A tree surgeon or an arboriculturist is a person who treats old and damaged trees with the motive of preserving them. It is not necessary for a tree surgeon to have educational knowledge in this field and to acquire professional skills. Just the purpose of saving trees and working to preserve them is enough to be a tree surgeon. The life of a tree surgeon revolves around management, cultivation, and preservation of trees. However, the real question is how a tree surgeon came in acknowledgment and what is the history behind all this. To know about the history of tree surgeons in London, stay tuned to this article.
History of Tree Surgery
The process of tree surgery has grown, developed, and spread over the last two centuries to become what it is today. Here are some fun facts about the history of tree surgery in London.
- John Davey
John Davey was the person who came up with the science of arboriculture in the 1800s and is, therefore, also known as the father of arboriculture. He even founded his own company named Davey Tree Expert Company, through which he was able to spread the message and knowledge of tree surgery even more and increase the number of audience for it. John Davey, therefore, helped in the growth of Tree surgery and its awareness.
- Monthly Newsletter
John Davey, in 1878 started creating monthly newsletters for his customers to educate them on the topic of tree surgery. It has been more than 100 years since John Davey formed his Davey and tree expert company, and the company is still running and working with around 10,000 staff. With all of this effort, Davey was successful in spreading the awareness for tree surgeon jobs and its importance.
- Education
John Davey couldn’t read or write anything until he reached his twenties. Even though he didn’t have any educational qualifications, he had the capabilities of leadership and ideas, which helped him achieve his success in the field of tree surgery. It shows that one does not need to have any special skills in terms of becoming a tree surgeon in London. Just the motive and idea of preserving the earth and working on it is enough.
- The Davey Tree Company
The Davey Tree Expert Company, also simply known as the Davey Tree Company, runs with the motto of “do it right or don’t do it at all.” To this date, this company is the largest tree surgery company in the North American continent. The company and its services are spread throughout the U.S and Canada with its headquarters in Kent, Ohio.
- The Technique of Pruning
Pruning is a technique of trimming the limb branches and is very crucial for the growth of the whole tree. Pruning was an innovation made by John Davey, and he was the one who recognized the damages that can be caused to a tree with the absence of pruning.
Now, pruning is one of the top measures to look after trees and is followed by every tree surgeon to keep a tree healthy and damage-free. By following the method of pruning, a tree can also be healed and recovered.
- The Technique of Cable bracing
Another essential technique that holds massive importance in the history of tree surgery in London is the technique of cable bracing. This technique of cable bracing was also formed by John Davey. With this technique, support is provided to the weak trees, which can help to increase the tree’s life. Cable bracing can further help in healing a damaged tree in many ways. In this way, with the help of John Davey, the technique of cable bracing came into acknowledgment.
- The Glasgow Tree Lovers’ Society
Another vital element in the history of tree surgery is of the Glasgow Tree Lovers’ Society. This society was founded in the year 1933, Glasgow, with the motive of protecting the environment by saving and preserving trees. The society worked for around 80 years to maintain trees and promote the awareness of why protecting the trees is essential. The tree surgeons in Glasgow worked on not only improving the conditions of already damaged trees but also planting new trees. It also elevated the need for new tree surgeon jobs.
- John Davey’s “The Tree Doctor”
Another helpful step taken by John Davey to promote the idea of tree surgery in London was by publishing his book “The Tree Doctor” in the year 1901. The book included various methods and techniques to take care of damaged trees and look after trees in general. The book also had images for better illustration, which was a unique concept during the 1900s. Therefore, this book grabbed the attention of more people creating the awareness of tree surgery among an increased audience.
- The Cavity Filling Technique
Another essential technique term that John Davey came up with was the “Cavity Filling Technique.” John Davey associated tree surgeons with dentists, saying that tree surgeons are the dentists of trees as they fill cavities and disinfect them to protect the trees and increase their life-span.
However, the practice of cavity filling does not take place any more. It is because it is not considered as a healthy practice among today’s tree surgeons and can create damages as it affects the natural process of decay. Even though this practice is not followed anymore, it still is of great importance when talking about the history of tree surgery.
Final Note
So this was all about the history of tree surgery and how the term “tree surgery” came into consideration. When we study the history of tree surgery, we can see that John Davey holds the credit for forming this concept as well as spreading the knowledge of it and increasing the size of the audience for tree surgery.
