Arborist

AKA: Lumberjack

Build

In this job, you get to work with trees that are over a hundred years old. Living history is a very special thing!

Josh Klassen
Arborist

In A Nutshell

I am responsible for the health, growth, and wellbeing of trees.  

I climb trees to maintain and trim them, or safely cut them down.  

I analyze if a tree is healthy, what disease it could have if it's looking sick, and whether it needs to be cut down or not. 

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Potential Salary Range

$16.00 - 30.00 Hourly

Which provinces would this job be in?

Alberta AB
Alberta
British Columbia BC
British Columbia
Manitoba MB
Manitoba
New Brunswick NB
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia NS
Nova Scotia
Ontario ON
Ontario
Prince Edward Island PEI
Prince Edward Island
Quebec QC
Quebec

I work all over the place. I spend a lot of time on the road travelling between customers, and of course, I spend lots of time up in the trees. Paperwork and emails always manage to sneak in there too. 

Workplace

Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Study trees to decide their age and health and figure out what needs to be done
  • Use knowledge of arboriculture to identify insects and diseases that could harm a tree
  • Help customers decide what should be done to trees on their property to avoid risks
  • Climb trees to remove limbs or dangerous areas
  • Use heavy-duty equipment to haul large chunks of trees and stumps
  • Prepare bills and invoices and manage budgets 

Education & Training

  • A college diploma or university degree in arboriculture or forestry is usually required. Some universities will offer courses in arboriculture or forestry, but generally this should be supplemented with work experience alongside a veteran arborist. 
  • The International Association of Arboriculture (ISA) issues the certification to be able to call yourself an Arborist. They have various routes you can take to gain this certification.
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Job Outlook

    Some provinces have a greater need for arborist services, and those such as BC, Ontario, and New Brunswick, have a great job outlook for future arborists.  

Related School Subjects

Science
Ed. Prof. et Tech.
Career Education

What words come to mind when thinking about this career?

Trees Forestry Climbing Lumber

Important Skills

Physical

If you’re afraid of heights and don’t like getting messy, this job is not the one for you! I find myself climbing trees, using chainsaws, loading and hauling lumber, and more. It’s hard but rewarding work.  

Analytical Thinking

My job also takes a scientific mindset. Customers will bring me in to look at a sick tree, and I have to analyze the situation and decide the best way to handle it based on the symptoms.  

Resilience

Sometimes customers change their mind midway through a project and sometimes codes are hard to troubleshoot. It’s important to be resilient and get back up again after these challenges!

Customer Service

People care a lot about their property, and I want them to feel like I care about it too.

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The Best Things About This Job Are…

Helps Others
Independent Work
Opportunity to Travel
Seasonality
Improves and Protects the Environment