Roger: 0:02

Talking Trees with Lillian Jad. Welcome to this episode of Talking Trees. Today we'll introduce Dr Arbol, an arboricultural company from Catalonia offering a diverse range of services, from tree health assessments and planting planning to innovative solutions for urban tree challenges. Let's dive into this inspiring example of modern arboriculture.

Jad: 0:30

Hey everyone and welcome back for another deep dive. Today we're going to be talking about a pretty fascinating figure in the world of arboriculture.

Lilly: 0:38

Okay.

Jad: 0:39

Gerard Pissola and his network, Dr Arbol.

Lilly: 0:41

Interesting.

Jad: 0:42

And we're going to be focusing on their special works.

Lilly: 0:43

Yeah, like the large tree transplantings and be focusing on their special works.

Jad: 0:45

Yeah, like the large tree transplantings and their really unique ways of stabilizing trees.

Lilly: 0:50

Cool.

Jad: 0:50

So if you're an arborist, listening in this is going to be right up your alley.

Lilly: 0:54

I think a lot of arborists are going to be interested in Pissola's approach.

Jad: 0:58

For sure.

Lilly: 0:58

It's refreshing to see someone who's not all about immediately jumping to transplanting.

Jad: 1:03

Exactly.

Lilly: 1:04

He really emphasizes finding ways to preserve trees right where they are.

Jad: 1:09

You know he's been managing trees in big cities for the last decade and really advocating for this less invasive approach.

Lilly: 1:15

It makes sense when you consider his background in risk assessment.

Jad: 1:20

Oh, absolutely.

Lilly: 1:21

His company Tree Investigation and Management. They're all about understanding the tree's condition before making any decisions. It's crucial, yeah, Especially when you're dealing with those big, mature trees we see in cities.

Jad: 1:34

For sure, it's about long-term health, not just quick fixes.

Lilly: 1:37

Exactly, but sometimes transplanting is unavoidable. It is.

Jad: 1:42

And that's where Dr Arbol comes in.

Lilly: 1:44

Right.

Jad: 1:44

Perval says he's done hundreds of transplantings himself.

Lilly: 1:47

Wow.

Jad: 1:48

But Dr Arbol is a network of specialists.

Lilly: 1:50

I see they can handle those really complex cases. What's interesting?

Jad: 1:54

about.

Lilly: 1:54

Dr Arbol, is that it goes beyond the usual company structure.

Jad: 1:58

Okay.

Lilly: 1:59

It's more like a collective highly experienced professionals, each with their own specialized training, Coming together to share their knowledge and collaborate on these big projects.

Jad: 2:10

That collective knowledge must be so valuable. It is Especially for something as delicate as transplanting a large tree. What does that actually involve?

Lilly: 2:18

Well, it's a really detailed process.

Jad: 2:20

Yeah.

Lilly: 2:21

You need a deep understanding of tree biology, but also soil science.

Jad: 2:26

Makes sense.

Lilly: 2:26

They plan each step meticulously.

Jad: 2:30

Wow.

Lilly: 2:30

Thinking about the root system, site preparation, even the care after the transplant.

Jad: 2:36

It's like they're giving these trees the royal treatment.

Lilly: 2:38

They are.

Jad: 2:39

You know, it really got me interested, though their work on these specialized bracing systems Right For unique trees, fascinating stuff. It's not just basic cabling, they're creating custom solutions.

Lilly: 2:52

They're not just trying to keep a tree upright, it's about helping it thrive.

Jad: 2:56

Right.

Lilly: 2:56

Even if it has structural weaknesses. Wow, it's about understanding the tree's anatomy its weaknesses and designing a support system just for it.

Jad: 3:05

It's like engineering for a living structure. We're also doing research on physiotherapy for trees. What have they learned about how plants can help other plants?

Lilly: 3:13

It's a fascinating area. They're exploring how to use companion planting to create a supportive environment.

Jad: 3:21

So like using nature to make urban trees stronger.

Lilly: 3:25

Exactly.

Jad: 3:25

That could really change things it could. It sounds like they're helping entire ecosystems.

Lilly: 3:29

That's the goal.

Jad: 3:31

What about these sensors for monitoring stability?

Lilly: 3:34

Oh, those are really interesting.

Jad: 3:36

Yeah.

Lilly: 3:36

They can pick up the slightest movements in a tree, especially important for high value trees in parks and urban areas.

Jad: 3:43

That's like an early warning system.

Lilly: 3:44

It is.

Jad: 3:45

So you know about problems before you can see them.

Lilly: 3:47

Precisely.

Jad: 3:49

It's like they're giving trees a voice.

Lilly: 3:51

I like that.

Jad: 3:51

So they can tell us when they need help.

Lilly: 3:53

They can.

