• Cat/Owl Rescues

    I started my climbing career in the mid 80’s as I morphed from a landscape contractor to an owner/operator of my own tree service. I got my arborist certification in 86 and by the 90’s I started getting calls for…

  • A Legacy in the Canopy: Celebrating Dr. Griëtte van der Heide

    The entire GOTC Board and Council extend their most heartfelt congratulations to our past president, Dr. Griëtte van der Heide, on the achievement of her Ph.D. in Anthropology. A Tenure of Excellence Since taking the helm in 2019, Griëtte has been the driving force behind our…

  • A New Era: Introducing the GOTC Outreach and Inclusion Fund

    The Global Organization of Tree Climbers (GOTC) is thrilled to announce the launch of our new campaign. This initiative marks a significant expansion of our commitment to ensuring the profound joy of canopy exploration is accessible to everyone.

  • A Week to Remember at Silver Falls

    Silver Falls State Park Rendezvous | August 20–25, 2025

    Article by Flower Butler

    The GOTC Tree Climbers Rendezvous at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon was fantastic! Our host, Tree Climbing at Silver Falls, offered many wonderful trees. Click below to read more.

  • TREE CLIMBERS RENDEZVOUS 2025 COSTA RICA

    April 24-29, 2025  Words by Aiden Murphy and Colin Larkin  Over five days in Costa Rica, a group of 28 tree climbers came together to explore, connect, relax, learn, and most importantly, climb some towering giants! This wonderful adventure was…

  • Tree Climbing Outreach Program

    Global Organization of Tree Climbers Launches Tree Climbing Outreach Program The Global Organization of Tree Climbers (GOTC) is excited to announce a new outreach program that aims to make tree climbing programs more accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or…

  • Building and Using a Reacher Pole

    by Joe Vogel, GOTC VP When I’m up in a tree, I like to ascend and traverse. I’ve tried several methods for setting an anchor within about 15 feet. I was taught to get a throw bag and line over…

  • Randomized Rescue Scenarios – Roll the Dice

    By Sam “Oak” Johnson Our local climbing community holds regular rescue practices where folks discuss and attempt a variety of tree climbing rescues – a chance to put our skills to the test, get ready for an unlikely but critical…

  • Gear Check

    A couple of tips by Paul McCathie, Goodleaf Tree Climbing When it comes to checking gear the number one question I get asked is “When do I know when something is too worn out to use?”  This is indeed a difficult…

  • Belay Devices: Are they well suited for Tree Climbers?

    Written by: John Greer & reposted from TreeXP.com There has been a lot of discussion about using belay devices for tree climbing. Many belay devices are lightweight and perform well for their intended uses. Products like the Trango Cinch and…