We are delighted to welcome three new additions to our arboriculture team in recent weeks, further enhancing our collective skills and knowledge. This expansion reinforces our commitment to providing high-quality in-house arboriculture services and extending coverage across the UK.
At Thomson, renowned for our expertise in many different areas of environmental compliance, addressing arboriculture and tree-related questions is an integral part of our daily operations. Since it established in 2008, our in-house arboriculture team has evolved into a trusted provider of arboricultural services. We specialise in offering tailored consultancy, conducting tree surveys, and providing comprehensive tree management solutions throughout the UK.
In this article, get to know more about our newest team members – Tom, Tim and Arthur.
Tom Willetts – Arboricultural Surveyor
Playing a crucial role in our arboriculture team, Tom Willetts serves as an Aboricultural Surveyor, responsible for conducting tree surveys for various entities. His tasks include reviewing data for quality assurance before it is incorporated into technical reports. Toms diverse experience ranges from surveying veteran trees across four counties for a large-scale rail scheme, to assisting in the survey of 40,000 trees in Greater London.
Tom embarked on his arboricultural career after completing a National Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture at Moreton Morrell College in 2009. Transitioning from groundsman/trainee climber roles to surveying, Tom finds fulfilment in connecting with nature that has stood for centuries and educating clients and the public about the significance of trees.
Outside of work, Tom is a keen paddleboarder, enjoys cooking for family and friends, and has a superhero side, regularly donating blood – having contributed 11 times, exceeding the average body’s total blood volume!
“My favourite tree is a Japanese Maple Acer palmatum for it has nearly 1,000 different cultivars, each with different colour variations and foliage shapes. I even have a tattoo of one on my calf.” – Tom Willetts.
Arthur Cullen – Senior Arboricultural Consultant
The newest addition to the team, Arthur Cullen, joins Thomson as a senior arboricultural consultant with nearly three decades of varied arboricultural experience. Having previously served in the military, Arthur’s arb journey began as a groundsman at a tree surgery company. Eager to learn more, he went back to education where he earned a National Certificate and Diploma in Arboriculture at Merrist Wood College.
For the last 20 years, Arthur worked for a local authority as a tree officer, managing a team of 11 covering all aspects of arboriculture, grounds maintenance, parks and open spaces. His experiences include working with community groups to plant trees and create entire woodlands.
When Arthur’s not at work, you can find him in the garden, embarking on adventures with his daughter or undertaking long rides on his motorbike for charity. Notably, he recently completed the Longest Day Ride from Lands’ End to John O’Groats in 24 hours, raising an impressive £63,000 for Cancer Research UK.
“Working with community groups to plant trees and create entire woodlands has been very rewarding, but I’m looking forward to getting stuck into work at Thomson and facing new challenges working on different projects to help business and nature thrive together” – Arthur Cullen.
Tim Ranger – Arboricultural Consultant
Tim studied mechanical engineering at university and found himself working at a computer software company. Feeling unfulfilled in this career, and determined to follow his dream career, he made the bold decision to retrain and returned to college in Derby to study Forestry and Arboriculture. His enthusiasm for trees grew and propelled him into arboricultural work, joining a local authority as an Arborist.
Today, Tim brings his wealth of experience to Thomson as an arboricultural consultant, where he specialises in supporting clients with BS5837 tree surveys and reports required for planning applications. His most recent project involved the installation of a new reservoir near vulnerable oak trees, showcasing his balance between development and environmental preservation.
Tim has a particular interest in bonsai trees and owns a small collection that he nurtures with care – including a hornbeam – Tim’s favourite tree! As a seasonal explorer, Tim’s post-university travels around the world have been transformative, shaping his perspective on life.
“I engage with clients to understand and support their needs with development, including BS5837 tree surveys and reports to support planning applications” – Tim Ranger
Get in touch to see how the team can support your project!
