For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/186279
SPECIAL FEATURE INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Q&A For a quick look at the current state of the tree care industry, Arbor Age magazine recently asked industry leaders to weigh in on some key questions.Their responses are as follows: What have been the biggest challenges for professional arborists (and the tree care industry as a whole) during the past year? And how are those challenges being met? What I am hearing from Bartlett Arborist Representatives is that their biggest challenge this year has been getting tree work done.With the end of the "great recession" and multiple storms that have created large amounts of work, it is hard to keep up with demand. Our production arborists are working harder, smarter, and safer than before to keep up with demand. In addition we are adding high-quality personnel to increase the workforce. — Tom Smiley, Ph.D., arboricultural researcher, Bartlett Tree Research Lab Liability and compliance with new laws. More money spent on transmission ROWs. — Stephen R. Cieslewicz, president, CN Utility Consulting Inc. Spread of EAB and issues of liability. — Derek Vannice,VP of operations, CN Utility Consulting, Inc. Finding ways to reduce incidents involving trees,including fires,storms and tree-related accidents causing property damage and injury accidents. —Will Porter, director of consulting, CN Utility Consulting, Inc. Improving economy and a challenge to attract people; low-price bid without the evaluation of true cost after evaluation of quality; adherence to specification and the project getting completed; little or no cost of living increases for tree workers. —Will Nutter,Wright Tree 18 Arbor Age / October 2013 What areas of advancement in the industry are you most pleased with? There has been a great improvement in our understanding and ability to rate tree risk over the past five years.With the development and publishing of the ISA Tree Risk Assessment BMP, a straightforward simple method is being standardized to evaluate and rate risk. This technology should result in the preservation of many low risk trees in the future. — Tom Smiley, Ph.D., arboricultural researcher, Bartlett Tree Research Lab The FERC UVM rules established in 2007 seem to be working very effectively in preventing blackouts from vegetation growth. — Stephen R. Cieslewicz, president, CN Utility Consulting Inc. The biggest advancement is the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification. — Derek Vannice,VP of operations, CN Utility Consulting, Inc. FERC recognizing the success of FAC-003 and the appropriateness of following up with similar regulation and process for sub-transmission and distribution. —Will Porter, director of consulting, CN Utility Consulting, Inc. Software being introduced for the first time that has the potential to be long lasting with the possibility of improving. Companies working on a safer industry. —Will Nutter,Wright Tree What areas need to improve? Even though we have made great strides with tress risk assessment, we still have a long way to go.We need to learn more about how root www.arborage.com