Tree Service Jobs

Trees are big plants and sometimes they get sick. What happens then? Who takes care of a tree’s health?

Tree service or arborist jobs are devoted to keeping individual trees healthy and maintained.

Trees provide oxygen and shade, prevent erosion, filter pollution, and are cool to look at. They live everywhere – city parks, suburban neighborhoods, and forests. The study, cultivation, and management of trees fall under a niche of horticulture called arboriculture. Arboriculture is both a practice and science. It’s a hands-on field that incorporates many jobs in the tree service industry.

Just like any living thing, trees can get sick. When that happens, it’s time to call a professional tree care service. Tree care includes removal, cutting, pruning, shaping, trimming, replacing, planting, selecting, and fertilizing trees. It’s a broad field that focuses on the health and well being of individual trees.

There are many reasons why trees need maintenance. Trees might need to be removed for a construction project, cut down after they are killed by pine beetles, trimmed so they don’t block the sidewalk, cut so they don’t hit power lines, moved so their roots don’t break a foundation, or planted to enhance a public space. Tree services ensure that trees live a long, healthy, green life.

When someone needs help with their trees they call a tree service company or an arborist. An arborist is an expert who can advise clients on what to do with trees. Some of their job tasks are checking soil to ensure there are proper nutrients, spraying trees to protect from pests and diseases, writing reports, valuing trees, planting new trees, or giving advice on tree laws and ownership. They work in parks, yards, neighborhoods, cities – wherever there are trees. When they specialize in urban areas, they are called urban foresters.

Arborists love trees and want to do what’s best for them. That is why at the heart of every project is preservation. Arborists are basically big tree huggers. Even though they use chainsaws, spiked shoes, and saws, they still hate to hurt trees. The less cuts and the less leaves lost, the better. Preserving the local environment is best for the trees and the community.

Arborists specialize in safety and risk management. Climbing to high branches and cutting down heavy limbs can be scary. Arborists know proper climbing techniques and also where to make cuts to make limbs and trees fall the right direction. The wrong way could crash through a roof or crush a car. It is also hazardous to work around trees that are near or touching power lines.

In order to keep these hazards to a minimum, most tree service jobs recommend or require certifications. The International Society of Arboriculture has many certifications. The first is Certified Arborist. Then if an arborist wants to climb trees they can become a Climber Specialist or if they want to work near power lines they can become a Utility Specialist. There are multiple rungs of the certification ladder leading up to Master Arborist.

There are many career paths in the tree service industry. Some people attend university for horticulture, botany, or forestry. The usual entry point for tree service jobs is as a ground worker. Then you can work your way up the certification ladder. It is a good idea to work for a company that is accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association. Career tree care professionals strive to become consultants or tree service company owners. On average, tree service jobs pay $12 to $19 per hour or $27,000 to $53,000 per year. Not bad pay for spending your working hours hanging from trees.

There are not many jobs where you’ll get paid for climbing trees and using chainsaws. If you love trees, then a tree service job could be ideal for you.

Quick Facts About Tree Service Work

Job Title: Arborist, Tree Service Professionals
Description: Care for individual trees
Employers: Landscaping Companies, Tree Service Companies, Local Governments,
Pay: $12 to $19 per hour or $27,000 to $53,000 per year

Links:
International Society of Arboriculture
Tree Care Industry Association
American Society of Consulting Arborists
Forester Jobs