Kilcoyne Tree Surgery is a fully licensed and insured Tree Surgery company based in Boyle, Co. Roscommon, and currently provide arborist services almost nationwide. Its catchment area is approximately 150 miles.
Here, founder of the business Darren Kilcoyne shares some advice for any consumer in the market for an arborist, and says that when it comes to tree surgery, safety comes first.
Darren, what exactly does an arborist, or ‘tree surgeon’, do?
“An Arborist is a specialist in the care of individual trees. Arborists are knowledgeable about the needs of trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper care to them.
What advice would you give to consumers in the market for an arborist?
“I would advise consumers in the market to look for certified arborists. If they’re a certified arborist, it means that they’ve studied tree biology, and know what they’re doing. They’ll know their stuff, which is important if you want a good job done. I’m certified by the International Society of Arboriculture.
There is a lot of substandard work being provided by less suitably qualified and insured tree surgeons for less money, but it’s like everything, you get what you pay for.
If you want a professional job with high standards it’s going to cost a bit more but in the long run your trees health won’t suffer and will continue to add value to your property.
So choose Kilcoyne Tree Surgery to care for your trees.”
Tree surgery can potentially be quite a dangerous job. What kind of precautions do you need to take?
“It’s very important to take the appropriate safety measures, which is another reason that anyone in the market should hire someone who is qualified. You need to do a risk assessment before work can begin: what kind of tree you’re working on, whether or not it’s safe to climb, and what equipment you need.
It’s also important to have insurance. Kilcoyne Tree Surgery is covered by €6.5 million Public Liability Insurance and €13 million Employers Liability Insurance policies. Safety is our primary concern.”
How are things going for arborists now that the economy has recovered a little bit? Did things take a turn during the crash?
“Well, I’ve been in business since 2007, and we’ve seen an increase in growth – but it’s still a very tight market. With that said, it is picking up a bit, and last year we expanded our business. People are spending money on their gardens and trees again. In the next five years, I foresee the market getting even better.”
Can you tell us a bit about your own business?
“My own business, we strive to bring approved tree care practices to tree owners and raise awareness of approved tree methods that prolong the health, life and vigour of their trees, while also raising awareness of improper tree practices like topping and tipping.
Things like topping and tipping destroy tree health and create further hazards to the public, and to owners themselves. They also cost a lot more money, and can potentially cause death or serious injury.
Alongside that, we also do things like raise crowns, reduce crowns, crown thinning, deadwooding, pruning, dangerous tree removing and chipping services – all methods which prolong tree health.
