the death of tree climbing as we know it

[murphy4trees]

this thread could also be called "here come the hacks"....

It just got to me yesterday... driving around and (seeemed like) everywhere I looked someone had hacked off all the lower branches off every tree on the property... They call THAT pruning... though only a few years ago i did "elevated" trees failry regularly, the practice is repulsive to me now...

In one case there was a well known and large local company with new 65' bucket, chip truck. and intimdator... driving around a front yard full of 100' tulip trees and hacking off just about anything they could reach with a bucket... This guy charges good money and cranks out shoddy work constantly....

I think that the new model for tree work around here is tending towards buying the big equipment and bucket and you don't have to worry about the knowledge or skill of your employees... Bad news for the trees.... and the prices are falling, especially on big removals... gotta feed the beast with fresh wood constantly...

Wish I could put a positive spin on it... guess I should be happy I didn't end up like that....

 

[MasterBlaster]

Turn that frown upside down!

 

[murphy4trees]

I hear ya Bro...
I t just got to me yesterdsay... very depressing... made me want to find a new way to make a living... maybe it's the weather... seasonal affected disorder or something....

TELL ME SONTHIN' GOOD!

 

[Trtd61]

Spring's on it's way That's good

 

[a_lopa]

its a sad thought,but hacks have and will always be in this industry,

 

[jason j ladue]

murph, i dont know about the east coast, but it seems like the "whole bigger us better" idea is more popoular than ever around here. if you have big equipment you must know what you're doing. i have some brutal pics to post in the next couple days (waiting to get my camera back)

 

[JonnyHart]

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.

Let me start by saying I am not the boss. Well, in Niagara Falls, in the ghetto, a guy with another tree service calls me for side jobs. So, I met him on a job about 2 weeks ago for a TD and a trim. There's a TV cable running under the tree, that easily could have been unhooked from the J-lag on the house, BUT, instead, the guy just cut the freaking cable. I know the cable company will fix it for free, but I thought we were pros. I've accidentally knocked a wire or two down before, but never like this. I did not feel very professional with the cable guys fixing our screw up.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Some people are just plain stoopid, Johnathan.

 

[alanarbor]

this thread could also be called "here come the hacks"....

In one case there was a well known and large local company with new 65' bucket, chip truck. and intimdator... driving around a front yard full of 100' tulip trees and hacking off just about anything they could reach with a bucket... This guy charges good money and cranks out shoddy work constantly....

the prices are falling, especially on big removals... gotta feed the beast with fresh wood constantly...

Wish I could put a positive spin on it... guess I should be happy I didn't end up like that....

I think I know the Company, Dan. Anyway, I say let 'em have the big removals, the people who keep calling us back are the ones who care about quality pruning, and servie, and aren't afraid to pay a premium price for a premium service. Getting the new clients...well, just make sure they know who you are so when the hacks screw up......and they will... they call you.

 

[murphy4trees]

Alan... its arader...
And MM... what an idealistic vision of the world your post implies... especially coming from a skeptic like you

I'd rather not beat myself up trying to change a brick wall into an artist... And mayv=be be able to reach out and make a difference by writing an articel on the subject...SOMEDAY

Thanks for the encouragement!

Funny thing is I was driving on the same day past another of this guys jobs, just as the last truck was leaving and stopped and talked the guy, whom had been climbing for 3 months.... I quick showed him the spliced eye climbing line and biner Vt system.... his eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning....
Maybe planted a seed there... Funny how a newbie can be open to the benefits of modern climbing gear more than the guys that have been climbing on the tautline for 10-15 years! (or 30 in MBs case)

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Dan, did you tell him about ArboristSite too ?

On Mikes coment, I think ISA and the local chapters should be more involved with PBS and cable shows. ISA sponsors a garden show, but they dont have much regular input.

 

[alanarbor]

Alan... its arader...

I was pretty sure of that. Your description of that jobsite told me everything I needed to know. What did ya think of that outfit clearing at 320 and spring mill?

 

[TREEWRK]

just my opinion

It's too bad because when people see hacked trees they just assume that
all tree guys do the same work.
I myself am proud of the work I do even if it takes a little longer it's done right.

 

[geofore]

feeling down?

I hand out extra copies of Sherrill's and Bailey's catalogs to the groundmen on the jobs I stop to look at. Chances are the boss has seen one but doesn't show it to the guys that work for him. I had one guy tell me that he didn't let his guys read them because they might get their own equipment and leave to start on their own. NUTS! I think he was afraid his guys would start to ask for new equipment, stuff they could have used on the job but didn't have. I could not believe these guys had never seen one of the catalogs. Makes you wonder what else they have not heard about? I did find out that a lot of the smaller tree operations have no idea AS is on the internet, they don't use the internet, but their guys do use the internet. Murph, you're better off talking to the groundmen about it than the boss who isn't going to pass it on to his groundmen. The boss is set in his ways and he's going to teach "his guys" "his way" unless you show them there's another way of doing things.

 

[jmchristopher]

As Alan said, go for the quality motivated clients. The others will just break your heart. We are blessed in this area with equipment rich, talent poor outfits who depress the takedown/land clearing end of the market by working for peanuts. It is truly painful to watch when they are engaged to work outside their talent zone and leave nice properties with raped trees.
320 and Spring Mill: it looked like a landscaper working to keep busy, taking a week+ to do 2 or 3 days work.

 

[treechick]

hi, all ! i s'pose you could call it 'a piece of good news' to remember that we love what we do... most of the hacks look miserable to me. i like the approach that George ( & others ) spoke of with catalogs. i use a disguised lecture that goes something like this, "Hey guys, are you going to the ISA conference this month? They've got some great outdoor climbing seminars that our boss is sending us to. It oughta be fun and it's a paid day !" (walking away and seeing the gears grinding in their brains) "SEE YA THERE!"

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

the only firm's that are constantly busey and makeing good money around here are the 'HACKS'.......and that realy 'HACKS' me off....i guess if you top or butcher a tree just as the customer ask's you to without making a fuss then you must be a real pro in there eye's ..ohh and have all the big kit etc

 

[treechick]

Rolla, was it you that said you were "expecting" ??? >>> tell me you announced the 'newest' climber and i missed it ? Cheers! Theresa

 

[ORclimber]

I think being a hack makes business sense. You provide excellent customer service by doing exactly what the customer wants. You can hire less skilled labor, saving on training and wages paid. You're creating high maintenance trees that will need repeat visits until they become removals

You guys are like the snobby record store clerks in that John Cussak movie .

Of course, as the public gets more educated on proper tree care, the hacks will need to adapt or get left behind.

 

[Lumberjacked]

I am with Mike Maas on this one, education is the key to getting people to realize that poor tree care is not acceptable. The one thing that saves me around here is the lake, they cant get their big bad trucks down some of these lake roads and in customers back yards. Most of the "tree services" around here stared as "Phils lawn care" so you can only imagine the care they put in to the trees they work on. I in fact have bought ISA's tree care information and will be handing out to any potential customer in hopes that even if they dont hire me they at least can see what to look for in proper tree care.