Our mission is to share our experience and knowledge to help you understand and properly care for the trees around you so that you can enjoy them for years to come.
Our Team
Together, the team at Grow Tree Care has over 50 years of arboriculture experience. We have worked across Canada and Internationally. We employ five full-time and two seasonal arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and are actively training our newer staff to get certified as well. As a company, we follow ISA standards of pruning and practice spurless climbing. In addition to our practical arboriculture experience, our team includes members who specialize in permaculture, biology, and environmental assessment and monitoring. We pride ourselves on providing excellent quality work and on acting as environmental stewards with respect to tree care.
Managers
Read Guthrie
ISA Certified Arborist® PN-8572A
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
Mobile Elevated Work Platform #21578
Occupational First Aid Level I
Electrical Safety for Trades Workers
Hi there, I’m Read Guthrie, and I’ve been working in the arb industry since 2014. What draws me to arboriculture is the way in which it incorporates both a physical and mental discipline with a scientific study of tree health. Having grown up on the island I have a great appreciation for our native forests and the diversity found in our microclimates. The Comox Valley has a little bit of all the island has to offer and that, to me, makes it the perfect environment to live and work as an arborist. Most weekends I can be found outside trail running, snowboarding, skateboarding or climbing. Working at Grow means being part of a team and part of a family, and with our shared experience I expand my knowledge each day.
Aaron Salt
ISA Certified Arborist® PN-2015AT
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
Wildlife Dangerous Tree Assessor Certification #P2655
Certified Pesticide Applicator No.219810
Dipl. tech. fish, wildlife & Recreation
Mobile Elevated Work Platform #21586
Occupational First Aid Level I
Aaron Salt worked as a climbing arborist in London and Vancouver before gaining environmental training from the B.C. Institute of Technology. As an integral member of Grow Tree Care since 2013, he has applied his experience and interest in trees to expand our consulting services by supplying tree inventories and tree risk/health assessments for residential through to development projects. His matter of fact approach combined with a desire to balance both the tree’s best interest and the client's objectives make him a valuable addition to Grow Tree Care. Aaron Salt also heads up our plant health care division and can help you with your spraying, fertilizing, and watering needs.
Aaron Wurts
ISA Certified Arborist® PN-2792AT
ISA Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist®
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
Wildlife Dangerous Tree Assessor Certification #P2657
Certified Landscape Horticulturalist
Mobile Elevated Work Platform #21584
Occupational First Aid Level I
Electrical Safety for Trades Workers
As owner of Grow Tree Care, Aaron Wurts brings his passion for trees and problem solving to the task of business ownership. Starting in Vancouver’s arboriculture industry in 2001, Aaron had the opportunity to work with several municipalities, large development sites, commercial properties and many strata councils. Aaron founded Grow Tree Care in 2009 and feels very fortunate to have such a cohesive team with such diverse skills and shared values. Aaron enjoys working with people as much as with trees and is always more than willing to educate and give his perspective when it comes to trees.
Crew Members
Emanuel Duguay
Occupational First Aid Level 3
Mike Planes
Occupational First Aid Level I
Geoff Pugsley
Occupational First Aid Level I
Hi, I'm Geoff. I've always had a passion for the outdoors, climbing and being up high.
I earned my national diploma in forestry and arboriculture at Sparsholt college, UK in 2004 and since then I've been lucky enough to work in some amazing places with some equally amazing people and trees. I love the mental and physical challenges that day to day treework brings. When I'm not working I enjoy riding bikes, climbing and exploring new places with my family.
Eliza Ross
Mobile Elevated Work Platform
Certified Pesticide Applicator No.253309
Occupational First Aid Level I
Alison Wurts
Alison is the behind the scenes partner in Grow Tree Care. Her skills in administration, bookkeeping, webdesign and marketing keep the office running. Alison has worked in administration in various capacities for 20 years. Her prior work has included an independent insurance agent, Environment Canada, a Canadian outdoor gear manufacturer, and a midwifery clinic.
