new lad!!

[Tim_Lad]

hi all,

i'm new to this forum so thought it's about time i said hi!

i've just over to the states from the UK to work for a year as part of an intership from my college.

i spent 2 years as a surgeon back in the UK then decided to go back to college to get an higher qualification and to learn more about the biology/how trees work.

currently i'm working for a company called Western environmental consultants as a utility forester. Bacially PG&E contract us to patrol the power lines to check for tree clearence.

i've been here 3 months so far, California is fantastic, bloody hot (compared to the north of England!!), but still fantastic.

although to be honest i'm getting quite board with the work, to begine with it was ok, but now its a little too repetative - whats i'd give for some action again, pushing paper all day can't be good for ya?!!

I'm currently living in the bay area of San Fransico (Mountain View) and just woundered if there was anyone on the forum in the area and fancied hooking up for a quite pint (followed by 10 noisy ones of course!!)

if anyone is around give us a shout sometime, would be good to meet some local surgeons

take it easy all - Tim

 

[treeclimber165]

Welcome, Tim!
Although I wouldn't brag too much about being a power line butcher around here. Kinda like going into a church and broadcasting that you are a prostitute!

Most of us have had experience with line clearance guys and the vast majority was negative. There are some good tree guys in that field, but it seems like they are few and far between. Most end up going where they can better utilize their skills and knowledge.

I know Sonny is in SoCal and Rog (rbtree) is in Washington state I think.

 

[Kevin]

Welcome Tim, you`re in good company here.
I don`t line clear per say but I remove any delinquent trees that come to rest on my plant up here along the trans Canada two track.
Lots of fun!

 

[Jock]

Hey Tim Lad, hope you have a good time over there, where in the North of England you from?, come back on the forum when you get back as I'm looking for a surveyor and a foreman(for the powerline division)also a residential estimator if you know of anyone in the Tyneside area..."immediate start", must have an HNC...Arb.. and manners...(car provided and mileage).....Jock

 

[Tim_Lad]

hey jock,

i spent the last year studing near preston, at Myerscough college, although i'd spent the privious 2 years working down south in Berkshire with a company called cedardale.

so unfortunatly i don't really know too many people in the area, but perhapes you could try myerscough - be carful though, most the people on my course had little experience.

I will be back in the area next year (september) to study my 3rd year at college - if you have any part time work going then i would really appriciate some work (all that beer costs loads - even with student prices!!!!!!!)

take it easy.

 

[Jock]

Hi again Tim, Start the roadside vegitation clearance Sept near Blackburn.....3 year contract so give me an email when you get back... [email protected] Enjoy....Jock..

 

[Tim_Lad]

cheers jock,

i'll e-mail you when i get back into preston

thanks - Tim

 

[treeclimber165]

Hey Tim,
I just re-read my post from last night and feel bad for how it sounds. I didn't mean to sound insulting and apologize if I offended you. I was thinking about how I was surprised you were in line clearance with your extended schooling in horticulture/arboriculture. Most line people maintain LINES, not trees.

Please jump in any time or anywhere you like!

 

[Nickrosis]

Myerscough? Did you join the Student Society of Arboriculture while you were there? If you haven't, contact Allen Reeves at [email protected]

We have a branch here in Stevens Point - www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/ssa

 

[Tim_Lad]

hey brian,

don't worry mate i wasn't offended at all - tree surgeon dude - tough skined!!!!

i know what you mean though, back in the UK line clearence work has always been looked at as cowboy work - just get the line miles done quickly as poss, so the quality of work isn't always great! - although saying that i don't really blame them as most are paid on the amount of work they do, so speed is everything.

Whilst i've been in the states i have noticed the quality of work under the lines isn't great, but then again some of the trees are so mature what else do you do?? best thing would be to take them out and re-plant with something more suitable. its a hard balance to strike between what to keep and what to remove!

i hope this hasn't offended any lines clearence guys coz i don't mean it to - the work you do is hard and bloody dangerous near those lines.

resently though the utility industrie seams to be getting a better name for its self, some of the more resent tree work i've seen had been pretty good, but as with all things especially the tree game it takes a long time for things to change, but it will.

whilst i'm here all i do is the inspecting of power lines so no climbing unfortunatly - the reason i came here was i had the opertunity to work in another country and i wanted some experience off the tools - ideally with a consulting firm but its really hard to find one that will take on a student due the training etc.

becoming a utility forester for a year was the next best thing, although the work can be repetative i am getting experience in dealing with the public and talking to them about trees, how the function, the boilogy of trees and giving general advice on trees near powerlines. Sometimes though the convertaion vers from the powerline trees to other trees in the garden!!

its not in the companies interest for me to do this but its the experience i came here to get - i get my work done in time so i don't see a problem with it - anyway it can only be a good thing in the long run to educate the public about tree work even if its only 1 or 2 people it help to increase public awareness of what we really do - we're not just tree cutters!!!!!

in the long term though i intend to fininsh college and get back on the tools for more climbing experience, then one day i would love to become a consultant as talking to people about trees is something i really enjoy- make you feel good at te end of the day knowing you've just taught something to someone that they never knew!!

so, no mate you didn't offend me!! , i personally find it really interesting to hear everybodys views on tree work. i think that the internet is a tool that will be really helpfull to us, at last we can all talk to each other, exchange idears and obviously keep the banter in between!!!!!!!

take it easy all - tim

 

[Tim_Lad]

Nickrosis,

hi there, thanks for Alans e-mail, he taught me last year!!!, do you now Myercough well???

Unfortunatly i didn't join the SSA whilst at college due to lack of funds!!, but will certainly do so when i get back.

although as i'm on an internship do you know if i'd still be classed as a student??

Stevens point? is that near the bay area?? i'm still getting used to the size of this place, only recently did i realise you could fit the UK into just California - dam its a big place!!!!!

best regards - Tim

 

[Nickrosis]

Sorry, I don't know a thing about Myerscough - that's the contact information I had. It's on our website www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/ssa under "Other Branches." Why was it too expensive to join the SSA there? It's only $5 per year here.

By the way, Stevens Point is in Wisconsin - not all near California! I don't know any student groups in California, but I'm sure Tim Walsh ([email protected]) of the NAA could connect you with someone.

As for your internship, I assume you'd still be a student if you're receiving credit for your internship.

Nickrosis

 

[Tim_Lad]

5 bucks a year - bargin!!!!!!

alan told me £30 ($50approx) per year with the student discount - know thats a months worth of student food (i.e. beans, bread, noodles!!!!!)

although i guess its not too much - i will join next year when i get back - thats amazing you only pay $5.

thanks for tim's e-mail, i'll get in contact with him soon.

cheers - Tim

 

[Nickrosis]

£30?? What's that include?

At our school, the branch is supported through the student fees. The $1500 helps a lot, but it isn't enough for everything. Besides, the $5 we pay goes straight to the school (bizarre, no idea why).

Fortunately, nice companies like Sherrill, Crawford Tree & Landscape, Swingle, etc. help support us. The Wisconsin Arborist Association helps with costs too. The ISA and NAA also make it easy for us with free/reduced registrations for their events.

Nickrosis

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

the 30 quid is brobably the ISA fee. SSA is the studant arm of the organization.


With ISA i think the $1050.00 life membership is the best way to go.