This week, we brave the cold and travel to Collier Memorial State Park in Southern Oregon to visit an elite ArborWorks crew that, in the wake of multiple large wildfires that have occurred in the area over the past few years, has been tasked with removing fire-weakened timber that is within striking distance of power lines. This highly skilled team is led by Roy Hauser, a 40-year timber felling expert, and veteran forester Lyncho Ruiz,...
Hurricane Ian was one of the most destructive hurricanes in recent memory. Ian likely caused $53 billion to $74 billion in insured losses from Florida to the Carolinas, with a “best estimate” of $67 billion, according to modeling firm RMS. The storm caused extensive damage to homes and businesses, leaving millions of Floridians without power. But under the leadership of Clint Stephens, our Vice President of Operations, Southeastern Region out of Knoxville, and our Florida...
Under General Foreman Abdiel Solis’ leadership and crew AW124, ArborWorks’ curtain burners in Shaver are processing dead wood material from the Creek Fire in California, which has burned over 4 thousand acres and damaged countless homes. ArborWorks cares about slowing the pace of climate change. That is why we are using curtain burners to remove dead wood. The unique air curtain technology traps black carbon emissions, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. This method of...
On Friday, July 22, 2022, Ben Turck and I met with Tanner Michaelson of the Creek Fire Recovery Collective at a property on the edge of the Creek Fire burn scar. We also met with several other volunteers and helped assemble a pre-fabricated shed for a homeowner severely affected by the fire. The shed, built by high-school students in Fresno as a part of the Rebuild our Sierra program, was quickly assembled with Ben’s expert...
In our industry, we use expensive, specialized and complex equipment to get the job done. To the average person, the work we do can often look impossible. But to us, it’s second nature. Especially being safe. Among the most important and relied upon tricks of the trade, however, is a tool that is absolutely free. Knots are amazingly versatile tools. A person armed with nothing but knowledge and a rope can create entire mechanical systems...