Arborist Josephine Hedger has navigated the pandemic with Husqvarna battery-powered tools.

OUTDOOR enthusiast, Husqvarna H-Team ambassador and multiple World Tree Climbing champion Josephine Hedger has faced one of her biggest challenges yet in the last few months.

When she established her own company, Arbor-Venture Tree Care, in 2005, she knew she could expect many obstacles, but a global pandemic was not one of them. With eight members of staff and a busy working schedule ahead, Jo and the team quickly adjusted procedures to follow government guidance, reducing large rigging and removal jobs to adhere to social distancing measures.

Forestry Journal: Jo Hedger.Jo Hedger.

With quieter roads and an increase in people working from home, efforts to reduce noise pollution were of great importance, and Jo turned to her Husqvarna battery products in an effort to reduce disturbance to her customers and their neighbours.

Jo explained: “As lockdown began and the nice weather made an appearance, more and more people began spending time in their gardens, and jobs that needed doing became apparent. Our workload began increasing but the thought of disturbing residents became a concern.

“With more people than ever staying at home, there was the worry of disrupting those working from home and home-schooling their children. I was also very conscious of the fact that we wouldn’t know if we would be working near NHS workers who had worked a night shift and were trying to sleep during the day.

“The thought of starting up noisy petrol machines and disturbing the peace for everyone was too uncomfortable, so we knew using battery power was the right choice for us.”

With a range of professional battery-powered handheld equipment, Husqvarna allows arborists to continue their work, without the worry of fumes and noise pollution. Lightweight and designed for comfort and ease of use on long shifts, the tools are quiet enough to use anywhere, at any time.

Forestry Journal: Jo and her team.Jo and her team.

Gaining feedback from her customers, Jo was relieved to find out minimal disruption was made from her work. Jo said: “Many of our customers were unaware of battery products being available in a professional capacity and were extremely impressed about the little noise they produced. They were amazed that we were able to carry out such large jobs with minimal disturbance. Initially, I was nervous about how we would be perceived, but thanks to being so quiet, it actually made us more noticeable, in a great way.

“We’ve been loyal Husqvarna battery users since 2013, and throughout lockdown our love for these machines has only increased further. The battery hedge cutters, leaf blowers and chainsaws have been such a big help over the last few months. In particular, the new T540i XP and 540i XP chainsaws, which I had the pleasure of being involved with from their initial design through to their launch.

“With such a high cutting performance and power, along with the other benefits that battery offers, I never had to consider switching to the petrol equivalents.”

Forestry Journal: Making use of the T540i XP.Making use of the T540i XP.

Delivering power and performance for full-time, heavy-duty and professional use, Husqvarna 500 Series battery products have been developed with long, demanding workdays in mind. Durable and robust to withstand heavy, professional usage, they provide a power output that matches, and even exceeds, their petrol equivalents.

Jo added: “If it wasn’t for battery power, we’d have had to be a lot more selective in where we were able to work. With many customers living in tight-knit residential areas, we’d have had no choice but to reduce the number of hours we worked in order to limit disruption. Thanks to the benefits of Husqvarna battery products, we’ve been able to keep our customers happy and continue business in this new ‘norm’.”

For more information on Husqvarna battery power, visit the Husqvarna website.

Forestry Journal remains dedicated to bringing you all the latest news and views from across our industry, plus up-to-date information on the impacts of COVID-19.

Please support us by subscribing to our print edition, delivered direct to your door, from as little at £69 for 1 year – or consider a digital subscription from just £1 for 3 months.

To arrange, follow this link: https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/subscribe/

Thanks – and stay safe.