Alex – Your Local Tree Doctor

When the local residents need expert tree advice, or when a tree needs careful attention because it is becoming a danger to people or structures, only one name comes to mind – Alex, who together with his loyal crew has been the trusted go-to specialist, an experienced arborist whose daredevil work photos and aerial acrobatics are well-known in our Costa Ballena region. Alex has agreed to give us a glimpse into his life and his life’s work – read on!

MEET ALEX

Thank you for taking the time to learn about my story and my work. I was born in the south of France in 1974 (almost 50!), between mountains and the Mediterranean sea, and grew up surrounded by nature. Very independent from a young age I travelled the world visiting 29 countries, driving to Russia, China, USA and all Europe. Central America and the tropics ware my next destination. Costa Rica was the perfect spot to implement my curiosity as well as my career in protection and management of nature, that was 23 years ago! Since then I experienced a lot of adventures, many amazing moments and of course a beautiful family with 3 children. I don’t regret any day spent in this country, what I call dearly My Home.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR NATURE AND TREES IN PARTICULAR?

Always running through the forests and climbing trees and rocks, my interests showed me the path to my career! Trees and forests were my environment, and finally they defined my academic evolution starting in school with Forestry Management and Production then, with the desire to work more on protection and education, I studied Protection and Management of Nature focused in Education.

I have a lot of work already, but in the near future I would like to to develop more reforestation efforts and establish the protection of natural corridors in between private properties with mapping, tree planting, naturalization and maintenance. I would love to see the community and the institutions work together to create a web of connected natural green zones in every urban development, in order to keep the wildlife closer to each one.

WHAT MAKES A TREE BECOME DANGEROUS AND IN NEED OF A QUICK REMOVAL?

Sick or damaged trees have low chances of surviving any longer. Depending on the size and the balance, the tree’s fall (in parts or the whole tree) may be dangerous for the surrounding area.  The health of the small branches, the lack of leaves, a hole in the trunk, degradation (physical, fungus, insects, etc) of the roots and an instability at the base of the tree are indicators of possible deterioration of the entire tree. The type of tree is also very important, some are much more resistant than others, even when damaged or seriously leaning.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT REMOVING A LARGE TREE?

Every job is different, it depends on the conditions of the surroundings (houses and structures, forest, electric lines, road, etc.), it is what makes my work interesting; even with all my experience, new challenges define my days. The first analysis considers the risk and safety of people, buildings, gardens and other vegetation around it. Then I need to figure out ho to proceed safely and with minimal delay. On some occasions it becomes very complicated. Cutting the tree at the base could be the best option, but very often when people call me it’s not possible. With my main team (3 persons), and all the equipment at disposition, we are usually able to climb and secure all falling limbs with ropes and appropriate gears, taking the tree apart little by little. The whole process involves strength, courage, techniques and a lot of brain to evaluate the length, the height, the weight and distances required to achieve an accurate result. In some cases, we will use machinery like backhoes, excavators, and heavy trucks.

TELL US ABOUT ANY UNUSUAL ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB

Working in my favorite environment, and with my knowledge regarding nature, I always have an eye on what is around me. Being on top of the canopy is already a blessing and a rare opportunity. Then discovering monkeys, birds, strange insects and beautiful plants are additional rewards. We have had to remove sloths or bird nests and relocate them before proceeding to the work. Walking in the forest, I have found and brought to the rescue center a snake, monkey, opossum and birds. The jungle is amazing and I encourage more people to not be afraid and go on adventures in the wilderness instead of staying in their artificial gardens.

WHAT WAS YOUR TOUGEST JOB?

Every job, even the easiest one, can turn into a nightmare. Our feared enemies are the ants, the wasps and the vines! Once a big dead tree (45 meters high) above a house had it all: after fighting with bugs, most of the branches were stuck in the other trees due to the big amount of very strong vines, causing those dangerous limbs to hang in the air. Finally we had to climb and trim 5 trees to take those branches down and finally secure the site.

YOUR TRUCK IS A GRAND SIGHT! HOW IS IT INSTRUMENTAL TO YOUR WORK?

My “monster” truck, as people like to name it, was an opportunity for me to have a pickup truck with a large cabin for my workers and my family of five, and a large bed to load all my equipment and more. The power of the diesel motor and the excellent quality of the suspension and tires allow me to access remote areas and job sites. Often I need to pull heavy weights (trees or logs) when / where no other trucks can do it.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS OR FALSE BELIEFS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT YOUR TYPE OF WORK?

I would need several pages to answer this question but I will try to summarize: I started my tree maintenance business here in the area because a lot of new owners and local workers were cutting all the trees down to create a safe building site or an ocean view. With my expertise as an arborist and natural guide, I knew that I could offer another option to avoid taking down the forest. Trimming, climbing, and defining the needs of the customer and the necessity of nature was my solution to avoid too much destruction. I trim the trees to avoid cutting them. Instead of destroying the tree I try to convince the owners to keep a (low) forest, and the view, as longas it is safe for the people and structures. Wildlife will keep coming. I understand if people think I destroy nature, but they may not see the whole plan, the reforestation, natural corridor creation, and maintenance involved for the next 10, 15 years to help my vision of reaching a harmony between human and nature in our local area. The understanding and respect of nature are part of my ethic.

And just a reminder if you didn’t realize it already, vegetation grows back very quickly!

TIPS TO HOMEOWNERS ABOUT KEEPING THEIR TREES HEALTHY?

To recognize whether a tree is fragile or strong, knowing the specie of the tree is very important. If a tree loses its leaves, it may be normal for the season as the leaves will grow back several weeks later – but an inspection of the trunk and the roots will help. The presence of holes, abnormal stains on the bark, fungus or insects are indicators of a problem. Also the general aspect and position of the tree may be a problem: the ground may not be stable after a landslide, or a tree may start to lean towards houses or structures as it follows the light –  an evaluation by a professional is always recommended in case of any doubt.

CONTACT INFO

For any questions about trees and any tree trimming or removal work, including the trimming and care of fruit trees, you may contact Alex through the channels listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alexkamierzac

Phone: +506 8605 6512

Email: tree.poda@gmail.com