Articles & Video Essays
We write many different types of articles, ranging from industry commentary to research reviews to tree science. For homeowners, for arborists, and for anyone interested in trees. All copy, images, and video are Tree First’s unless otherwise sourced.
You can find the Newsletter Archive, a collection of the monthly newsletters sent to subscribers, by clicking here.
The symptoms for too much water and not enough water are pretty similar on hardwood trees. Why is that?
Jeremiah explores the myriad of ways the tree care industry has mutated our views on nature.
Were you convinced to remove a tree by a tree company? Read this article to find out why that happened, and how you can avoid that from happening again.
Here’s a glimpse into Tree First’s operation. If you’re considering going into practice yourself, read this first.
A semi-deep dive into the relationships between pine, fir, and many more coniferous tree species. This one’s a long one.
What are the differences between tree decay, tree disease, and tree stress? And why does it matter?
Trees have amazing adaptations. Here’s one you can easily spot!
Jeremiah touches on his analysis of an oak, and has an unconventional idea for it.
This article to presents the preservation and prudent care of mature, old, and less-than-perfect trees as climate action.
Jeremiah uses a model tree to highlight a critical error in tree pruning.
Many arborists shy away from offering risk assessment to their clients. Why is that?
I think it’s fascinating that so many different plant lineages evolve into trees. This article briefly explores and talks about different plant lineages evolving into trees, and the different ways they achieve that.
How can tree workers be better stewards of trees?
Just because a tree is old doesn’t mean it needs to come down! Here’s a new visual for better understanding old trees.
A visual presentation of nourishment blindspots and xylem anatomy.
Everywhere we make a pruning cut on a tree, the remaining area decays. The consequences of large limb removal are far greater than you think.
The word “sucker” definitely sounds bad, so they must be bad, right? But it’s a misnomer; plain and simple. Epicormic growth has many roles in tree biology, and they don’t suck at all.
Girdling roots are a serious problem. Why do trees form them in the first place, if they are so bad?
That’s what their name says. However, being an expert in the removal of trees is not the same as being an expert in tree biology.
Production tree care companies do not have your trees’ best interest in mind. They’re not designed to.
A technical look at the commonly held notion that removing dead wood improves the health of trees. For science-enthusiasts and arborists.
Overly agreeable tree services are not in your best interest. They’re interested in your money, and that’s it.
This article touches on the benefits of getting an unbiased consultation for your trees instead of a free estimate from a tree service.
Do you have a condemned tree to be removed? Consider this ecological alternative that both saves you money, and helps wildlife. Pretty awesome.
Rethinking what makes a tree beautiful.
Jeremiah reflects on being an arborist.
This article touches on how our actions as arborists and people who own trees can accidentally condemn a tree without knowing.
An article about a cool tree job in a forest
What makes a cedar a cedar?
Jeremiah wrote this article back in 2016 for another website about avoidable issues seen in residential landscapes in our area of southeast Michigan. A cheeky take on the lack of foresight and lack of applied science when it comes to designing landscapes.