Expert Details
Arborist; Tree Risk Assessment; Arboriculture & Urban Forestry; Tree Appraisal (Appraisal of Loss); Arboriculture, Forestry & Timber Trespass
ID: 737588
Oregon, USA
For more than 20 years, Expert has served as an expert witness in arboriculture, forestry, and timber trespass litigation, testifying at trial, in court proceedings, and in arbitration hearings across numerous civil matters, with subject matter spanning tree failure forensics, timber and vegetation trespass, tree and landscape valuation, and tree-related property damage disputes. Earlier in Expert's career, Expert gained extensive field experience in wildland fire management and silviculture with the U.S. Forest Service and private forestry contractors, achieving qualifications including Incident Commander (Type 4) and Strike Team Leader.
Expert holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Science in General Science from Portland State University, and maintains active credentials as a Registered Consulting Arborist (ASCA), ISA Certified Arborist, and Certified Tree Risk Assessor. Expert is active in numerous professional associations, including the American Society of Consulting Arborists, the International Society of Arboriculture, and the Society of American Foresters, and maintains an ongoing civic role in municipal community forestry and youth forestry management programs.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1995 | Degree: BS | Subject: General Science (Sociology Minor) | Institution: Portland State University |
| Year: 1983 | Degree: BS | Subject: Forestry (Resource Recreation Management) | Institution: Oregon State University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1994 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Consulting Arborist / Owner | Department: Arboriculture / Forestry / Wildland Forest Fire Assessments |
Responsibilities:• Provides consulting arborist services, including expert witness work in arboricultural and timber trespass matters; tree forensics regarding cause of tree or limb failure; tree inventories and surveys; tree preservation plans; hazard tree evaluations and reports; appraisal of loss reports for landscape value loss as a professional plant appraiser; arborist reports; and consulting on tree care and pruning techniques• Conducts professional forestry inspections for root disease, wildlife damage, wildfire damage, and tree health/risk • Oversees all aspects of an independent tree service/consulting business, including worker safety and training, financial management, and client relations • Volunteers as a judge at regional and international tree climbing competitions; teaches seminars on pruning, tree planting, and hazard assessment; utilizes resistograph and air-spade technology for tree health/safety inspections |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1994 to 2005 | Employer: Skookum Reforestation Inc. | Title: Contract Forest Fire Crew Boss / Strike Team Leader | Department: |
Responsibilities:Led approximately 20-person wildland fire crews and served as strike team leader on numerous wildfires throughout the western United States. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to 1994 | Employer: Various tree care companies | Title: Climber / Arborist | Department: |
Responsibilities:Served as lead tree climber/arborist on commercial, residential, and public-entity jobs, including technical fine pruning, view enhancement, tree removal, cabling, crane work, and storm damage repair; assisted in teaching climbing and safety techniques to tree care professionals. |
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Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has more than 20 years of expert witness experience in arboriculture, forestry, and timber trespass matters across dozens of civil litigation, arbitration, and insurance-related cases. Subject areas include: tree and limb failure forensics (determining cause of failure); timber trespass and vegetation trespass disputes; tree and landscape valuation/appraisal of loss (arising from construction damage, vehicle damage, fire damage, chemical/herbicide damage, and neighbor disputes); tree root damage to structures, pools, and infrastructure; and municipal tree ordinance disputes. Expert has testified at trial or in court proceedings on at least 12 occasions and has testified in arbitration proceedings on at least 5 additional occasions. Numerous additional matters were resolved by settlement prior to testimony, and Expert has also provided written expert reports, declarations, and appraisal of loss opinions in matters that did not proceed to testimony. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| • American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA), Member since 1998; Registered Consulting Arborist since 2003 • International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Certified Arborist Member since 1995 • Pacific Northwest Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture, Member since 1996 • Society of American Foresters, Member since 1988 • Tree Care Industry Association, Member 1996–2016 • Society of Commercial Arborists, Member since 1999 • Society of Municipal Arborists, Member |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| • Registered Consulting Arborist, American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) — since 2003 • ISA Certified Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture — since 1997 • Certified Tree Risk Assessor, Pacific Northwest ISA — 2006 (requalified 2010, 2011; ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified 2013–2022) • Graduate, ASCA Arboriculture Consulting Academy — 2000 • Certified Evaluator, Tree Failure Training Conference — 2001 • Timber and Timberland Appraisal Course, World Forestry Center — 1992 • USFS Tree Health and Hazard Tree Assessor Training — 1978–present (recertified via Western Hazard Tree Workshops in 2010, 2013, and 2016) • Oregon Department of Forestry, Forest Pest Detector — 2017, 2019 • American Red Cross Instructor, First Aid and CPR Safety Services — 1974–2006 |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| • Presented case studies on visual tree assessment methodology and litigation-related arboriculture topics at national professional conferences (2016, 2019) • Served as a judge at regional and International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC) competitions |
Fields of Expertise
arboriculture, forestry, rain forest, wood forestry, Wildfire, wildland fire, tree forensics, tree protection, tree inventory, plant appraisal, ISA Certified Arborist, Tree Risk Assessment, Hazard Tree Evaluatio, Tree Appraisal, Timber Trespass, Tree Failure Forensics, Tree Preservation Planning, Urban & Community Forestry, Tree Inventory Specialist, Wildland Fire Management