BTC/109/2015 - Arboriculture: time to lose the baggage. ICF News (Winter 2015/16)
Arboriculture, both as an Industry and Profession, had a low profile in the UK until the 1970s when Dutch Elm Disease hit and suddenly millions of trees had to be felled in urban areas. There were very few climbing arborists and forestry contractors filled the gap, learning fast to adapt their ground-based felling skills into those needed for aerial operations. The Industry never looked back, and is now a thriving example of modern practice and innovation, serving our practical tree management needs. In tandem with this evolution, an increasing public appreciation of the value of trees saw the Profession develop at breakneck speed, providing the management expertise needed to effectively integrate trees and people within the built environment.