In the hot-seat this week is UK based Arborist, Josephine Hedger. A 3 x World Tree Climbing Champion, Jo is kept very busy with Arbor Venture Tree Care and Arbor Venture Training, based in Hampshire. Over to Jo…
1. I became an Arborist because…
I am an active person and I realised from an early age working in an office was not for me. I loved growing up outdoors as a kid and I found a job that followed on from that.
2. My favourite tree is…
To look at, I would say my favourite tree would be a Tulip Tree. To climb, it would be a Beech Tree.
3. I won’t leave home without…
My car keys, money and checking that my dogs have food and water.
4. The perfect day at work would include…
Beautiful spring weather, light pruning with no need for chainsaw trousers and boots, having a fresh Danish pastry with a cup of tea. And an early finish!
5. The worst part of my job is...
Paper work! A lot of trees we work on are covered by a tree preservation order which requires planning applications. It takes so much time and I can only do it sat in front of a computer screen.
6. The best slice of wisdom I can pass on is...
Keep your mouth shut and your ears open.
7. If I could hang out in a tree with one person (past/present/living/dead), it would be…
Dave Grohl! He is such an amazing musician and I think he would appreciate the amazing space we get to work in every day. Plus he could teach me something to improve on my drumming.
8. The one tree I’d like to climb is…
A Boab tree.
9. If I wasn’t an arborist I’d be a…
A skipper at my own yacht company.
10. True Tale or Tall Tale? Once upon a time I…
…was removing a large line of Pine trees which were along a fenced boundary with a posh hotel. We were there for a few days and had the hotel block off the car park below the trees. We removed the crown and had to fell the stems. Everything was still clear when we started the next day. Unknown to me, the hotel had thought halfway through that we had finished and valet parked two very expensive cars the other side of the 6ft high fence. When I had felled the last stem, I stood on top of it only to be shocked that they had decided to park them there. I don’t know how relaxed I would have been if I’d known that 120k of cars was only 4ft from the drop zone!