The most common job of a professional tree climber is as an arborist or tree doctor. These boys and girls climb dangerous trees, making the world above our heads a little safer. They are also credited with having done a great job helping to care for our urban trees. Other tree climbing jobs include treehouse builders, zip line construction, awning research assistants, as well as aerial rigging for film crews and photographers.
Salary estimates are based on 101 salaries sent anonymously to Glassdoor by a Tree Climber employee. It's also important if a tree pruner has one or more safety, pesticide, or arboriculture certifications from a nationally or internationally recognized association, such as the Tree Care Industry Association or the International Arboriculture Society. But you need to be careful, as there are more and more rogue tree climbing schools showing up trying to make a quick buck. That's when I knew that climbing trees was more than just climbing a tree; a unique type of camaraderie manifests itself when people climb trees together.
Whether you're looking for work and considering tree climbing as a career path, or a tree climber hoping to negotiate a better salary, you have a variety of hourly rates for tree climbers that may apply. My tree climbing school is located near Portland, Oregon, and my wife and children live near Nashville, which makes it a long trip. Review job postings, similar jobs, education level, and experience requirements for the Tree Climber job to confirm it's the job you're looking for. Occasionally I contact nonprofit communities that are stationed in exotic locations where my tree-climbing skills would help.
About 20 years ago I was introduced to an activity called technical tree climbing, the use of a rope and a saddle to explore the canopy, which led me to become a tree climbing instructor and mentor for hundreds of people around the world. Tree climbers skillfully ascend and descend a tree performing tasks designed to maintain the health and appearance of the tree, such as spraying pests or diseases or pruning branches. Ninety-nine percent of the students I receive have a real passion for trees and the environment, two topics that are extremely important to me. One of those people is Tim Kovar, founder of Tree Climbing Planet (a tree climbing school) near Portland, Oregon.