Jad: 3:54

That kind of risk management is really impressive.

Lilly: 3:56

It is.

Jad: 3:57

And it's all part of their philosophy of innovation, pushing the boundaries of tree care. Another example of that is their work with the. That's a good one. I was hoping you'd bring that up.

Lilly: 4:08

It's a great example.

Jad: 4:09

What exactly is it?

Lilly: 4:10

Well, it's a planting system. Okay. It creates a better environment for trees in tough urban conditions. It deals with things like compacted soil Right, poor drainage.

Jad: 4:20

Yeah.

Lilly: 4:20

And limited space for roots All those challenges trees face in the city.

Jad: 4:25

It sounds like they're really giving these trees a fighting chance. It really does. It really giving these trees a fighting chance? It really does. It's like they're always searching for a better way to help trees survive in the city.

Lilly: 4:34

In those sometimes really tough urban environments.

Jad: 4:37

Exactly so. You know, we've talked about their philosophy.

Lilly: 4:40

Yeah.

Jad: 4:40

But what about some actual examples of their projects?

Lilly: 4:43

Oh, there's some really interesting ones.

Jad: 4:44

I bet. What are some that stand out to you?

Lilly: 4:47

Well, one that comes to mind is their work transplanting mature trees. I mean, most arborists wouldn't even try to move trees that big.

Jad: 4:55

Yeah, especially once they reach a certain age.

Lilly: 4:57

Right. But, dr Arbol, they seem to enjoy those challenges.

Jad: 5:00

I can imagine the logistics must be incredible.

Lilly: 5:03

It's a huge undertaking.

Jad: 5:05

Moving a tree that's been in the same place for decades.

Lilly: 5:07

Sometimes centuries.

Jad: 5:09

Wow.

Lilly: 5:09

It takes a really careful approach. Yeah, you have to excavate the root system so meticulously.

Jad: 5:16

And that can be huge.

Lilly: 5:17

It really can. It spreads much farther than you might think.

Jad: 5:21

I bet, and they use all this special equipment to make sure they don't damage anything during transport.

Lilly: 5:26

Exactly, it's like a dance, yeah, between man and nature.

Jad: 5:29

Trying to make sure the tree survives this huge change.

Lilly: 5:32

And their success rate is amazing.

Jad: 5:35

Really.

Lilly: 5:35

They've moved trees that everyone thought were impossible.

Jad: 5:38

That's incredible. Do you have any examples?

Lilly: 5:40

Sure, there's one case that's really impressive.

Jad: 5:42

Okay.

Lilly: 5:43

This monumental oak tree Okay, over a hundred years old, wow. And it was in an area that was going to be developed and they were tasked with moving it to a nearby park.

Jad: 5:54

That must have been a massive project. Oh, it was enormous, you can't even imagine.

Lilly: 5:58

They had to carefully remove that massive root system.

Jad: 6:01

Yeah.

Lilly: 6:02

And then transport it on this huge flatbed truck, oh wow. And then prepare a new planting hole in the park.

Jad: 6:08

It's like a scene out of a nature documentary.

Lilly: 6:11

It really is this ancient tree on this big journey In a new life Exactly, and it shows how committed they are to preserving these trees.

Jad: 6:20

Not just as individual trees. But as living monuments it's amazing, and we see that same dedication in their work with bracing systems, absolutely. You know we touched on that earlier, but I'd love to hear more about those unique challenges when you're trying to stabilize a tree with some weaknesses.

Lilly: 6:36

Yeah, so often those weaknesses, they come from things like decay.

Jad: 6:40

Right.

Lilly: 6:40

Or storm damage Right, or even just the way the tree grew.

Jad: 6:44

Oh, like co-dominant stems.

Lilly: 6:46

Exactly, and in those cases just regular bracing might not be enough.

Jad: 6:51

So what do they do?

Lilly: 6:52

They have to get really creative. They design custom bracing systems.

Jad: 6:56

Oh, wow.

Lilly: 6:57

Specifically for that tree.

Jad: 6:59

That's incredible.

Lilly: 7:00

And they use all sorts of materials yeah, steel cables and rods, even synthetic webbing Interesting. And they have to consider everything.

Jad: 7:09

Yeah.

Lilly: 7:09

The wind load the environment around the tree.

Jad: 7:11

It's like they're architects.

Lilly: 7:13

They're really pushing the boundaries.

Jad: 7:14

Yeah.

Lilly: 7:14

Sometimes they even use computer modeling.

Jad: 7:16

Right.

Lilly: 7:17

To see how the tree will handle stress.

Jad: 7:19

That's so cool.

Lilly: 7:19

And to make sure their designs are the best they can be.

Jad: 7:23

Can you give me some examples?

Lilly: 7:24

Of course. So one that stands out is this giant sequoia tree.

