Hot take: climbing spikes on every tree removal is lazy work

I watched a crew in Nashville take down a mature red oak last week and they strapped on spikes before even looking at the canopy. For removals that's fine but I see guys running spikes on pruning jobs too and it drives me nuts. Real arborists know when to leave the spikes in the truck and use a rope and saddle instead. Am I the only one who calls people out for this on site?

3 comments

3 Comments

fionam117d ago

mark_chen62 hit it right when he said 'it's all about knowing when the damage from spikes matters vs when it doesn't.' That's the whole thing in a nutshell. I've had to pull guys aside on site a FEW times and it's always awkward but necessary. My go-to is to just say 'hey man, you planning to prune that tree or take it down?' and watch their face. If they get defensive I show them a wound from a spike set from last year, it's UGLY and it shuts them up quick. And yeah, like mark said, the good climbers can toss a line up faster than strapping on spikes anyway, so it's not even a time saver. If you stay polite and explain the decay and how that tree has to live with those punctures, most guys will at least think twice next time.

wilson.olivia6d ago

Has anyone ever noticed how defensive some climbers get when you bring this up? I had a guy last summer who nearly walked off the job when I politely asked about his spurs on a pruning removal. It really is about respect for the tree and the craft, and I wish more people understood that.

mark_chen628d ago

it's all about knowing when the damage from spikes matters vs when it doesn't. on a removal the tree is coming down anyway so spikes are fine, saves time and keeps you safe. but when someone spikes a live tree on a pruning job they're basically stabbing it in the trunk for no reason, that's where you have to say something. i just keep it simple and ask them why they didn't use a climbing line, most of the time they get defensive but a few have actually listened. if you're polite about it and explain the wound closure and decay risk they usually back down. the good climbers i know can set a rope faster than they can strap on spikes anyway so it's not even a time thing.