Climbing trees keeps business-owner young
Trees are a big part of Tim Day’s life.
The 61-year-old Hillham resident has been climbing trees professionally for the past 40 years. He is an arboriculturist and operates The Tree Man Tree Care Service. He and his young protégé Matt Fleck perform tree care and removal services for residents in Dubois and the surrounding counties.
“Our main goal is to keep trees healthy,” he explained.
Both men love trees. Tim began his career with a group that practiced topping — a tree-destroying practice that Tim and Matt both abhor — and quickly moved on to a certified company that trained him in the proper care of trees. Tim and Matt are certified arborists and members of the International Society of Arboriculture.
Matt went to school for forestry and was introduced to arboriculture through a class and decided to pursue it after he graduated. “I have always loved the outdoors,” he said. “And I love to climb trees so I thought I would like to find a tree care job and eventually landed with Tim.”
Tim’s company can help a homeowner with their trees from top to bottom. Besides the exciting aspect of climbing the heights, Tim and Matt work with the soil the trees are growing in as well as provide injections to immunize trees from pests and disease. “Our business is made up of prunings, removals and PHC, or plant health care,” he explained.
According to Tim, a tree’s health begins with the soil. “The biggest problem for an urban tree is soil compaction. That is the main reason for urban tree decline,” he said.
To battle this, the company uses compressed air to blow apart the soil and create plugs that are then filled with a potting soil mixture that won’t compact. This aerates the soil and allows more water and nutrient absorption for the tree.
Trees are important to these two men and they love to educate people on their necessity. “Trees are why we breathe. Trees are why we have clean air. Trees are why we don’t have water standing in this yard. Trees cool us. Trees make people feel good,” Tim said. “I love the education. I love training people who are interested in carrying on this work.”
Matt, who is considering purchasing the business from Tim, he loves his job. “I love being outdoors and I love climbing trees,” he explained. “It keeps me honest and in shape. When you are up there, the views are amazing.”
It is dangerous working on a large, living thing but the equipment and techniques have been developed so the climbers can be as safe as possible. Tim has had many close calls in his career but preparation has kept him safe and only slightly injured.
Treeclimbing uses much of the same equipment that climbers use to scale sheer cliffs. Saddles, ropes, carabiners, and ascenders help the crew make their ways up to the trees tops to prune and clean up deadfall.
“Much of our gear comes from rock climbing,” Tim says.
The difference is the work that has to be completed when they get up in the tree tops. Pruning and cutting branches with chainsaws and pruners is difficult but necessary when a bucket truck is too short to reach those high branches.
“It’s pretty thrilling when you are tied into a branch about that big,” Matt explains as he makes about a 3-inch wide circle with his fingers, “and you are about 60 or 80 feet up and the wind is blowing.”
“Yeah, it takes a special type of person,” Tim agrees laughing.
Tim resides in Hillham with his wife Patricia, who is involved with our business management. They have four children and one grandchild.
Matt lives in Jasper with his wife Bridget.
The company has a website here and a Facebook Page.
