Ingersoll and LeVangie are known for their natural leadership and instructional styles, meeting each of their students where they are with their skills and learning abilities.
Instead, she owns everything from Husqvarna to Stihl and everything in between. In terms of battery-powered saws, though, she praised the Husq- varna 540i XP for its power and speed. “That thing’s a rocket ship!” she exclaimed, adding that she can fell 12- to 14-inch trees with ease with the chainsaw.
generation in a way that is sustain- able and efficient. In her experience, Ingersoll has seen the “cycles of fail- ure” happen in the care of trees in her generation. Sadly, some arborists have “wasted a tree’s life” because they were more concerned with hitting job quotas in- stead of proper and thoughtful plant- ing. She believes we can do better as humans. “If we call ourselves arborists, then ev- ery arborist should know how to plant a tree and do it exceptionally. Not just do it,” she urged. Ingersoll’s enthusiasm for teaching and learning is infectious. Her ability to inspire and her dedication to safety and sustainability make her a standout figure in the tree care industry. Spend a few minutes with Ingersoll, and you, too, might find yourself wanting to love what she loves, learn what she learns, and do what she does. Melissa and the WTCW Team will be exhibiting at ArborEXPO™ '25 located at booth #854. They will be conduct- ing demonstrations at various times during the conference where you can earn CEUs.
The hope is that after witnessing and participating in a culture of safety, stu- dents will continue to take PPE serious- ly in their own endeavors outside of the workshops and lessons. “If you don’t want to follow the rules [of our workshop], then you don’t have to be here. It’s a choice. It’s as simple as that,” she expressed. “While you’re with us, we’re devel- oping a culture of safety, and this is what we do. Our PPE is on for the task at hand until there’s nothing else aloft.” Another challenge is that the industry is becoming increas- ingly more mechanized. From heavy machinery to software and apps, technological advance- ments continue to alter the face of tree care. Still, Ingersoll believes there will always be a need for the ‘climbing arborist.’ “The human connection we have with trees is so real that there will always be a need,” she explained. “I just think the need is going to change.” PRESERVING THE FUTURE OF ARBORICULTURE Looking to the future, Ingersoll hopes to see a push to plant a new forest
Husqvarna's 540i XP battery-powered chainsaw is one of Ingersoll's go-to pieces of equipment for the job.
PROMOTING PERSONAL SAFETY AND JOB SECURITY Among the challenges that Ingersoll faces as a leader and instructor, she expressed that enforcing Personal Pro- tective Equipment (PPE) still proves to be a struggle in arboriculture. Whether teaching for a private company or one of her own workshops, Ingersoll and her team clearly state from the beginning that their tactics are rooted in safety.
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