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
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30 Arbor Age / September 2014 www.arborage.com J eremy Tibbets is one of those rare visionaries with an uncanny ability to see both the forest and the trees. Hence, it was his appreciation for the collective role that individual trees serve in shaping the health and appearance of urban forests that motivated this San Francisco-based master arborist to pioneer one of the most innovative tree care service companies in the nation. This entrepreneurial spirit was evident in Tibbets at an early age. "I had a great uncle who'd operated a successful tree care company for many years and encouraged me to get into the business," said Tibbets. "I didn't know a whole lot about trees at the time, other than having an appreciation for their beauty and their role in the environment — something a lot of people take for granted." In 2001, Tibbets founded A-Plus Tree Service, and for the next three years, he lived and breathed trees. He bought a book on safe climbing and partnered with some of the best climbers in the business to become a skilled climber in his own right. He became immersed in the study of trees — species, characteristics, pest and disease vulnerability — and honed his pruning, trimming and shaping skills en route to earning mas- ter arborist certifi cation; all while steadily establishing a diverse client roster. Shortly after Tibbets started A-Plus Tree Service, he was introduced to a sales rep from Vermeer who offered Tibbets tree care support and counsel. "I learned a lot about the business and tree care equip- ment from him," said Tibbets. "He knew the industry and gave me a lot of good advice; especially with equipment purchases. There's no doubt he played a big role in getting the business established." Energized by the many equipment innovations and engi- neering enhancements to the Vermeer line of environmental and tree care equipment, Tibbets felt comfortable about his new tree care venture and more confi dent knowing he had a trusted equipment partner alongside him. Tibbets had found his calling; it was apparent he was in his element among the trees. ArborPLUS takes root After a few years working with commercial clients in the urban forest, Tibbets had gained an appreciation for the many challenges they face maintaining the health of their valu- able wooded resources, and realized that few, if any, tools existed for long-term planning. So Tibbets teamed up with Sarah Hon, a UC Berkeley-educated graphic designer with a degree in environmental science and also knowledgeable in geographic information system (GIS) technology. Together Tibbets and Hon co-developed an innovative GIS inventory CASE STUDY CASE STUDY B y R a n d y H a p p e l Tree Care Goes High-tech A-Plus Tree Service utilizes an innovative web-based recordkeeping program for urban forest management