CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Em Roberts
Clackamas College (US)
SPEAKER BIO
The first several years of Em Roberts’ career were spent as a hazard tree faller, initially with the US Forest Service in Idaho in 2008. Her diverse work experience spans multiple states and forest types, including the deciduous forests of the southeast and Colorado's high desert conifers. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2014, where her roles have included consulting utility forester, arborist for Washington State Parks, business owner and lead arborist, and urban forester for Washington State's Urban and Community Forestry Program. Concurrently, she served as a lead instructor for North American Training Solutions, traveling nationwide to teach chainsaw, climbing, felling, and aerial rescue classes. Em’s passion for tree care, preservation, and education is fuelled by her extensive experience in deconstructing trees. She enjoys educating others through her roles as a trainer, educator, professor, and consultant. In 2024, she moved to Oregon and now serves as associate faculty at Clackamas Community College's Arboriculture Program, consultant at Todd Prager & Associates, and Chief Operating Officer of SEGI Reforestation Inc. Trees, adventures, and her dog Lottie are her favourites!
TALK TITLE
Ethics in Arboriculture: Reclaiming Our Responsibility | Better Decisions in Arboriculture: The Value of Collaboration
ABSTRACT
First talk: Ethics in Arboriculture: Reclaiming Our Responsibility
Challenging the status quo often gets us labeled as unconventional, but stepping beyond societal boundaries is essential for progress. In this presentation, we will explore the ethics of arboriculture, pushing us beyond our comfort zones and prompting reflection on our work. Together, we will answer the question: "Am I acting, planning, and thinking within the ethics of arboriculture?" The term ethics may elicit fear in many of us. Fear and curiosity cannot coexist. By replacing fear with curiosity, we can embark on a creative journey toward ethical arboriculture. The goal of this talk is to plant seeds that will later foster open conversations, provoke a willingness to share experiences, and create a more symbiotic relationship between the humans that care for trees and the trees with which we get the privilege of working. This presentation will cover ethics in arboricultural practices that look at what tree work we are selling and how we are selling it, tree care operations, diagnostics, recommendations and prescriptions, education, gender experiences, mental health, ego, work relationships, safety, self-care, and career opportunities. It isn’t about who is right or wrong, but how we can collectively innovate toward better. We don't need all the answers to start the conversation; we just need to be willing to engage and explore these important topics together.
Second talk: Better Decisions in Arboriculture: The Value of Collaboration
Arborists routinely make important decisions with incomplete information. Consultants, climbers, plant health care specialists, diagnosticians, fallers, and clients each bring unique knowledge and perspectives to the process, often contributing different pieces of the same puzzle.
Drawing from a career spent working across government, consulting, business ownership, and hands-on tree care operations, this presentation explores how collaboration can strengthen professional judgment and improve decision-making. Through practical examples and real-world observations, attendees will examine the value of feedback loops, diagnostic validation, post-removal learning, peer review, and knowledge-sharing across specialties.
This session encourages arborists to seek opportunities for collaboration, curiosity, and professional connection, both within our own areas of expertise and across the broader profession.
The best arboricultural decisions are rarely made in isolation. By sharing observations, experiences, and perspectives, we can build stronger professional relationships, make more informed decisions, and provide better outcomes for the trees and communities we serve.