Going to the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop was exciting for me, but it was also intimidating.
You see, this was a solo trip, which may not sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but it was for me. Stepping away from my normal routine, traveling on my own, and putting myself into a new environment with people I didn’t know definitely took some courage.
There is something very different about showing up alone. You don’t have the comfort of familiar people around you. You have to trust yourself a little more. You have to be willing to be new, to ask questions, and to let yourself learn.
That part was intimidating, but it also made the experience more meaningful. By the time I got there and got settled in, I realized that stepping into that discomfort was part of the lesson. Growth does not always happen when everything feels familiar and easy. Sometimes it starts with simply deciding to show up.
And that’s exactly why I went! I wanted to grow and learn more, and especially to challenge myself. And to do that in a space where women in tree care – a traditionally male dominated field – were encouraged to keep building their skills, was just the ideal scenario.
It Is Important to me to Empower Women in Tree Care
As a woman in the tree care and arboriculture industry, I care deeply about learning, improving, and helping other women see that there is a place for them in this profession.
Tree work is not easy. It takes technical skill, confidence, physical effort, and a willingness to keep learning. For women, it can also mean stepping into a space where we are still underrepresented. That is part of why doing this workshop meant so much to me.
I went because I don’t want to find myself thinking that I’ve got everything figured out. I wanted to keep growing. I wanted to sharpen my skills, build my confidence, and experience what it felt like to learn in a space intentionally created to support women in this field.
What Stood Out About the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop (WTCW)
What stood out to me right away was the atmosphere.
The Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop is serious about skill-building, but it is also supportive, welcoming, and encouraging. That combination really packs a punch. When people feel supported, they ask better questions, try new things, and learn more deeply.
I was surrounded by women with different levels of experience, different backgrounds, and different goals, but we all had something in common: we were there to learn and improve.
That was powerful.
There is something special about being in an environment where women are not treated like the exception. We were simply there to climb, work, learn, and grow. That changes the energy in the best possible way.
Honoring the Women Leading This Work
I also want to recognize the women who are doing the work of building and leading this important workshop.
The co-founders and lead instructors are Melissa LeVangie Ingersoll and Bear LeVangie, with two other lead instructors, Rebecca Seibel and Kate Odell. Sydney Hudzinski was also an instructor while I was there – and they have so many great instructors (you can learn about them all here)! What they have built is bigger than a training event. They have created a place where women can increase their skills, grow in confidence, and feel supported while doing it.
It takes vision to create something like this. It takes leadership to sustain it. And it takes real commitment to keep opening doors for women in arboriculture and tree climbing. I left with so much respect for the work they are doing and the impact it is having.
My Path to Personal and Professional Growth
A truly developmental experience should be challenging, and this one certainly was. It reminded me that growth often comes with discomfort. Not the discomfort of being in the wrong place, but more like the kind you feel when you are learning something new and becoming more capable.
I came away with a deeper appreciation for the technical side of climbing, for the value of practicing in a strong learning environment, and for the importance of continuing to invest in training. I also came away reminded that confidence is built. It comes from repetition, experience, instruction, and the willingness to keep showing up.
This experience was personal for me, but it also felt bigger than me.
I want more women to know that there is room for them in this field. There is room for them to learn, to lead, to climb, to run crews, to own businesses, and to build a real future in arboriculture and tree care.
That is one reason this workshop meant so much to me.
Spaces like this are crucial because they help women see what is possible. They help turn interest into action and uncertainty into confidence. If even one woman sees an experience like this and thinks, “Maybe I could do that too,” then that makes all the difference.
Bringing It Back Home to Harrison’s
Whenever you have an experience like this, I feel like the question begs: what do you do with it when you get home?
For me, this was not just about attending a workshop. It was about bringing that energy, that knowledge, and that encouragement back into my work and into the way I think about this profession. It reminded me to keep investing in learning. It reminded me to stay teachable. And it reminded me how important it is to encourage other women who may be considering this kind of path.
I left the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop feeling grateful. Grateful that I went, even though traveling solo felt intimidating. Grateful for the women who built and led this workshop. Grateful for the chance to be in that environment and learn from it. Grateful to be part of an industry that still has room to grow, and grateful to see women helping lead that growth.
More than anything, I came home energized and reminded that there is always more to learn, more to improve, and more ways to contribute.
My Encouragement to Other Women in Tree Care
If you are a woman who has ever been curious about tree climbing, arboriculture, or tree care, I would encourage you not to ignore that interest.
You do not have to have it all figured out. You do not have to wait until you feel completely ready. Sometimes the next step is simply being willing to learn!
For me, this experience was a reminder that there is room for women here. Room to grow. Room to lead. Room to climb.
And that is something worth continuing to build.
-Denise
