Episode 50 - Tree Talk : Why Education Matters

In this 50th episode of 7,000 Volts: Living an Electrified Life, LJ sits down with his longtime mentor and “walking bible of trees,” legendary arborist Alan Mayberry, to talk about what it really means to become an arborist. Allen shares how a childhood spent in the woods, a life-changing ecology trip, and an unexpected city forestry job sparked his passion for trees and led to decades of study, field experience, and teaching. He and LJ dig into the hard lessons learned from early mistakes, the science behind tree health, critical root zones, lion-tailing, and why improper practices like topping crape myrtles and careless root cutting can silently doom trees. They also confront the dangers of an unregulated industry—especially around power lines—touching on LJ’s near-fatal 7,000-volt incident, and discuss the need for real education, licensing, and higher standards. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize that certification is only the beginning, that true arborists are educators first, and that integrity sometimes means walking away from work rather than harming a healthy tree.