The world of arboriculture is forever changing, and each passing year brings its own set of challenges and opportunities.

Staying on top of the latest news and developments is essential for any tree surgeon, so it's a good thing you have essentialARB.

To help, we've introduced the Arborist newsletter. Dropping on the first of every month, it will bring you original insight on a topical issue, as well as some stories you may have missed.

And if you can, please consider supporting essentialARB by becoming a digital subscriber.

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HAS it been a good year for arboriculture? That's a trickier question than it might seem at first – and one that we should probably meet with several more.

How do we judge a good year? Are we measuring it on financial gain? Productivity? General happiness? If we decide it has been a positive one, can it be for some but not for others?

I won't pretend to have any of the answers. Arb, like so many industries, exists in cohabitating sects, each with its own set of challenges and, of course, opportunities.

But let's pull at a few threads, starting with the good stuff.

Husqvarna's power ascender launched to the market this year (Image: PR)

• 2024 has seen a number of innovative products launched or finally brought to the market. Take Husqvarna's ActSafe ICX power ascender. While not anything new in its own right (mechanical climbers have existed for a number of years) the fact one of the 'big two' is getting in on the act suggests that safety and longevity (of the individual arborist) is increasingly on the minds of manufacturers. "When we are getting into the tree, those are the steps to our office," Jo Hedger told eA at APF 2024. "We don't want to be tired when we get up there." Other new kit of note has included – but not been limited to – Stihl's GTA 40 pruner, Arbortec's Realtree chainsaw trousers, and FSI's B31 stump grinder.
• Talking of innovative products, I was particularly impressed by the way in which arborists-on-the-ground continued to shape the industry. One such example is Greenline Arb's Nick Wilson, whose platform received a vital addition this year. Working alongside MediArb's Danny Ball, the app now features an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Generator, which provides professionals in the field with a comprehensive tool to effectively plan for and respond to emergency situations.

Stihl launched its first battery-powered professional pruner this year (Image: Supplied)

• Women continued to be at the heart of the discussion. We have featured many of them in eA across the last 12 months. Whether it was Beth Coffey, Cecily Withall or Grace Lane, they have all had their own story to tell.

So those are the reasons to feel 2024 has been a good year, but what about the counter arguments?

• Theft has remained a worryingly prominent issue. Just this week there have been several incidents in which arborists had most, if not all, of their equipment stolen, including one relative newbie to the industry.
• Rates appear to have stubbornly refused to grow, leaving many tree surgeons struggling with ever tighter margins.
• There is little sign of the authorities taking tree care – and tree safety – seriously. It's hard not to imagine this only worsening as public bodies are gripped by their own cash woes.

So, has 2024 been a good year for arb? There really is no easy answer.

STORY OF THE MONTH: Council fined after dog walker killed by falling tree limb

A council has been fined £500,000 after a tree limb fell and killed a man walking his dog in a public park.

Father-of-one Chris Hall was out with his cocker spaniel Benson on a path in The Carrs, a woodland area in Wilmslow, Cheshire on August 28, 2020.

The 48-year-old suffered fatal injuries when a “limb” from the Lime tree hit him as he walked on a path nearby.

Just 11 months before, in September 2019, another large limb of the same unstable tree had fallen.

It had been reported to Cheshire East Council and Ansa Environmental Services Ltd, their grounds services contractor owned by the council at arms length, so the entity could take on private non-council work.

But apart from a visual inspection by Ansa, no real action had been taken, despite “significant” structural issues, Matt Reynolds, prosecuting, for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told Chester Magistrates Court heard.

The HSE investigation found no adequate inspection of the tree had been carried out to find out if it posed a risk and the council had no tree strategy to manage the risks from trees in public places even though other Ansa staff had expressed concern about the health of the tree.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

📷 Picture of the month

Continuing its recent tradition of doing so every two months, manufacturer Notch has released several new products - including this Rope Runner Vertec: a new climbing and work positioning device.

It certainly looks the part!

NOTE: Given the Arborist usually arrives on the 1st of the month, it is likely the first edition of 2025 will be a little bit more brief than normal.

Have a very Merry Christmas when it comes and all the best for the New Year!

Jack

What do you think of the Arborist? Get in touch by emailing jack.haugh@forestryjournal.co.uk