Sage Advice
Sage Advice Robert Phillips on Training and Educating the Next Generation of Arborists By Cindy O’Hara
As a third-generation arborist, Robert Phillips has had an illus- trious career both on the ground and in the canopy. For more than 50 years, Phillips has spent time climbing, competing and educating those in the indus- try. Throughout his illustrious career, he has used his talents with several tree care compa- nies, such as Sohner Tree Ser- vice, Pacific Slope Tree Cooper- ative and most recently his own Santa Rosa-based company, TW Ranch Inc., (now subsequently shuttered). Today, he continues his work as an independent tree care provider, offering his ex- pertise to those who rely on his deep knowledge and skill. In this conversation, Robert re- flects on his decades in the field and shares hard-earned insight for the current and next gener- ations of industrial athletes that live among the leaves. Q : How did growing up in a tree care family business influence your path into arboriculture?
A : I should say, ‘safety first.’ Having had several accidents, I can speak from experience that sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. And I had many mentors throughout my ca- reer and learned from each one of them. So, it’s always, ‘think safe- ty.’ And of course, it’s important to get the job done, but not worth taking short cuts. Q : In your experience, how have climbing techniques and equipment changed since you began? A : They’ve changed dramatical- ly. A good many new knot hitch- es have been introduced, and one of my specialties is working with a mechanical advantage, a means in which to move one’s weight with less effort up and in and around in trees. I had the op- portunity to work with a tree care association as a head demonstra- tor for its event, and each year I wanted to introduce something different.
Robert Phillips
A : It started in the ‘70s when I started competing in the Tree Trimmers Jamboree. And that in- spired me because I was a com- petitive young man and exercised my skills in tree climbing … at a competitive level. Q : What are some of the most important lessons you learned while working with Sohner Tree Service early in your career?
ArborTIMES ™ Spring 2026 | 71 ArborTIMES™ Spring 2026 | 71
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online