You see so many tree companies with the word ‘experts’ in their name here in the States.

That word can be misleading to homeowners and customers because they think that company is an expert in caring for trees. That’s what their name says. But that’s not what that company is an expert in!

They’re experts in tree work, not tree biology.

They know how to efficiently go about tree operations. They know what knots to tie, they know when to drag brush to the chipper, their operational skills are what make them an expert. Not necessarily the long term implications that come with pruning, for instance.

Putting ‘expert’ in their name is great for sales, and its success relies on your ignorance. I think most companies using that in their name are your basic, standard tree care model company. The consequences of the standard tree work model are expanded on in an article called The Underside of Tree Care, so I won’t go into detail about that here. Those folks apply the same solution to every problem, regardless of the context.

That’s not to diminish the difficulty or skill required to be efficient at tree work, or that they’re not well-to-do workers. Most of them are extraordinarily athletic and great problem solvers. Even tree hacks have some degree of skill. In almost every aspect, tree work can be grueling and difficult.

The issue is that people believe what they’re told by so-called experts. Convincing people that arbitrarily cutting on their trees is both good for the trees and good for their home stewardship. Their tree expert told them cutting this giant arm off was an OK thing to do. Those tree experts cannot disclose what they do not know or understand.

I’ve said before, I’ve known Certified Arborists to be hacks, and on the other hand, I’ve known some very mindful good ol’ boys. It is very difficult to assess if your arborist is working for the trees. One way to get an idea is to ask them to explain what they’re telling you. Does it really make sense that “those suckers steal energy from the tree”?

All that being said, you have the right to maim or remove your trees. Some trees actually should come down if they pose excessive risk to something or someone. If you are set on doing that, then hiring a tree cutter expert is in your best interest.

A company can be led by tree scientists, and have all of the accreditations out there. But if they employ tree cutters to actually do the work itself, the quality of their product is just as bad as the next guy’s. The quality of tree care is only as good as the hand that cuts.