RECAP - CW 06/2025

Talking Trees with Lily and Jad . Welcome to this week's recap episode of Talking Trees . Today we'll explore a range of topics about trees and their management . In this episode , we'll briefly revisit our daily discussions , which are available in full at heroheroco slash talkingtrees . We truly appreciate your support for our work . It means the world to us .

Welcome back everyone to the Deep Dive . We've got a really interesting set of Talking Trees episodes to go through from last week .

Lots to unpack .

Lots to unpack exactly , so we're going to be talking about everything from phytohormones and safety gear all the way to , you know , some stuff from Poland , so kind of a world tour this week .

A little bit of a grab bag .

Yeah , let's jump right into it . I guess Monday's episode was phytohormones . Back to basics . You know , we , as arborists , we talk about hormones all the time .

Yeah , that's one of those things that's sort of easy to oversimplify .

Right , and this one , they really , they dug into it .

Yeah , I think what I appreciate about this episode is they had two different sources . One was more of a textbook overview of the different types of phytohormones and really kind of their function at a biochemical level .

Yeah .

And then the other source really zeroed in on auxin and cytokinin .

And those are the big ones for us , right .

Especially when we're thinking about pruning yeah exactly . Because the interplay between those two hormones really dictates so much of what happens after you make a cut .

So like when you see that flush of epicormic growth below a pruning cut .

Yeah , that's all driven by auxin and cytokine .

That's so cool and like . So how can we like , as arborists , can we use this information ? Like , can we actually manipulate those hormones ?

So I think that's one of the things that the episode was getting at was sort of , you know , moving beyond just sort of this basic understanding of like oh yeah , auxin suppresses lateral growth and cytokinin promotes it to like OK , how can we actually use that to get the results we want ?

Right , Because sometimes we want epicormic growth right .

Right , like if you're trying to , you know , regenerate a canopy or you're .

Rejuvenate .

Rejuvenate a tree , or you're doing restoration , pruning or something like that .

So it's like understanding how to like , how to make those cuts in a way that promotes the growth that you want .

Yeah , instead of just sort of like hacking away at it and hoping for the best .

Right , oh man , that's great .

Yeah .

Okay , tuesday's episode was much more practical . It was called Gearing Up for Safety .

The good reminder . I feel like we need to hear that message every so often .

Yeah , Especially , you know , for someone like me . I've been doing this for a while and it's easy to kind of get complacent .

You get into a routine you think , oh yeah , I've got this . Yeah , that's when mistakes happen Right .

So they covered everything from like anchor points to carabiners , to you know different types of ropes .

No , it's everything .

Everything . It was like a full .

Harness fitting .

Gear check .

Yeah , all of it .

Did they talk about any like new technologies or anything like that ?

They did mention some Mention some of the latest recommendations from manufacturers .

Oh , okay .

Like in terms of you know how to properly configure your equipment and things like that . So that was interesting just to see , like , how things are evolving .

Yeah , because I feel like the gear is always changing .

Always changing .

There's always new stuff coming out .

New and improved supposedly Right .

Wednesday's episode was a little more niche . I would say it was called A Blast from the Past , managing Coppiced and Pollarded Trees .

Now that's something you don't hear about every day . It's kind of like a window into the history of arboriculture . You know these techniques have been around for centuries .

Yeah , and they're still relevant today .

Especially when you're dealing with older trees that have been managed that way in the past .

Right , or if you're trying to create a certain aesthetic .

Yeah , that pollinated look is very distinctive .

Yeah , so do they talk about like specific techniques or like ?

Yeah , they went into quite a bit of detail about how to properly coppice and pollard different species of trees and they also talked about the impact on tree growth and biodiversity .

Oh , interesting . So like does it actually benefit the trees to be managed that way ?

Well , in some cases yes , I mean it can actually extend the lifespan of a tree , because you're constantly stimulating new growth .

Wow , so you're like kind of resetting the clock .

Exactly , and it also creates habitat for all sorts of wildlife .

Oh , that's great , so it's like a win-win yeah .

It's a very holistic approach to tree management .

Okay , I'm definitely gonna have to check out that episode . I'm intrigued . Thursday's episode was one that I think a lot of arborists will be interested in . It was called Delving Deeper with Penetrography .

Oh yeah , this is a hot topic . Well , it's basically a way to measure the density of wood inside a tree . So you use this special drill bit that measures the resistance as it goes in .

So can you like actually see like cavities or decay ?

Exactly . You can see where the wood is softer or harder and that can give you a really good indication of the internal structure of the tree .

That's incredible . So it's like having x-ray vision for trees .

Pretty much . Yeah , they had two studies in this episode that I thought were really interesting . One was looking at how penetrography readings correlate with the actual wood anatomy .

Okay , so like you could see how , like the grain structure or like .

Yeah , like how the density of the wood changes based on the species or the age of the tree , or even the location within the tree .

That's so cool .

