My career in arboriculture began “on the tools” as a recent forestry graduate with the tree gang in the London Borough of Ealing in 1980. As my career developed, from a first tentative role as the Tree Officer for Northampton Borough Council to senior management or Director positions with national bodies, much of my work became engagement, either outward facing – talking with potential customers, managing client relationships, negotiating with contractors, the general public and with industry regulators, or inward facing – ensuring that compliance and commercial issues were understood and appropriately addressed within the business.
My wide experience has led me to be pragmatic, seeking solutions to the sometimes complex but always dynamic relationships between trees, buildings, and people, rather than dogmatically perpetuating problems.
Since October 2011 I have shared my experience and advice to a wide customer base, from local authorities, the private householder, and multi-site, multi-function support service providers. I have been active in trying to help clients to
- define how I can meet their need,
- design the level of service that will meet that need, and
- deliver the agreed outcome, which has generally been peace of mind.