• Hi y’all!!

    By Griëtte “Lady D” van der Heide I wish I could be writing this “Grove of the Month” while hanging upside down in a tree somewhere in Georgia, with my feet on a branch, where my friend Will Cottrell seems…

  • Tiny Twigs

    The Importance of Tiny Twigs  by Curt Andrews I still remember the first time I was kicked off a prospective client’s property for refusing to give them a price to top the large silver maple in their back yard. Anyone who…

  • Cradle in the Tree of Life

    Part II by Dr. Donald Perry Dr. Perry welcomes your comments and questions. Please email him at canopy evolution at gmail.com The fruits of our creativity – music, dance, mathematics, technology, and our awareness of the universe – are the result of evolutionary events that…

  • Climbing the Tree of Knowledge

    Part I by Dr. Donald PerryDr. Perry welcomes your comments and questions. Please email him at canopy evolution at gmail.com In 1973 I took a class in tropical biology where I was astounded to learn that while most rain forest species lived in the…

  • GOTC Environmental Principles

    GOTC is very much pro-nature, and we strive to keep damage to nature to an absolute minimum. What follows are some of our environmental principles we would like you to keep in mind.

  • Safety Guidelines

    Climbing Safety Guidelines Personal Precautions Guidelines Shout Commands HELP!Call this ONLY in an emergency. Stop all activity, be quiet, see how you can assist. STOP!Stop all activity, be quiet, and await further information or instructions. Throwing!Shout this before you throw…

  • Recreational Tree Climbing (RTC) Training and Expertise Levels

    The normal progression of training and expertise level (may vary per Instructor) in Recreational/Technical Tree Climbing (RTC) is: Costs and training specifics vary per Instructor. Please consult our Facilitator and Instructor Map for instructors and locations. * Please note that facilitating tree climbing involves…

  • Glossary of Tree Climbing & Related Terms

    Note:  This is a living document, please e-mail your recommendations for additions or revisions to GOTC. A Aeration: Breaking up of soil matter to allow for more air to penetrate down. Anchor (point): (also see Tie-in point or TIP): The…

  • How to incorporate RTC Programs at a Park/Recreation facility

    by Harv “Ponderosa” Teitelbaum, GOTC President Emeritus Recreational Tree Climbing (RTC) gets kids, youth, adults, couples, families off the ground and into the canopy, where they enjoy the views of the surrounding landscape, nature, wildlife, breezes, and more. Kids love…

  • Ethics

    Suggested Ethics for Tree Climbers by Bill Maher Wilderness is, according to the U.S. Forest Service, “a location for renewal of mind and spirit. This rejuvenation is more than what might occur from simply withdrawing or escaping from urban pressures….