Ep. 33: Tree Climbing Champ Talks Trees

This episode's special guest is Mark Chisholm of Aspen Tree Expert Co. and STIHL. One part acrobat, one part expert rope climber, one part tree physiologist, and several parts competitor and thrill seeker Chisholm is a third-generation, certified arborist with his family-owned Aspen Tree Expert Company in New Jersey. His expertise in tree care has made him a sought-after consultant and industry spokesperson for the world of arboriculture, and he regularly travels the globe to consult with international arborist associations and conducts educational sessions nationwide on behalf of STIHL Inc.Mark discusses how to properly start, grow or integrate tree care into your current business in a safe and professional manner. We will focus on such topics as: -In-house tree work vs. subcontracting (or out-house) -Safety gear (PPE) and safety training (where to get it) -Managing "downed" trees -Proper tree care before, during and after construction -Mulch mountains and volcanoes -Importance and value of certification and professional associationsUp in the trees, navigating the Web, or educating and learning from tree experts, Chisholm is the embodiment of the well-rounded arborist. For Chisholm, this is more than just his life's work; it's also a family affair. He works with his father Steve, mother Laura, and brother Steve at Aspen. He doesn't just have the physical strength and flexibility of an athlete required to elevate among the highest limbs in nature, though. He has acquired a vast knowledge of tree climbing wisdom. He knows the ropes, inside and out, about crane removals, aerial rescue, cabling and bracing, proper pruning techniques, and complex climbing and rigging techniques, not to mention tree physiology. He has assisted the USDA in scouting out the spread of the insidious Asian long horned beetle throughout the Northeast. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and on CNN. He has also appeared on P. Allen Smith's Garden Home on PBS and the syndicated show P. Allen Smith Gardens. The shows featured Chisholm pruning centuries-old post oaks at the Garden Home Retreat in Arkansas of TODAY Show garden expert P. Allen Smith. He has also appeared on DIY Network's Deconstruction.Chisholm has won every International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) New Jersey Chapter Tree Climbing Championship for the last 19 years. He has conquered the wider tree-climbing world on three occasions, most recently in 2010.The competitive nature in Chisholm finds its release in an arena far away from chalkboards and text books – it's high in the trees where guys like him make their living working with incredible speed and agility at dizzying heights. Competitors come from all over the country – and world – to put their skills to the test, because when they're hundreds of feet in the air, it helps to keep sharp – and at the very top of their games – so to speak.Another endeavor on which Chisholm has set his eyes is forming a stronger community within the arboriculture industry via the development of his website treebuzz.com, with climber, innovator, friend, and fellow arborist, Tom Dunlap. Chisholm is very enthusiastic about the dynamic website that is designed to move and shake with this ever changing industry. By pooling common resources and contacts in arboriculture that Tom Dunlap and himself have accrued over the course of their successful careers, along with offering the most innovative technology and newest information, he hopes this tool will be just as valuable to tree professionals as their pruning saws, ropes and rigging.Chisholm is as dedicated to the science of trees as he is to the competition, and is a part of the overarching community of tree climbers, arborists and enthusiasts the world over.For more information on Mark Chisholm and tree care, visit www.treebuzz.com or www.treesaregood.org.