NeoTree
ArboristSite Guru
I read somthing on AS about an arborist training clinic at Penn State coming up soon. I was wondering if anyone knew of any such program in or around northeast ohio.
Free advise that you can accept or reject. Finish your degree. You can always do tree work. If you abandon your course of study the chances of returning aren't good. Tree work if pretty exciting and romantic for a young man. The problem is that it's very physical work. At age 40 or 50 or 60 you may lose the physical ability to do the work. At that point the "oh I get to climb a tree" turns into "oh I've got to climb a tree". Also, try to find guys that have been in the business for 20 or 30 years. Do they seem happy? Is their standard of living close to what you envision for yourself? If not maybe you should give lots of thought to changing your careers.I would really like to do the course, but i'm about 3/4 of the way through university of akrons mechanical engineering program. I feel i have missed my calling as a professional full time tree climber. I still might attend, i havn't looked completely into it yet. Are you gonna give it a try?
Thanks for the advice small wood, I am going to stick with my schooling for now, i've got wayy too much money tied up in it. I can see how climbing would become tedious and exausting, but that is what draws me in. The thrill of being up in the tree and the pride of a job well done. I'd like to think it would keep you feeling younger longer, but i don't know. My neighbor who ownes a tree outfit got me into this when i was in middle school. He is now in his 70's. He's a second gen tree climber who climbed up untill 10 years ago, now he is successfully fighting cancer. I look up to him, maybe thats why i like it so much.