About Maple Man…

Professionally, I work on trees, I look at them, assess them and prune them. Over the past decade, I’ve had some wonderful mentors, working with various Arborists at Tree Care companies, municipalities and utilities throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. These days, I prefer to work mostly on Japanese Maples. To me, pruning maples is a source of inspiration, gratification, challenge, learning and hope. I find much in common with anyone who loves Maples, so its a great way to connect with the community as well. Trees reflect us as people, how we treat them, manage them, craft them…in return they provide us with endless gifts.

Early on, working in the Oregon State Parks, I had the honor and privilege to learn from their regional Arborist/Ecologist; John Cowan. John was extremely generous with information and really piqued my interest in the vast world of plants, how they relate to each other and humans. Under his guidance, I received a wonderful introduction to a life in trees and natural resource management as a whole. When I asked John how to learn more about trees, he suggested I work for a tree care company.

I took John’s advice. My first job in residential care was quite interesting and would eventually represent, in my mind, the opposite of tree care. We hacked many poor trees, sculpting them into unsightly forms or fire wood and woodchips. Still, I learned the definition of hard work, working safely as a team and began to ask many questions about proper tree care.

Naturally, I wanted to advance and expand my skills and knowledge. I was after higher standards, so took other opportunities in the industry; still never feeling totally comfortable or natural in the world of commercial arboriculture. I found myself getting frustrated with the assigned arbitrary tasks and the constant push for production over quality. I felt as though there was a great expectation to produce satisfactory without any guidance or training to support it.

After sacrificing some time and energy, I experienced burn out. I questioned everything and became very cynical of the tree care industry. To me, it generally seemed as though there was more harm than good being done. The only thing that held my interest was pruning. It seemed like some kind of mystical art form that was unteachable, unlearnable and unattainable. I vividly remember feeling completely unqualified, clueless and fearful while standing next to a Japanese Maple. They just seemed to have a different presence about them compared to everything else, like the demanded a higher level of skill and mastery.

At Bartlett Tree Expert in Portland, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many Arborists who were truly experts; real masters of their craft. It was the perfect setting to apply my knowledge while getting schooled on a daily basis. I was not alone in my interests here. Eventually, I got another chance to try my hand at pruning Japanese Maples….I wasn’t getting at first, at all. I was still full of fear and apprehension; little cuts, getting nowhere. From what I recall, the second and third were no better. I asked questions but still couldn't grasp the concepts…

Vaughn Chandler showed me his approach. He disappeared into the mushroom shaped tree with a handsaw, furiously cutting away, I watched and dragged off limb after limb in horror. Looking over my shoulder and feeling like I was an accomplice at some horrific crime scene, sure to be spotted and interrogated soon. I was sure that he was killing this lady’s beloved laceleaf maple which was the centerpiece of her front yard. Thoroughly bewildered, and slightly traumatized by the carnage, I then witnessed magic with hand pruners as he harmonized the little mini canopy by fine pruning & tuning. Only through shedding its heavy dark cloak, the true maple was revealed, it rose and shone like a holy relic… only then, did it all click for me.