And the other study was looking at the impact of drilling on fungal spread . Oh , wow , yeah , because obviously anytime you're putting a hole in a tree , you're creating a wound , right . So they were looking at how different types of drill bits can influence the spread of certain fungi .

Like inonotus hispidus .

Yeah , that was one they mentioned , I think .

Yeah , that makes sense . So it sounds like penetrography is like a really valuable tool for us as arborists .

Oh , absolutely . I mean it can help you make much more informed decisions about whether a tree needs to be removed or pruned , or it's like you can see beyond just the visual inspection . Yeah , it's like getting a glimpse inside the tree .

I love that . Okay , so we've got phytohormones , safety gear , coppicing and pollarding and penetrography all really relevant topics for arborists . Now let's shift gears a little bit . Friday's episode took us across the border . It was called Across the Border News from the Tree Institute in Poland .

Yeah , this one was fascinating . It kind of broadened our perspective a bit .

Yeah , it definitely did so . For those who don't know what is the Tree Institute yeah , it definitely

Well , it's this organization in Poland that's doing some amazing work in terms of education and research and consultation . They offer training programs for arborists . They're involved in international projects . They're really trying to raise the bar for arboriculture in Europe .

Oh , wow .

That's awesome . So are they like setting standards or like , yeah , they're working on standardizing practices and qualifications and things like that ?

That's so cool . I mean , I feel like that's something that's really needed in our industry .

It is . It's kind of like a Wild West out there . Sometimes you know everyone's doing their own thing .

Yeah , and there's so much variation in like the quality of work .

Right , so having some kind of standardization would be really beneficial .

Yeah , and it could also help with like professional recognition .

You know , exactly Like having a certification that's recognized internationally .

Right , ok , so I'm going to have to look into this tree institute . I'm really curious to learn more about what they're doing . Saturday's episode brought us back down to earth , literally .

It was called the carbon footprint of urban trees Always a relevant topic .

Yeah , especially these days . So what did they talk about ?

Well , they focused on a study that looked at the carbon footprint of urban maple trees throughout their entire life cycle .

Oh , wow , so like from planting to disposal .

Yeah , they took everything into account the energy used to grow the trees , the transportation , the pruning , the eventual removal and disposal .

That's really comprehensive . So what were the main takeaways ?

Well , the most interesting finding , I thought , was that the way we care for trees can actually have a significant impact on their carbon footprint , like specifically , what kind of care ? Well , pruning was a big one .

Oh wow , so like if you're doing proper pruning , you're actually helping the tree sequester carbon faster .

Exactly You're maximizing its carbon storage potential .

That's so cool . It's like we're not just pruning trees , we're actually fighting climate change .

Yeah , it's all connected .

That's an awesome takeaway . Okay , so we've covered a lot of ground this week .

Yeah , from the microscopic to the macroscopic .

From pulling to pruning .

It's all part of the wonderful world of trees .

It is and it's all relevant to us as arborists .

Absolutely . We need to stay informed about all of this stuff .

So to all our listeners out there , I hope you found this deep dive helpful .

And we encourage you to check out the full episodes of Talking Trees , if you know . It's funny listening to all this stuff .

Yeah , and the homeowner they were . You know they were really attached to this tree , they really didn't want to take it down Of course . So I was , you know , I was doing my best to kind of assess the situation .

No penetrometer .

No .

Well , now you know about penetrography . Yeah .

Man . We've covered some serious ground today , From tiny little hormones to like the whole planet .

I know right , it's all connected , though that's what's so amazing about trees .

Yeah , there are these huge , complex organisms that play this massive role in the ecosystem and we , as arborists , we get to be a part of that .

It's pretty awesome when you think about it .

So , like , out of all the stuff we talked about today , what really stuck with you ?

Honestly , I think it's the carbon footprint stuff , like the idea that we can actually make a difference in the fight against climate change just by doing our jobs right .

Yeah , that's pretty powerful . It's like we're not just pruning trees , we're helping to save the planet .

Exactly .

And you know what else I thought was really cool that tree institute in Poland . Like they're really pushing the envelope in terms of like professionalism and standards in arboriculture .

Yeah , it'd be great to see something like that here , you know , some kind of like national organization that's really setting the bar high .

Right , like raising the level of education and training for arborists across the board .

It would make a huge difference in the quality of tree care out there .

For sure , and it would like give arborists more credibility , you know .

Absolutely .

And I don't know about you , but I find that pretty exciting .

Me too . It's what keeps me coming back for more , you know .

So to all you arborists out there , keep climbing , keep learning , keep caring for those amazing trees .

And remember we're all in this together .

That's it for this week's deep dive into talking trees . Until next time , happy tree climbing everybody .

Thank you for joining us on this week's journey through the world of trees and their management . If you enjoyed these topics , make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes . Your support helps us keep this content coming . Consider supporting us on heroheroco slash talkingtrees . Thanks for being a part of our community and we'll see you next time .