Jad: 7:29

Okay.

Lilly: 7:30

It had this massive split in its trunk. Oh, no it looked like it was going to tear in half.

Jad: 7:36

Wow.

Lilly: 7:36

So they created this dynamic bracing system with steel cables and rods.

Jad: 7:42

Okay.

Lilly: 7:42

And it let the tree move in the wind, yeah, but it kept that split from getting worse.

Jad: 7:47

That's amazing. Yeah, so they're basically holding this giant tree together.

Lilly: 7:51

They are, with their ingenuity and their expertise that sequoia is still standing strong.

Jad: 7:56

That's amazing.

Lilly: 7:57

Proof that their approach really works.

Jad: 7:59

It's so inspiring to see these examples.

Lilly: 8:01

Yeah.

Jad: 8:02

It shows how much they understand about trees.

Lilly: 8:05

And how passionate they are about protecting them.

Jad: 8:07

They're not just treating them like objects, they're respecting them.

Lilly: 8:10

They're not just arborists treating them like objects they're respecting them.

Jad: 8:13

They're not just arborists, no, they're tree advocates Pushing the boundaries of what's possible. They are so as we move into the last part of our deep dive, Okay. I think it's time to think about the bigger picture.

Lilly: 8:21

Yeah.

Jad: 8:22

What can we all learn from their work? Pasola and Dr Arbol really set a high bar they do. Their work is just so impressive.

Lilly: 8:31

It really makes you think.

Jad: 8:32

About how we can all step up our game.

Lilly: 8:34

As arborists. Well, I think one of the biggest takeaways.

Jad: 8:38

Yeah.

Lilly: 8:38

Is the importance of always learning. Hustle is always seeking new knowledge.

Jad: 8:44

He really is.

Lilly: 8:44

Always questioning the conventional wisdom.

Jad: 8:47

Always pushing the boundaries.

Lilly: 8:48

And that's something we can all do.

Jad: 8:50

It's a great reminder to never get complacent.

Lilly: 8:52

Yeah, this field is constantly evolving.

Jad: 8:55

There's always something new to learn.

Lilly: 8:56

Exactly.

Jad: 8:57

Another thing we can learn from Dr Abul.

Lilly: 8:59

Yeah.

Jad: 9:00

Is the power of working together. Collaboration yeah, it's the foundation of their success.

Lilly: 9:08

They've brought together all these specialists yeah, different fields coming together To tackle these complex problems. And it works.

Jad: 9:13

It does and we can do the same.

Lilly: 9:15

Share our experiences.

Jad: 9:17

Get input from colleagues.

Lilly: 9:19

Build relationships.

Jad: 9:20

Especially now.

Lilly: 9:21

With climate change.

Jad: 9:22

Development pressures.

Lilly: 9:24

We need to work together.

Jad: 9:26

More than ever.

Lilly: 9:26

And we can't forget the challenges within our industry. The things Pasola has talked about.

Jad: 9:31

The big companies focused on profits. Yeah, inconsistent certification standards.

Lilly: 9:36

Those are serious issues.

Jad: 9:37

We need to raise the bar as a profession. Advocate for higher standards.

Lilly: 9:42

Ethical practices.

Jad: 9:43

A real commitment to tree health.

Lilly: 9:45

And that brings us to Passola's message about honesty.

Jad: 9:49

Integrity.

Lilly: 9:50

Being true to our profession.

Jad: 9:52

We need to be advocates for trees not just focus on quick fixes or profits. We need to think long term make ethical decisions use our knowledge responsibly do what's best for the trees every time. It's about being honest with our clients to explaining the complexities, advocating for solutions that are sustainable and scientifically sound complexities, advocating for solutions that are sustainable and scientifically sound.

Lilly: 10:13

So, as we wrap up this deep dive, into the world of Gerard Pissola and Dr Arbolt.

Jad: 10:18

I hope you're feeling inspired.

Lilly: 10:19

We've seen what's possible when innovation and collaboration come together.

Jad: 10:23

With a deep respect for trees it's amazing what they've accomplished. Now it's our turn to take those lessons and apply them to our own work.

Lilly: 10:31

Let's be the best arborists we can be.

Jad: 10:33

Champions for trees.

Lilly: 10:35

Creating a future when?

Jad: 10:36

our urban forests thrive.

Lilly: 10:38

Keep learning.

Jad: 10:39

Keep growing.

Lilly: 10:40

And keep those trees standing tall.

Roger: 10:46

Thank you for joining us for this episode of Talking Trees. If you enjoyed learning about Dr Arbel and their work in urban arboriculture, don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on future episodes. Thank you, we appreciate your time and passion for trees and we can't wait to bring you more inspiring stories next time. Until then, take care and keep growing your connection with nature.