For more than a decade and a half, Guardian Tree Experts has fought tirelessly to preserve Ann Arbor’s status as the one-and-only “Tree Town.” Blending scientific tree care with community education—including school outreach programs, neighborhood tree walks and an esteemed wood-chip recycling process—Guardian Tree Experts’ founder Jack Richardson has continually taken bold steps throughout his career to ensure that our city’s beloved canopy thrives for generations to come.
Prior to founding Guardian, Richardson worked for Bartlett Tree Experts—a company internationally recognized for its scientific approach to tree preservation—where he fell in love with the methodology and precision behind proper tree care. “Being able to understand the physiology and chemistry of the tree made it all the more meaningful… you start feeling connected to your community and the tree itself,” he says.
Richardson launched Guardian in 2008 after moving from Arlington, Va. to the Ann Arbor area with his wife, Emily. Once in Ann Arbor, Richardson saw a gap in the community’s local tree care, and he sought to fill that void by creating a company that brought higher standards to the community’s preservation efforts. Nearly 20 years later, Richardson’s vision has more than paid off, as Guardian’s arborists are the go-to experts on tree health in the greater Ann Arbor area.
From the beginning, Richardson has stressed the importance of a scientific and ethical approach to tree care, never letting his team lose sight of their roles as caretakers not of mere timber, but real, living organisms. According to Richardson, true professionals in the industry both understand their craft and respect each tree as “a living thing… [with] something special and alive” inside it. This philosophy is more than a feel-good tagline or greenwashing PR slogan—it’s the chief guiding principle of every cut, consultation, and thorough risk assessment the Guardian crews carry out to achieve the overarching goal of doing no harm.
This company-wide respect extends beyond Guardian’s work before and during a job. Under Richardson’s leadership, Guardian strives to ensure that nothing removed goes to waste—the company recycles limbs, branches, and even woodchips that would otherwise end up strewn and squandered entirely into mulch or natural compost. One recent sustainability effort Richardson is particularly excited about is the transformation of waste wood into “biochar,” a charcoal-like material that enhances soil health while leaving a lower carbon footprint. On giving wood a newfound purpose, Richardson calls it “a win-win-win” since it provides Guardian with a further avenue to both promote sustainability and repurpose its biodegradable materials.
Another cornerstone of Guardian’s mission lies in educating the public on the ins-and-outs of caring for and preserving tree health. To accomplish this, their team hosts free tree walks and community outreach events in both elementary and high schools to spark engagement and foster a more outspoken tree-conscious generation. Additionally, Richardson also urges Ann Arbor residents to be proactive in their stewardship of the city’s trees, insisting that even the smallest acts of care—like watering newly-planted street trees or spreading mulch around the bases of tree trunks—will help our city’s canopy flourish for years to come.
“You do a lot of little things,” he says, “and they can spread.”
guardiantreeexperts.com
Preserving Tree Town
To help maintain Ann Arbor’s status as “Tree Town,” invest in the health and safety of your trees with these recommendations from Guardian Tree Experts:
- Prescription Fertilization: Soils in urban environments often lack the nutrients necessary for the proper growth and development of trees.
- Soil Aeration & Amendment: Soil compaction, pH imbalances, low organic matter, and competition with grass are additional stressors that often need to be addressed to improve the vigor of trees.
- Insect & Disease Management: Targeted treatments and monitoring can prevent minor infestations and infections from developing into situations that lead to decline or death.
- Pruning: Proper pruning to remove dead, declining, diseased, and damaged tissue and to reduce the length and weight of overly extended limbs in the outer canopy decreases the risk of infection, failure, and property damage.
- Cabling & Bracing: Some trees with significant defects need to be removed. For many others, installing a cabling or bracing system can reduce risk significantly and allow for preservation.
- Arborist Appointment: Consult with one of Guardian's ISA Certified Arborists to learn about the condition and value of your key trees and discuss plans for addressing current issues and preventing future problems.