Education and Plant Sciences Manager

• Oct 2022 - Present

Consulting and Training Assistant Manager

• Nov 2017 - Oct 2022

Consulting Arborist and Training Provider

• Jan 2017 - Oct 2017

Consulting Arborist & Forest Technician

• Dec 2014 - Jan 2017

I am the principal consulting arborist and founder of Outside Woods, specializing in objective tree diagnosis and health assessments, Arborist Reports, tree risk assessments and hazard evaluations, tree preservation, tree inventory, Plant Health Care (PHC) and tree management prescriptions, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), soil analysis, plant pathology, planting directives, forestry field work, woodlot assessments, MFTIP preparation, forest restoration and rehabilitation work, as well as outdoor and ecological education programs.

Contract Professor, Arboriculture

• Mar 2016 - Dec 2016

As a Contract Professor, I am responsible for teaching a six-week Arboriculture course in the Spring as part of Algonquin College's Forestry Technician program, introducing students to the care of trees within an urban and urban-interface environment. My goal is to help students develop an understanding of the principles and practices of arboriculture for assessing the condition of urban trees, identifying major diseases and pests, and assessing and mitigating risk, as well as to inspire good tree stewardship. Course instruction also includes introducing students to modern tree climbing techniques, rope handling and access systems, gear, knots, hitches, climbing definitions, and fall protection; instructing students how to safely operate, maintain, and repair arboriculture tools and equipment; and demonstrating proper pruning techniques and controls for urban vegetation with an emphasis on workplace safety.

Lead Arborist

• Sep 2015 - Oct 2016

At Tree Compass, I liaise with municipal staff to accurately and efficiently complete City of Ottawa forestry related work orders, performing structural pruning and preventative maintenance of municipal trees. Advocating for appropriate and sustainable arboricultural practices, I routinely improve the health, safety, and condition of trees on urban streets and in parks by applying principles of tree physiology. Working closely with a variety of tree species and having learned their nuances, I also accurately identify tree defects, diseases, and invasive threats, assessing the health, quality, and risk of municipal trees and reporting my findings to the City's forestry crew leader and inspectors for further action. I provide technical expertise and education to both staff and the public on the urban forest and tree health, communicating effectively and responding to contentious issues with knowledge, tact, and diplomacy. In my role as Lead Arborist, I organize and work alongside crew members to ensure quality and performance of work in accordance with established practices, procedures, and legislated requirements, including safety standards set out by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. I also bring my expertise as a skilled and confident professional chainsaw operator to my daily work, safely operating and routinely maintaining chainsaws and all other forestry equipment with the highest standards of behaviour and professionalism.

Resource Technician / Foreman

• Oct 2011 - Dec 2014

Throughout my tenure at O.R.M.G., I conducted a variety of forestry field operations, including tree marking, regeneration assessment (SEM), forest inventory, tree planting and reforestation initiatives, and aggregate projects throughout the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region. As a Certified Ontario Tree Maker licensed in both tolerant hardwoods and conifers, I routinely performed tree and forest ecosystem assessments and stand analysis, marking trees for harvest and retention according to forest management plans and prescriptions. I identified wildlife and ecosystem values and applied appropriate measures for their protection, maintaining the highest standard of ethics in meeting silvicultural objectives.Leading with passion and confidence in remote wilderness environments, I trained staff and supervised the tree marking crew, ensuring production goals were met in varying weather and forest conditions without compromising quality or accuracy of work while strictly enforcing health and safety protocols, policies, and procedures. As foreman, I liaised effectively between timber harvest operators, foresters, and auditors, taking into account diverse points of view and striking a delicate balance between economy and ecology. In addition to my principal activities as a Tree Marker, I also implemented and supervised various tree-planting operations as part of reforestation projects with Trees Ontario. On a practical and technical level, carrying out aerial photo interpretation, mapping, compassing activities, forestry sampling techniques, and the use of a prism (BAF2), GPS, and other forestry instruments were all a daily part of my job, making me skilled and proficient in the use and maintenance of forestry tools and equipment.

Utility Arborist / Tree Climber

• Jul 2013 - Jun 2014

At Tamarack, I proficiently climbed, trimmed, and removed difficulty and hazardous trees around utility lines in residential and urban areas with an emphasis on tree health and public safety. Working in this capacity enabled me to develop advanced tree climbing techniques, and more importantly, enriched my understanding and knowledge of the urban forest. While I gained valuable arboricultural skills that can only be culled from climbing and working intimately in trees, working in line clearing helped me to identify and carve out the kind of arboriculture and urban forestry management that I want to practice, leading me to refocus my attention on tree health and awareness. As an advocate for appropriate arboricultural practices and high standards of safety, I was elected Health and Safety Officer during my tenure at Tamarack to train staff and enforce safety regulations, accomplishing a safer and healthier workplace and positive work environment.