The Arborist

Cycling home, I often stop at the new seating area down by the water in the old town. Munkbrokajen. There are a number of benches there, all in the direction of the water, towards Slussen and Södermalm. But if you look the other way towards the square Kornhamnstorg there is often something to aim the camera at. This time it was two arborists hard at work. One of them was working high up in this nifty lift, rented from Skyab. Obviously I should have photographed him with my nifty fifty lens, but I left it at home, so I shot this with the 60mm lens.

I'll climb anything!

This is Robert. He stood out a bit from the rest of the people I noticed at Poseidon's square on Friday so I decided to ask him for a portrait. Robert has moved around a bit and currently he lives in Lomma in Malmö in the south of Sweden. He is studying to become a tree surgeon, (or arborist if you like). What do you do for fun I asked. I climb things was his answer. Doesn't matter what it is, if there's a chance that you can climb it Robert will have a go. He has climbed quite a few buildings in Stockholm. Illegally and without any protection of course. It's the best way to get to the roof he told me!

Professionals at Work

I have never used a chainsaw in my life. There's professionals you can hire for that sort of thing. Like the ones here at Hammar in Tungelsta. These guys are arborists, or tree surgeons, if you like that title better. There's lot of construction work going on around Hammar at the moment with the new rail-track, the bridge over the commuter station, and the work on the road that passes by the estate. I'm guessing that the Swedish Transport Administration have hired these guys to fix Charlotte's 200 year old tree lined avenue. She had to sell some of her property and I think the STA have promised her that they would help her with the impressive entrance.

Two Englishmen Up a Tree

Out on a bike ride on Sunday I decided to head over to the art gallery in Österhaninge for a cup of coffee in their garden. Half way there I had to stop at the nature reserve Gullringskärret in Jordbro when I noticed a man up a tree. After a closer look I realised that there was another man higher up the tree. It turned out to be a couple of tree surgeons out practising their craft. The guy on the top photo is Oli from Liverpool. He is an arborist student. He has been working in Sweden since November of last year. A bit of bad timing considering that we experienced the coldest winter in many years, and Oli told me that it had been a tough few months. Oli lives in Jordbro with his colleague Tom, who at the time of our meeting was high up the tree. Both guys works at a company called Wells Trädvård.

Arborist at work

Earlier in the year a birch tree fell during a storm and nearly hit my bedroom window. Today the arborists were back to cut down two trees that were more dead then alive. This guy climbed up the tree and cut off the top and then they lifted it down using this big crane.


Bigger photo.