We’ve got something special to celebrate at Family Tree Care. Our very own Jake Slade has just won the 2025 New England Tree Climbing Championship!

The event, held June 28 in Warwick, Rhode Island, brought together the top climbers in the region for a full day of high-flying, technically demanding events. Jake soared to the top of the leaderboard, earning the title of overall champion and securing an invitation to the International Tree Climbing Championship this October in Christchurch, New Zealand.

This isn’t just a big win for Jake, it’s a proud moment for our whole team, our family, and the entire Guilford community.

A Legacy of Climbing and Care

If you’ve worked with us before, you probably know that Family Tree Care isn’t just a name, it’s a way of life. We’re a father-son team with deep roots in Connecticut and a shared passion for tree care and conservation. Jake grew up learning to climb from his dad, David Slade, a former Connecticut Tree Climbing Champion himself, and it’s been amazing to watch him grow into not just a world-class arborist, but also a thoughtful steward of the environment.

Jake’s latest championship win adds to an already impressive list of achievements. He’s a four-time consecutive Connecticut Tree Climbing Champion and holds a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. His knowledge of trees goes far beyond climbing. He brings environmental insight and sustainable practices to everything we do here at Family Tree Care.

From Climbing in Connecticut to Conservation in New Zealand

This upcoming trip to New Zealand isn’t Jake’s first connection to the country. In fact, his love for trees and climbing took root there when he was just 15 years old. During a volunteer experience abroad, Jake worked on a conservation project aimed at saving the ancient kauri tree, one of New Zealand’s most iconic and endangered species.

He helped collect seeds from these towering giants as part of arborist Stephen King’s Kauri Seedling Project, which works to restore kauri populations ravaged by disease and deforestation. That hands-on experience with conservation sparked Jake’s commitment to protecting trees, from our local community to across the globe.

Now, years later, Jake will return to New Zealand as one of the top climbers in the world. It’s a full-circle moment that reminds us just how connected our work is to something bigger.

What Is A Tree Climbing Competition?

You might be picturing a race to the top of a tree, but that’s only part of it. Tree climbing competitions, organized by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), are about precision, safety, and the practical skills arborists use every day in their work.

At the New England event, competitors tackled five preliminary challenges:

• Work Climb: Moving through the canopy, hitting targets with accuracy and grace.
• Aerial Rescue: A simulated emergency rescue of an injured climber.
• Belayed Speed Climb: A vertical sprint up a tree trunk.
• Throwline: Precision-based event for setting climbing lines.
• Ascent Event: Testing technique and endurance with rope-assisted climbing.

Jake’s steady focus and technical mastery led him through each challenge and into the final round, the Masters’ Challenge, where he clinched the win with a brilliant performance under pressure.

A Proud Moment for Our Family and Community

As a family-run business, we’ve always believed that good tree care is about more than just cutting and climbing. It’s about stewardship, safety, and love for the natural world. Seeing Jake carry those values with him, into competition and into international conservation work, makes us incredibly proud.

“This win is not just about climbing,” said David Slade. “It’s about our shared passion for trees, for doing things the right way, and for the community we’ve served for more than 20 years.”

From expert pruning to complex removals, every project we take on is guided by that same passion and professionalism. And while Jake’s heading to the world stage, our whole team is still right here in Guilford, doing what we love: caring for the trees that make this region beautiful.

Onward to New Zealand!

As Jake prepares for the International Tree Climbing Championship this fall, we’ll be cheering him on every step of the way. Competing against the best arborists in the world is no small feat, but we know he’s ready.

“Going to New Zealand is a dream,” Jake says. “I’m excited to give it everything I’ve got—and to see the kauri trees again, too.”

From all of us here at Family Tree Care, thank you for supporting our work, our family, and this incredible journey. We’ll keep you updated as Jake heads to Christchurch. And in the meantime, we’ll be here, keeping Connecticut’s trees healthy and strong.