Rope safety training.

People who want to make a living working with trees or forests are invited to a free, hands-on, outdoor course offered by the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC).  The course will be taught by Carson Sprenger, proprietor of Rain Shadow Consulting at their Orcas Island facilities, Saturdays Oct. 30th – Nov. 20th, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  The course is sponsored by a generous donation from the family of Walt Corbin and from the Kiwanis Club of Orcas Island.

To apply, email mickey@sanjuansedc.org before Oct. 19th.

Carson Sprenger has over 20 years of experience working in the forests of the San Juan Islands. The hands-on curriculum has been designed for job-seekers and career changers interested in working in tree care/tree service, forestry, or landscaping. These jobs remain in high demand in our rural communities.

The course will prepare students for an entry level arborist or tree service position and is not intended for D.I.Y. home repairs. The class will cover tools of the trades, including ropes; keeping trees and forests healthy; safety; and the ins-and-outs of working in the industry. Students will not use chainsaws or fell trees in this class. Applicants must be 18 years old or older and residents of San Juan County.

Updated application deadline: October 19th . Space is limited.

  • Tree worker safety and how to avoid common injuries
  • WA Labor & Industries laws and employer responsibilities for tree workers
  • Tree and plant health (keep trees happy and thriving!)
  • Common tree species and basic tree identification
  • Tree physiology and how trees respond to injury
  • Tools of the trade (PPE, ropes, rigging systems, climbing systems, aerial lifts, hand saws, chain saws [see note  below], chippers, tree service trucks)
  • Working with rope: knots to know and basic splicing
  • Specialized rigging systems
  • Proper pruning techniques (how to do it right!)
  • Tree felling techniques [see note below]
  • Care and feeding of your chainsaw [see note below]
  • Other common tool maintenance
  • Physical demands of working in the tree care trades
  • Industry organizations and certification (from tree worker to certified arborist)

Students will not fell trees or use chainsaws in the EDC course.

Carson discusses tree fungi.

For more information or to apply, email the EDC Trades Coordinator at mickey@sanjuansedc.org. For information about other EDC job skills programs see our trades education page.

The EDC thanks Walt Corbin, his wife Gayle, and their family, for their support of skills training to help people obtain fulfilling work and their support of the environment.  The EDC hopes this course honors Mr. Corbin’s legacy.

The EDC’s Trades Education Initiative is additionally supported by San Juan County, the Harvest Foundation, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Port of Friday Harbor, and other funders of the EDC’s Trades Training Initiative, including the United Way of San Juan County, the Washington State Dept. of Commerce, the Orcas Kiwanis, and other donors and grantors.

The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) strives to support small rural enterprises, and conduct projects to stimulate new job creation, strengthen the economic base for working families, and support overall quality of life for islanders.