Arboriculture Australia opportunities

Tree climbers should check out the dedicated climbing page to find out about competition climbing in Australia. Images: Arboriculture Australia

Pia Finnigan of Arboriculture Australia shares five current opportunities tree-care professionals should be looking out for.

The Arboriculture Australia National Industry Awards Nominations are now open Do you know someone who deserves industry-wide recognition? Visit the Arb Aus website (trees.org.au) to submit your nominations by 12 noon, Sunday, February 09.

Winners will be presented at the 2025 Arboriculture Australia Conference and Tradeshow in Canberra, happening at QT on March 16-18. The conference is an excellent chance to learn and network, and this year’s theme Shaping Arboriculture through Diversity, Innovation and Technology will showcase inspiring local talent.

Who will take home the honours in 2025? You can nominate for these categories:
• Invaluable Volunteer Service award: recognising significant volunteer contributions to the arboriculture industry at various levels
• Diversity and Inclusion award: celebrating individuals or businesses that drive diversity and positive change in the industry, and
• Arboriculture Advocacy award: honouring those raising awareness of critical arboricultural issues.

The National Conference andIndustry Awards will take place in Canberra in March, 2025. Image: FiledIMAGE/stock.adobe.com
The National Conference and Industry Awards will take place in Canberra in March, 2025. Image:
FiledIMAGE/stock.adobe.com

Meet a mentor

Arbormentor is a recently launched initiative connecting arborists with some of the most seasoned experts in the industry for guidance and knowledgesharing. “Experienced arborists or field leaders answer questions once or twice a month to mentor those who need it most,” explained Peter Gray from the Arb Australia Board, who co-leads the initiative with Mark Hartley.

The webinars are free. Just register by visiting the Education page on the Arb Aus website (trees.org.au/arbormentor) and feel free to ask any industry question that’s on your mind.

New resources are coming in 2025

Keep an eye out for some new sections on Arboriculture Australia’s website.

A careers hub will have all the information someone new to the industry could need, and will also have materials to be downloaded so anyone can become an ambassador to inform and encourage others to our industry. Arb Aus is also launching a survey page to collect valuable and industry-specific data to support the association’s advocacy efforts, so visit the site, have your say and potentially win prizes.

Finally, tree climbers should check out the dedicated climbing page to find everything they need to know about competition climbing in Australia. This will all be coming early 2025 to trees.org. au/home.

Membership renewals and sign-ups are open

2024 was a busy year for the national industry association. Did you know Arboriculture Australia:
• Was featured on Channel 7’s Sunrise, ABC National Radio, and numerous local outlets, raising awareness about arboriculture and the critical need for skilled arborists?
• Supported the Make Victoria Greener campaign, focusing on electric-line clearance guidelines? Arb Aus’ Utility Arborist Association is working towards national improvements on this front
• Led the National Strategy Group, bringing together representatives from every Australian state and territory, along with partners from Treenet, IACA, CAV, and NZ Arb, to align goals and resources on pressing industry issues? And
• Submitted recommendations to government on core skills occupation lists to address our industry’s skills shortage.

Help us make even more progress in 2025 by renewing or signing up for Arb Aus membership today.

Addressing the arboriculture skills shortage

One of the most critical issues facing arboriculture today is the shortage of skilled arborists. Arboriculture Australia is actively working on initiatives to attract more people to the field, and recently, Tasmania became the centre of attention for some of this work.

At Lake Sorrel, the TAO ArbFest gathered arborists nationwide for skillbuilding presentations and hands-on demonstrations focused on tree care and advanced climbing techniques. A highlight of the event was the launch of Tomorrow’s Tree Team, an interactive program for kids featuring activities like harness and rope handling, log balancing, and an introduction to tree care fundamentals.

Why focus on youth?

“We need to attract more people to our industry, preferably at an early age,” said Meg Caffin, Chair of Arb Australia. “That’s why we’ve introduced the Arborists Don’t Grow On Trees campaign, with Tomorrow’s Tree Team as a major component,” she added. The aim is to inspire young people to explore arboriculture and other green-collar careers from a young age, fostering a new generation of professional tree care experts.

So don’t forget: nominate someone for an award, connect with a mentor, check out the Arb Aus website for resources coming soon, and renew your Arboriculture Australia membership today to support your industry.

Learn more of Arboriculture Australia and its 2025 events at trees.org.au/home.

The Arborists Don’t Grow On Treescampaign aims to inspire young people to explore arboriculture. Image: Aboriculture Australia
The Arborists Don’t Grow On Trees campaign aims to inspire young people to explore arboriculture. Image: Aboriculture Australia
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