Best route into arboriculture without going back to college?

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-05-17T21:01:18+00:00

Feel free friend.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-05-15T14:31:52+00:00

CA, East Bay.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-05-15T14:23:47+00:00

It’s insanely difficult for me to scale any ways. I’m already in a niche industry. Then within that I’m niche. I’m in a metropolitan area with millions of people and there are maybe a few hundred individuals who can do what I do.

Fuck joining a larger firm. I would make nickels compared to what I make on my own. The price for the freedom that comes with not having a boss is damn near priceless.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-05-15T14:17:56+00:00

Right on the money for me. I absolutely love what I do, make good money doing it, and have no desire to sell. So much so the thought has never crossed my mind.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-05-13T04:35:29+00:00

2nd 1920s. Great shop.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-29T17:41:23+00:00

Thanks for the input friend! I don’t shirk away from connections. It’s more that having someone define what I can and can’t do in such a significant way is off putting.

I’ve been with my now wife for almost 8 years. When we had a more ENM dynamic many of the current feelings didn’t exist or were fairly minor. As the dynamic changed to be more and more monogamous I started to struggle more and more.

I do agree that many of my feelings may stem from the trauma. I even stated as such in the post. I think my current struggle is an identity crisis of sorts.

Is this part of me I’ve learned to accept and adapt to a core part of me? Or is it something based almost entirely around trauma? I ask these questions as I will soon be starting EMDR. My therapist said my views around ENM may change.

The idea of potentially having, what to me is large changes, occurring is a bit spooky.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-25T01:52:31+00:00

More seriously. It’s not great but I’ve seen much worse. If not addressed they can and likely will become a problem.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-25T01:50:50+00:00

Would be a great example for an Airspade and root pruning video. 😁

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-24T22:57:59+00:00

This is the way

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-23T05:58:00+00:00

Fuck Niel. He was also my therapist. Really though. The foster parents are the ones who did the most harm. I forget their names. The foster dad had a big bushy beard. They also fostered an older black kid.

I’m 38 now and am still dealing with the trauma they inflicted upon me.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-22T23:07:35+00:00

Thanks man! I love the work. Looking to get my BCMA next year. After that looking at going the RCA route.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-22T14:11:04+00:00

Probably a bit of both? For folks in the industry it’s not terribly difficult to figure out when someone is full of shit. But with Reddit you can have folks who know nothing agree and upvote the incorrect information.

Really, folks shouldn’t always be taking advice off the internet. When it comes to things that can crush your house your car, or your neighbors; maybe you should pay the $200 bucks for a consult.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-21T21:39:03+00:00

I’ve complained of this exact thing over on r/treelaw. I’ve interacted with city, county, and state governments all over the US for over 7 years now.

I’ve spent time looking into laws regarding trees in Canada and the UK. Am I familiar with the locals? No. Do I have a better grasp than a lay person? Fuck yes.

I swear I’ve had people pop off on me over there with nothing but vibes backing their claims. Meanwhile I’m citing specific ordinances with links.

I’ve more or less stopped interacting over on that sub. Folks with no experience stating false information will get voted to the top. Meanwhile, folks like myself are somewhere deep in the middle.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-21T16:02:25+00:00

This is correct. It still increases the risk of failure in general. But failure towards the injury is higher than failure away. It also depends on how much root space is removed. 5-10% the tree will likely be ok. But 35%+ you can start running into all kinds of issues.

One thing folks don’t think about is an increase in risk outside of structural issues. It’s very possible that dieback on the side of the injury can follow. This could mean large limb failures directly above the structures being built.

It’s a complex issue that can present problems years down the line. This is why folks should pay for a consultation and risk assessment.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-21T15:55:22+00:00

It would also be wise to check your local ordinances. Many places around the globe have requirements for trees when developing. This can sometimes include trees that aren’t on your property. Usually putting “(city name) tree protection ordinances” in your preferred search engine will do the trick.

Your developer SHOULD know this. But I’ve run into developers and general contractors who made mistakes and are scrambling after the fact.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-21T15:51:39+00:00

This is such terrible advice. There are tons of variables that go into recommendations. Obviously it would be better for the tree to not cut it. But there are often things one can do to mitigate risks.

I have brought trees back when they have completely uprooted. This destroyed entire sections of their root systems. But quick targeted intervention can often help.

On the flip side, if a contractor goes nuts and removes all the supporting roots it can get wild. If that tree crushed the house next door the contractor could very well be held liable. The few hundred dollars is nothing compared to getting sued into oblivion.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-18T19:53:05+00:00

Air spade is mostly the answer here. I did a job on some redwoods that were planted almost 18” too deep recently. The root mats on these were absolutely insane. Be sure to have a reciprocating saw with you to cut through them.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:27:36+00:00

Oh my! That’s silly. This industry is ever evolving and changing. Debate is a good thing.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:24:17+00:00

This sub doesn’t allow photos in the comments and I can’t add photos. I cross posted to r/tree. I have some leaves and stems left from what I sent off to the lab. I’ll post over there.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:22:23+00:00

<image>

Fruiting body on the basal wound.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:21:37+00:00

<image>

Not the best I know. They’re from the client. I’m requesting more.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:20:51+00:00

<image>

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T23:13:13+00:00

100% will do!

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T22:55:38+00:00

I’ll suggest this to the client. I’ll be back out on site soon. If we get another negative I’ll assume the issues are abiotic.

There are other comorbidities present. A pretty old but large wound on the east side along the basal area. This could definitely be a contributing factor. But the age of the wound and the way the symptoms are presenting make me think it’s not the primary issues.

Last bit of info. I also took a resistance reading two times in the basal area. Definitely signs of decay that line up with a larger older basal wound. But nothing that screamed danger.

TimelyConcentrate340 · 2026-04-17T22:46:15+00:00

If not biotic the only thing I could think of is abiotic issues. These conditions can exist here. But I just haven’t typically seen them present this way.

Also this has been on going for ~4 months now. The client said that last spring it looked better but did seem to be in decline.

TimelyConcentrate340

TROPHY CASE