Pope teaching an advanced climbing class with student Hector Herrera, an arborist for the Nambe Pueblo reservation in New Mexico. Photo courtesy of Brian Pope.

A U.S. Air Force veteran and native Floridian, Brian Pope began his career working in his father’s tree care business before expanding his experience across nearly every facet of the profession. Over the years, he has served in climbing operations, bucket operations, branch management, business development, disaster response and large-scale emergency projects throughout the Southeast and the West Coast.

Along the way, Pope developed a reputation not only for operational expertise, but for his commitment to safety and education. In 2021, he earned the designation of Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) through TCIA, later becoming a TCIA Qualified Trainer and instructor.

Today, he serves as the Arkansas state director for the ISA Southern Chapter and is a member of its board of directors.

Building on experience

Like many others, Pope sees a growing problem within the industry – particularly in Arkansas. “There are only around 50 certified arborists in the entire state,” explains Pope. “We are really trying to change that. Arkansas is an untapped opportunity for the arboricultural industry.”

That realization became the driving force behind Expert Tree Academy, a nonprofit training organization licensed through the Arkansas Division of Higher Education and founded by Pope and his wife, Logan, in August 2024.

For Pope, this is more than a project. It is the culmination of more than three decades spent in the tree care industry and a mission rooted in service, mentorship and safety.

The 60-acre facility in Bald Knob, Arkansas, will combine classroom education with intensive hands-on field experience. The property will feature indoor and outdoor climbing areas, dedicated rigging and climbing skill stations, specialty-equipment training courses, mock utility infrastructure for safety simulations and expansive work areas designed specifically for arborist training.

The training academy will also include rustic on-site lodging, communal gathering spaces and outdoor kitchens, creating an environment that encourages not only technical learning, but teamwork, camaraderie and mentorship.

Inside the main school building, students will have access to two academic classrooms, a dedicated saw room for chain saw maintenance and sharpening instruction and a fully equipped gear room housing climbing saddles, ropes and equipment used for rope systems training and gear inspections.

The goal is to provide students with the kind of real-world exposure that cannot be replicated through online instruction alone.

Participants from an aerial rescue class Pope taught for a large municipality. Photo courtesy of Brian Pope.

Preparing the next generation

As the arboricultural workforce continues to age, Pope believes the industry faces a critical turning point. Recruiting and retaining younger workers will require not only better training opportunities, but a different approach to instruction itself.

“The younger generations learn differently,” says Pope. “Our workforce is aging out. To be a good instructor, you have to understand how different people learn. The older generation often heard, ‘Don’t do this.’ Younger professionals want to understand both how and why. They want the reasoning behind the process.”

Expert Tree Academy is being developed with that mindset at its core. Rather than relying solely on lecture-based instruction, the academy plans to combine interactive classroom education with scenario-based field training, peer collaboration, team-building exercises and mentorship opportunities.

Pope also intends to partner with respected organizations and instructors across the industry to ensure students receive diverse, high-quality education from experienced professionals. “There are several good training companies out there and excellent instructors,” he says. “I don’t see it as us versus them, I view it from the perspective of how can we work together to provide the best for the students and our industry as a whole.”

Equally important is the culture the Expert Tree Academy hopes to create. “Just because the class is over doesn’t mean students can’t contact me,” says Pope. “If questions come up later, I want them to feel comfortable reaching out. We want to be an ongoing resource for people throughout their careers.”

Participants from a line clearance certification course Pope taught in Paris, Tennessee, for Landworx, a TCIA member company. Photo courtesy of Landworx.

Conclusion

While Brian Pope has worn many hats throughout his career, his role as a Certified Treecare Safety Professional reflects the thread that has connected them all: an unwavering commitment to protecting people.

From mentoring the next generation of arborists to sharing best practices with experienced crews, Pope believes safety leadership is about more than teaching procedures. It’s about influencing culture. Through his work as a CTSP, he continues to encourage tree care professionals to lead by example, invest in continual learning and make safety the foundation of every job.

For Pope, success isn’t measured by the number of people he trains, but by the number who return home safely because of what they’ve learned.

Tracey Miller is the manager of content & communications for TCI Magazine.