-Mikey-

Hi Toto, I was just wondering why you don't want to do a CS en France? There are some great training providers such as Chez nous on vous met dehors pour réussir ! : CFPF based in Drome. In Ireland and the UK you can go through a college, or you can be trained and assessed for individual units (for example chainsaw maintenance) by an independent provider, when you have been successfully assessed for these units you are awarded a certificate of competence (awarded by NPTC City&Guilds). This is what all employers in the UK look for from an employee. The basic certificates are; AWARD IN CHAINSAW MAINTENANCE & CROSS-CUTTING (previously CS30), AWARD IN FELLING AND PROCESSING TREES UP TO 380MM (previously CS31), AWARD IN TREE CLIMBING AND RESCUE (previously CS38), AWARD IN AERIAL CUTTING OF TREES USING FREE-FALL TECHNIQUES (previously CS39) I hope this helps...

Easiest way is to go on a working holiday visa for 12 months, or 24 months (if you work on a farm for 3months of your first 12). You are Limited to working a maximum of 6months with each employer. Work in different parts of the country to decide where you like and find the company that gets the type of work you like. If you have a good working attitude and good skills/skills you are keen to improve then I'm sure you will be offered sponsorship (457 visa). 457 visa lasts up to 4 years; this gives you enough time to decide if you like it there. One benifit of 457visa is that your company guarantees a specified minimum earnings for each year. If you want to go with a girlfriend collect enough evidence from home/travelling (joint account/same hotel room, anything with both names and the same place!) to prove that you have been living together for a minimum of 12months, and she can be part of your 457 visa as a dependent. This is good because unlike yourself she can work in any job/industry during the time of your 457 visa, you are limited to working in arboriculture (not the same company, no matter what they tell you) if you feel the need to move company you can aproach another and they will help you through swapping your sponsorship to their company. Hope that is of some use! I am currently going through sponsorship, just having problems with the 12months proof of cohabitation as i collected no evidence whilst in australia! Other than that, get out there!!

That was a fun competition mate! I wasn't going to enter, but glad I did in the end (once the urge to chunk my stomach contents up had died down). Just want to say thanks to you and the other climbers for the bits of advice, and a big thanks to Terry Bennett for the lend of some toe spikes. Might see you guys on next years circuit!!

Rope lenght really depends on the work the company has, I took a 50m poison. Too short to DRT a woodland eucy in the hills (first lateral available, and get the ladders out), and too long for alot of street trees (perfect for 25m trees, haha). Depends on your climbing style (srt/keeping rope tidy through the canopy/having enough rope to self rescue). I was happy with the length and my decision to take my own rope, i like to know it's history; however it is a large chunk of weight to take (also didnt take spikes). I'm sure the bigger companies will have alot of rope available, and in various lengths. Or you could get one while you are out there, treegear and atraes are two good suppliers who put alot back into the industry; a good 11m rope is around 5.50 inc tax per metre. Hope that helps with your decision.

Rope lenght really depends on the work the company has, I took a 50m poison. Too short to DRT a woodland eucy in the hills (first lateral available, and get the ladders out), and too long for alot of street trees (perfect for 25m trees, haha). Depends on your climbing style (srt/keeping rope tidy through the canopy/having enough rope to self rescue). I was happy with the length and my decision to take my own rope, i like to know it's history; however it is a large chunk of weight to take (also didnt take spikes). I'm sure the bigger companies will have alot of rope available, and in various lengths. Or you could get one while you are out there, treegear and atraes are two good suppliers who put alot back into the industry; a good 11m rope is around 5.50 inc tax per metre. Hope that helps with your decision.

Hi, I organised work through an advert on arbjobs. Sent them my cv and they agreed to meet me at the airport, show me town, take me to a hostal (own expense) and give me work! Just had to take my own equipment (which i would have done anyway). Also you could just choose where you want to go, then use a search engine to find companies in that area and give them a call or email to try and arrange work for when you get there. I found that lots of companies wanted a good climber. I'd go for a little longer than 6months if you can, good to save up some money then spend a few months traveling around.

Hi, I organised work through an advert on arbjobs. Sent them my cv and they agreed to meet me at the airport, show me town, take me to a hostal (own expense) and give me work! Just had to take my own equipment (which i would have done anyway). Also you could just choose where you want to go, then use a search engine to find companies in that area and give them a call or email to try and arrange work for when you get there. I found that lots of companies wanted a good climber. I'd go for a little longer than 6months if you can, good to save up some money then spend a few months traveling around.

If an employee stays for over 6months are they liable to pay tax to the french government, and are you liable to pay the french equivilent of national insurance? Is the relevant insurance in place for aerial works (public liability and healthcare)? I would be very tempted if the salary is negotiable.

If an employee stays for over 6months are they liable to pay tax to the french government, and are you liable to pay the french equivilent of national insurance? Is the relevant insurance in place for aerial works (public liability and healthcare)? I would be very tempted if the salary is negotiable.

Thanks for the extra info Pedroski; I'll make a brew and have a read later!! My personal Interest lies more with the engineering for a specific end use (and greater efficiency). It is exciting to see a (semi-) natural solution to some of the environmental problems we are realising. Along with other developments like I-Tree this can surely provide a better future for urban planting and tree management. Other than improved environmental aspects it would be interesting to see an improvement to maximum sizes (big fan of forest giants); just a shame I'd never get to climb any in my lifetime!!

I came across an interesting article on the net, though I'd share it and see what people's reactions are? Scientists at the University of Washington are engineering poplar trees that can clean up contamination sites by absorbing groundwater pollutants through their roots. The plants then break the pollutants down into harmless byproducts that are incorporated into their roots, stems and leaves or released into the air. In laboratory tests, the transgenic plants are able to remove as much as 91 percent of trichloroethylene — the most common groundwater contaminant at U.S. Superfund sites — out of a liquid solution. Regular poplar plants removed just 3 percent of the contaminant. Full article: USGS: Superfund Cleanup of Ground Water, Ft. Lewis, Washington scroll down to "Phytoremediation with hybrid poplars" section.

I took my equipment on the plane with me to australia last year. 20+kg in a 70l mountain equipment bag. Booked with BA and their excess baggage policy was £40 for an extra bag, but the flight was handled by qantas (so qantas rules apply) and they wanted to charge per kg; after negotiating for a while i got a fixed price of around £130 (at the airport, best to organise before). I would advise checking excess or extra bag costs before booking your flight as the difference in ticket price may be recouped. As DrewB says, check if sport equipment is a lower rate. Ask what your employer can provide (and what you are willing to trust!). Keep your kit under 20kg, i really wanted to take my poison hyvee and this was by far the heaviest piece of kit. On arrival to Melbourne you are asked if you have any clothing/items that have been in contact with soil/organics and may still be dirty. I declared my boots and handsaw (the rest was new); they take these items and clean them in a solution. A very quick procedure and our responsibility as tree professionals to inhibit the spread of disease and fungi from one tree to another (let alone another country). Once I had finished working and planned to travel around I sent my equipment and other stuff back by air freight using a local company. Organised for a friend to recieve it in england. I sent 32kg and it cost me AUD 360. This is just from my experience with little organisation. I would be interested to know times/costs for shipping or other cheaper methods.