professionals (some). You're mixing up blue collar / white collar workers.

 

In my opinion anyone that has received specific training and elevates their knowledge, skills and expertise to above that of the average person can claim to be 'a professional'. However, this doesn't guarantee that they act professionally...to BE professional is a whole new can of worms.

 

Do you consider planning consultants and landscape architects to be professionals? There are many arboriculturists operating at this level - surely they should be known as professionals amongst their peers from other sectors?