The Arborist
David Merriman is a leading Colorado arborist and operates ArborScape, Inc. He began work at the age of 8 with his father in Colorado, and now has more than 40+ years of hands-on experience. David's first job was driving an Oliver 88 tractor down the street while his father spread trees. They then moved to Kalispell Montana. Where he quickly learned how to run a chainsaw. Over the next few years, he did posts and poles, thinning, firewood, logging, and building Logs Homes. at the age of 15, the family moved back to Cheyenne Wyo. Where he started his arborist career. The new city forester took a liken to David and started teaching the right and wrong way to do tree work. David's parents separated, So his dad moved back to Greely Co. And started a new tree service there. So David was working from Cheyenne Wyo. to Greeley Co until he graduated high school, David started at UW and quickly realized the only way he could afford college was to go into the Army. After leaving the Army, David moved to the DFW metro area in Texas and started trimming trees, and started college at Tarrant County Junior College, in Fort Worth Texas. In 1996 David moved back to Colorado worked for different companies and eventually started his own Company ArborScape INC in 2004. David specializes in common Colorado tree species, in urban arboriculture.
A Common-Sense Approach
With 40+ years of hands-on experience and an understanding, on how Colorado tree species fit into the urban forest landscape. David creates a customized trimming/removal or PHC plan, for it ArborScape’s clients. David manages some of ArborScape’s commercial clients including; NREL, the Army Corps of Engineers, and many cities in the Denver metro area
Certifications
David is an ISA Certified Arborist RM 0786A
ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist #538
Colorado Department of Agriculture #07448
NCCER Certified Crain Operator #26406948
Journeyman Arborist
Teaching, Mentoring and Boards
In 2008, Bill Cassel, and David start a new program with the Jefferson County Workforce Center to train arborists. The curriculum included 13 weeks of classroom instruction combined with on-the-job training. The students were then placed with a private or public sector employer where they spend three hours in the classroom and 16-24 hours in the field. In 2010 program was shut down due to a lack of funding.
In 2019 with the help of the Colorado tree care sector partnership. David started the Jouryman Arborist apprenticeship program at ArborScape. This new program will help develop workers from arborist trainees to apprentices to Jouryman. I have learned a lot from this new program. Arborscape safety is growing all the time, With TCIA helping with some of the learning materials. David is currently on the board of the Colorado tree care sector partnership. Past boards include 8 years of service at ISA (RMC) and 2 years for Colorado Tree Coalition.
Experience
I have been in the arboriculture field since the age of 8. I have worked for large to small companies, from the government to the privately owned. I have done
logging,
land clearing
thinning the forest for logging
post/poles,
commercial firewood.
powering line clearance,
railroad crossing clearance,
Fire mitigation,
Urban Tree Care
Urban Tree PHC
Urban tree planting
Urban lumber
and more
I have seen DED, Oak Wilt, MPB, IPS beetle, and now emerald ash borer (EAB)
David is a true TREE enthusiast my hope is that by sharing my knowledge in this skilled trade, with other people maybe they can find happiness and rewarding opportunities in this field that has given me so much.