Written by: Joe Grabinski of Stabile Arbor
Images provided by: Stabile Arbor
Trees cover about 30% of the Earth’s surface. Just over half of Pennsylvania is forested land, bringing those iconic rolling green hills to life. In Northwestern PA the French Creek Watershed encompasses more than 790,000 acres. If a leaf traveled from the headwaters of French Creek at the western edge of New York, it would eventually pass through the quaint riverside town of Meadville, PA. It is within this valley that one may be able to spot a climbing arborist in the tree canopy that shades the town below.
~ The sun has just peeked over the ridge, casting gleams of light onto freshly dewed grass and dripping leaves. Its glow lights up the tips of branches like a star. Two brightly colored ropes dangle near the base of a tree. The sound of the birds shaking off their feathers is contrasted by light metal clinking together, both kept sealed inside the veil of spring. New leaves and flowers emerge giving the tree a new shape while our arborist aloft is inspecting its form.
The trees mentioned before are one of the area’s greatest and most abundant resources. They clean the air, shade our homes and communal spaces, keep the soil in place, add value to our homes, and mostly remind us of the importance of having a connection to the natural world.
Sir David Attenborogh once stated, while remarking on the incredible biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest, that nature seeks abundance/growth and not just aesthetics. We believe the role of the Arborist is to seek the balance between the two and only interfere when necessary. This interference is utilitarian by nature because of our modern infrastructure (homes, utility lines, roads, etc.) being intertwined with nature’s infrastructure (trees, rivers, topography, etc.). We must seek to steward the land in a way that keeps the community safe while also respecting a tree’s innate need for nothing.
Trees are naturally devastating to what is below. From walnuts hailing down to entire tops of trees being snapped from their mast during a significant storm, it is natural to worry about the health and stability of the trees we live alongside. The role of the Arborist is to inform members of the community about the health and safety of their trees and perform tree work that takes a “best practice” and educated approach. This takes a highly skilled crew of people that are trained and educated in Arboriculture. We must understand the basic biology and biomechanics of trees so that we can obtain the previous balance of growth to aesthetics and do what is best for the overall health of the organism. This practice also requires the tools and equipment to perform the job with minimal impact to the tree and property. The combination of a highly skilled and educated Arborist with the proper gear to safely get the job done is what promotes the better health and success of our community canopy one tree at a time.
Stabile Arbor has been operating for over a decade, but it takes generations to understand the nature of trees. With an ISA Certified Arborist on board and a team of skilled working arborists they seek daily to increase training, safety, and efficiency to have the greatest impact possible to promote the health of our community canopy.
Stabile Arbor has recently collaborated with Blue Canopy Marketing to increase the reach they can have in their community by advancing their website, request forms, and client interface to make it more accessible for people to reach out and connect with a local Arborist. Additionally this blog seeks to feed the learner’s mind and entertain those that want to know more about trees locally here in NWPA as well as what your neighborhood Arborists have been learning from birds and bees alike.
If you are interested in seeking out an Arborist near you click here: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
or you can contact Stabile Arbor directly with all things tree-related by clicking here: https://clienthub.getjobber.com/client_hubs/066c07d8-a9b8-4196-88f8-e46d49f3f297/public/work_request/new?source=social_media to fill out a request form.
Stay tuned for more blog posts as we continue to share more about the tree care industry, tree biology, and what you can do to help protect and preserve green spaces in your local community. Don’t forget to check out Stabile Arbor’s social media accounts as well to stay updated about what they are up to!
Here are some of the resources used for the first paragraph and a link to the Planet Earth documentary mentioned above:
Sir David Attenborogh
https://lithub.com/sir-david-attenborough-nature-shows-that-prosperity-doesnt-mean-endless-expansion/
Blue Canopy Marketing
https://bluecanopymarketing.com/
Crawford County Forest Management
https://www.crawfordconservation.com/forestry-management/big-trees-of-crawford-county/
PA DCNR Forestry
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/ForestsAndTrees
Geography of Meadville
https://sites.google.com/a/allegheny.edu/meadville/physical-geography