Arbor Day with Seacoast Arborist Collaborative – 2016
I have noticed myself advocating for an alternative to the over-emphasized notion of economic competition at the micro or community level. I often suggest that it is better and more favorable to cultivate a “rising-tide” approach to social-economic relationships. Of course, competition is and will remain important and shouldn’t be discounted, but at the same time I don’t necessarily believe competition has to be general rule in how I conduct my own business. Perhaps that’s because I feel confident that the services I offer and the manner with which I approach delivering those services sets me apart from many others in my industry.
That aside, I love discovering examples of others putting these same philosophies into practice, so I’ve been following a group of local arborists who get together every year for Arbor Day to give back to the community by offering their services for the maintenance of public spaces. This year, the Seacoast Arborist Collaborative convened at Langdon Park across from the Portsmouth City Hall.
Trees in any public space are in constant need of maintenance. And at the same time they can also tend to be the most neglected. For those of you are familiar with Langdon Park, especially those of you with children, there is a small clump of trees above the playground that sees a lot of foot traffic with kids running and chasing each other up and down the hill around these trees. In fact, Mayor Jack Blalock commented at the invocation before crews fired up their chainsaws that he could remember doing the very same thing when he was a young child. However, this kind of play compacts the soil around the trees and subsequently suffocates them while depriving them of moisture because water never has a chance to soak in. So as part of the maintenance, the crew from Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service used a tool called an air spade to loosen the compacted soil without harming the roots. It’s pretty cool. Be sure to watch for those clips in the video above and keep an eye on how the ground seems to inflate.
I love talking about this group of arborists as an example of how businesses in a competitive industry are better off when they find ways to work together. But I’m always looking for more examples so if you have any to share please send them my way. Until then….
Participating Tree Services:
Northeast Shade Tree
Seacoast Tree Care
Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service
The Organic Arborist
Cornerstone Tree Care
Supporting Businesses:
Beach Pea Bakery
Serenity Café
Portsmouth Brewery
Remembering Jeff Ott, founder of Northeast Shade Tree and a pioneering arborist in the New Hampshire Seacoast.
Dan is a real estate advisor serving the New Hampshire Seacoast and Southern Maine. He is driven by a passion for connecting more meaningfully with others and contributing toward their lasting success. Before entering real estate, he worked across a range of industries including publishing, consumer products, technology, manufacturing, investment banking and private equity.
