Richard Butler has been providing training and certification on Cortes Island in tree falling, basic chainsaw safety and arborist training. Recently, he advertised free timber falling to private landowners for access to their trees for training purposes. He said he had more than 12 landowners respond to his local ad seeking trees to cut.

Butler is a trainer with the BC Forest Safety Council. This past year he has trained local arborists who are now in compliance with WorksafeBC as advanced arborists.

Demand for the training comes not only from people pursuing tree work as a profession, but also from locals wishing to work their own land falling trees safely. Basic chainsaw safety training does instruct fallers on tree hazard assessment, something Butler says anyone who picks up a chainsaw needs to know. For the more advanced work, he recommends landowners hire an arborist, and to make sure the arborist is covered at least by WorksafeBC.

Butler still has room in some of his courses coming up mid to end of March.

Listen to Richard Butler talk about tree falling safety on Cortes Island: