Tree Olympics in Niagara Falls this weekend

ALISON LANGLEY

Krista Strating will be going out on a limb this weekend to test her skills against 49 of the top arbourists from across the continent.

The 32-year-old will be competing in the North American Tree Climbing Championships, to be held Saturday and Sunday at the Niagara Parks Commission’s Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture.

“We consider it to be the tree Olympics,” she joked.

An arbourist with the city of Mississauga, who is also a climbing technician with the arbourist apprenticeshipprogramatHumber College in Toronto, Strating is one of the top competitive tree climbers in the world.

Professional tree climbers from Canada and the United States will demonstrate their skills as professional arbourists, all while competing for the title of North American Champion and a chance to compete at the 2017 International Tree Climbing Championships to be held in Washington D.C. next summer.

The event, hosted by Niagara Parks and the Ontario Chapter of the International Society of Arbouriculture, is free and open to the public.

“During competitions, our main focus is safety,” Strating said. “We’re out there showing the public what we do so if we do it too fast or unsafe, we’re sending the wrong message.”

The event also gives young people a look at what it mean to be an arbourist.

“When I was a kid, yes I climbed trees, but I didn’t know this existed as a job,” she added.

In addition to the competition, events scheduled over the two days will include an arbour fair and expo featuring family-friendly activities and entertainment such as a fun tree climb and limb walk.

Arbourist-focused workshops

Want to go?

What: North American Tree Climbing Championship Where: Niagara Parks Commission’s Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture When: Oct. 1 - 2 will be offered on Friday prior to the event.

“Tree climbing competitions reproduce the real-life working conditions of arborists in the field,” said Jim Skiera, executive director of the International Society of Arboriculture.

“The competition, along with the arbor fair, helps provide the public with a better understanding of the skills it takes to properly climb and care for trees.”

Janice Thomson, chairwoman of Niagara Parks, said she’s “thrilled” the agency is involved in the weekend event.

“It is very exciting to welcome the North American Tree Climbing Championship into our renowned Botanical Gardens, where NPC experts and students are able to meet and collaborate with others who are also at the top of their industry.”

The competition kicks off Saturday with five preliminary events: a work climb, belayed speed climb, simulated aerial rescue, foot-lock style rope climb and a throw line challenge.

The competitors with the highest scores during the preliminary events will move on to the Masters’ Challenge championship round on Sunday.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.itccisa.com/natcc.

The International Society of Arboriculture, headquartered in Illinois, is a non-profit organization supporting tree care research and education around the world.