Our team
All about the staff at The Good Tree Company
Jonathan Finlow, director and founder
I started out on the tools, in 1996, and then combined this experience with study at Merrist Wood College and Westonbirt Arboretum, while learning the craft further through work with various organisations, including the RHS gardens at Wisley and work as a freelance arborist in New Zealand and Australia. I was often responsible for overseeing technical and specialised large tree surgery works and removals.
Since setting up The Good Tree Company, I have also been lecturing in arboriculture and assessing candidates wishing to attain certificates of competence in tree climbing and chainsaw operations. The more I work with trees the more I see how little we understand and know: but we keep on trying.
Summary CV:
- AA (Arboricultural Association) Tech Cert.
- ISA(International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist no UI-0210 (see www.isa-arbor.com )
- City & Guilds Tree Surgery for Craftsmen
- Member of the Arboricultural Association
- NPTC Chainsaw and tree climbing Assessor (www.nptc.org.uk)
- LOLER inspector
- Arboricultural lecturer (part time) at Reaseheath College, Cheshire
During my years as a freelance arborist it was clear to me that if I ever set up a company I would need to try to find a good team to work with. A good team helps enormously with the quality of work carried out, client liaison and site safety. I am very lucky to be able to say I work alongside that team now :
The core team
Andrew, despite his protestations and denials his age is creeping up (now 30yrs). NPTC CS 30, 31, 38 and 39 , looking to 40 & 41. Five years experience working with TGTC. In all that time he has always ensured that the job is finished to the last detail when the rest of us are tiring. Excels at subtle pruning. Disappears once a year in April for a whole months r & r at his dads farm (he tells us he helps with the lambing).
Aled, the Welshman, cv includes former World/European and of course Welsh poleclimbing champion (running up a vertical 80ft pole with climbing spikes in around 10 secs. I know, why??!, I don’t ask) . Hort. BTec, NC Arb(National Certificate Arboriculture), 15yrs experience, including some years working in Germany. He has acquired a pension plan: he is the owner, along with his French partner, of a café at Lake Vrynwy, go there for excellent home made food (www.oldbarncafe.com).
Rob, the Kiwi, also known as the bionic man for his superhuman strength and powers of endurance. RFS (Royal ForestrySociety) Certificate 20yrs experience. Never known to get annoyed, other than with British weather. Has been used to charm the birds from the trees. Freelance climber extraodinaire, and tree surveyor.
Joe , freelance climber. 15yrs experience. National Certificate in Arb . NPTCs coming out of his ears. The rest of us thought we were fussy. Will always go for ‘that little bit on the tips’ of a tree, only visible when you are up there, and in Joe’s case you would need a handglass to see it.
Ric, more occasional team member when we need the big guns. Chainsaw certificates for groundwork. Will graft till the end and then some. Highly skilled hedgelayer, fencer and traditional rural wall maker. Also an anarchist.
Joe P, seems only recently that he was being cajoled to turn up on time, still the youngster to us but he is way beyond those times now. As interested in the tree care as the tree climbing. He keeps us thinking with his questioning, and now often has the answers too. 5yrs experience. Becoming very good at the job. Might risk losing him to his new found travel lust. Demon log splitter.
Claire Finlow, lucky wife of Jonathan, on the phone to take enquiries and concerns (apologies for any background noise – Isaac 6yrs, Sam 5yrs, and Nicholas 2yrs). Good at getting hold of Jonathan during the working day if the matter requires immediate attention. No arb qualifications, although steady build up of knowledge through years of exposure. Welsh speaker when required.