"Tree climbing" is one of the most searched terms on Google by those facing a tree that needs work, but also one of the least clear. It sounds like a sport, and indeed it is also that: but in arboriculture, tree climbing is a professional rope-access work technique developed to operate on tall trees, in tight or difficult spaces, without resorting to aerial platforms or heavy machinery that would damage the garden or simply could not reach.
What tree climbing is
Tree climbing applies rope-climbing techniques to arboriculture work. The operator, known as a tree climber or tree worker, ascends the tree with ropes, harnesses, mechanical brakes and positioning systems, reaches the work point and from there carries out pruning, sectioning and progressive felling from inside the canopy.
This is not improvisation: it is a discipline codified internationally, with precise safety rules (in Switzerland, Suva and JardinSuisse set the standards), a dedicated training path and mandatory periodic certifications. Working on a plant with tree-climbing techniques means moving in 3D within the canopy, assessing branch by branch, choosing every cut according to the structure of the tree, not simply "trimming to size".
When tree climbing is the right choice
It is not always needed. For a medium-sized garden tree, good telescopic shears and adequate experience are enough. Tree climbing becomes necessary when at least one of the following conditions is present:
1. The tree is tall
Above 10-12 metres, and in any case above 15 metres, working from the ground or with ladders is ineffective and dangerous. An aerial platform solves the problem only if it can be brought under the tree, often impossible in a garden with lawns, flowerbeds, terracing, paths or dense planting. Tree climbing accesses wherever the tree itself accesses.
2. Space is tight
In urban contexts, courtyards, terraces, gaps between buildings, the platform does not fit or cannot manoeuvre. A tree climber climbs from the tree itself and takes up no space on the ground. For historic-centre gardens, urban villas or palazzo courtyards it is often the only viable option.
3. The tree has monumental or historical value
A centuries-old cedar, a historic olive, a monumental tree require conservative pruning: minimal cuts, in the right places, executed with knowledge of the plant's biology. They are never "topped", they are guided. Only a certified arborist working in tree climbing can see, branch by branch, where and how to cut. A wrong pruning on a high-value tree is irreversible damage.
4. Felling requires controlled sectioning
In many contexts, near buildings, on terraces, in gardens with expensive paving, near power lines, a tree cannot be felled by letting it fall. It must be sectioned from top to bottom, lowering each segment with service ropes. This is slow, complex work that requires a coordinated team: tree climber in the plant, ground operators handling the lowerings, constant assessment of weight, direction and the consequences of each cut.
5. There is a specific plant-health issue
When a tree has dangerous dead branches, fungal diseases in the canopy or pest infestations, tree climbing makes it possible to assess the plant up close, branch by branch, and to act surgically on the compromised points without sacrificing the whole tree. Often it avoids a felling that would have been proposed only out of inertia.
What a tree climber actually does
A typical day of tree climbing on a 15-20 metre tree:
- Preliminary assessment. The operator observes the tree from the ground: where the safe anchor points are, what the canopy structure looks like, where to work first and where last, where it is prudent not to go.
- Throwing the access line. A throwline with a weight is thrown over a robust fork. The main rope is then hauled up on it.
- Ascent. With DRT (Doubled Rope Technique) or SRT (Single Rope Technique), the operator reaches the working position.
- Positioning and cutting. From there the operator moves from branch to branch with positioning lanyards, makes the cuts with chainsaw or shears, lowering pieces of wood that are too large to be allowed to fall.
- Controlled descent. When the work is finished, the operator descends on a doubled rope. The ground team has already removed the cut wood.
All under the safety of a second operator (one never climbs alone) and with certified PPE: harness, helmet, glasses, an at-height-specific chainsaw, mechanical brakes, dynamic and static ropes.
Safety and certifications
Tree climbing is one of the highest-risk jobs in arboriculture. For this reason it is regulated in Switzerland:
- JardinSuisse and other associations offer specific training paths for arborists and tree climbers.
- There are international certifications (ETW, European Tree Worker, ETT, European Tree Technician) recognised throughout Europe.
- Suva (the Swiss accident insurance) has specific protocols for work at height.
- Equipment must be certified, periodically inspected and replaced according to precise rules.
When choosing a firm for tree-climbing work, always check certifications, insurance cover for work at height and references for similar projects. The lowest price for tree climbing is almost always the most expensive in the long run: an accident at height is never trivial.
Difference between traditional pruning and tree climbing
Clients often request "a pruning" and then, on seeing the tree, it becomes clear that tree climbing is needed. The practical difference:
- Traditional pruning (from the ground, with a ladder or telescopic shears): suitable for trees up to 6-8 metres, with simple access. Quick times, contained costs.
- Tree climbing: necessary above 10-12 metres or in complex contexts. Requires a team of at least 2 people, specific equipment, longer times (typically 3-8 hours per tree, or several days for major cases). Higher costs, but the only viable option in many cases.
What affects the cost of a tree-climbing intervention
Every tree-climbing intervention is a project in itself. The quote depends on a series of technical and logistical factors:
- Tree height and size: above 15 metres, ascent, positioning and lowering times increase non-linearly
- Type of intervention: conservative pruning, deadwood pruning, sectioned felling have different times and techniques
- Context around the tree: proximity to buildings, power lines, delicate paving requires controlled lowering of every segment
- Team composition: typically 2-3 people including the tree climber and ground operators
- Material disposal: on-site chipping, collection and delivery to landfill
- Any written plant-health assessment, where required by municipal regulation or for building permits
Site visit and detailed quote are free.
Tree climbing in Ticino: typical contexts
In Ticino we regularly work with tree climbing on:
- Historic olives in the Mendrisio region and the Sottoceneri, annual conservative pruning
- Centuries-old cedars, firs and pines in historic parks and lakeside villas
- Monumental magnolias and camellias in the Locarno region
- Urban tree planting in historic centres where the platform cannot fit
- Tall palms on Lake Maggiore (Trachycarpus, Phoenix)
- Controlled felling in gardens with valuable paving or close to buildings
Tree climbing for Giardini Fioriti
We have been operating for years with a dedicated team of JardinSuisse-certified arborists. For every intervention we first carry out a free technical assessment: in many cases a tree that seemed destined for felling turns out to be recoverable with conservative pruning; in other cases an apparently healthy tree hides structural issues that are best resolved at once. See also our page on tree management and tree climbing, and, if you are interested in the discipline, our tree climbing courses for aspiring operators.