A tree surgeon is a very skilled professional who knows how to cultivate, manage and assess individual trees, shrubs, vines and other woody plants. The formal name for a tree surgeon is an arborist. Tree surgeons can play a vital role in ensuring the continued health and safety of existing trees and plants.
Tree surgeons carry out their work in various ways, and some will specialise in different areas. The kinds of tasks involved vary and may include planting new trees, transplanting trees from one place to another, pruning trees, felling trees, providing structural support for trees that are unsteady, preventing disease in trees, diagnosing and treating existing disease in trees, installing lightning protection and removing any vegetation that is compromising a tree’s health. A tree surgeon will usually work with trees that need to be monitored and treated to make sure they are healthy and not causing any safety issues to surrounding property or people. They will often need to climb trees using ropes, harnesses, and even lifts or cranes in order to assess the condition of a tree. As such, a tree surgeon needs to have a good head for heights, as they will generally spend a lot of time high above the ground.
Some tree surgeons work in a more consultative capacity, and are involved in planning, writing reports and giving legal evidence about trees. This means a tree surgeon may spend quite a lot of time in an office, although the vast majority of tree surgeons will mainly focus on the practical aspects of their role.