Rick Till is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist—the highest credential available in the tree care industry. Rick has dedicated his career to environmental and natural resource management and transitioned to full-time production arboriculture in 2016.

Rick has spent years in the canopy mastering every facet of hands-on tree care, including strategic site planning, precision pruning, supplemental support systems, and complex removals.

What sets Rick apart is his rare blend of field-tested mastery and a legal background in environmental law from Lewis & Clark Law School. This unique combination means Rick doesn't just care for your trees—he understands the local land-use regulations and municipal codes that affect your property, offering you unmatched, worry-free tree management.

Project Examples

• City of Tumwater, Davis-Meeker Heritage Oregon White Oak, Level 3 Tree Risk Assessment.

• Oregon Humane Society Tree Inventory and Protection Plan for Campus Expansion

• Habitat for Humanity Taylors Ferry 17 Unit Housing Project Tree Inventory and Protection Plan

• Over 50 City of Portland Tree Preservation Plans.

• Multiple City of Portland Heritage Tree Cabling Permits

• Review and comment on over 1,000 land use applications for compliance with Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area land use regulations, including landscaping plans and view screening regulation compliance.

• Participation in multiple Forest Service and state agency forest management plans and forest practice applications.

Education and Qualifications

• 2023 Member, American Society of Consulting Arborists

• 2023 ISA Board Certified Master Arborist

• 2020 Certified Treecare Safety Professional (04200)

• 2019 ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification

• 2017 ISA Certified Arborist

• 2004 Admission to Washington State Bar (currently inactive)

• 2004 JD, Cum Laude, Environmental and Natural Resource Law Certificate, Lewis and Clark Law School

• 1998 BA, Magna Cum Laude, Philosophy, Washington State University

Awards

Undergraduate Honors:  

• 1998 Phi Beta Kappa; Potter Scholar (awarded to top philosophy student); WSU Writing Portfolio–Pass With Distinction (top 10% of students); Mortar Board Honor Society; Golden Key Honor Society

Professional Experience

• 2016 to 2026, Honl Tree Care, Arborist, Crew Leader, Safety Manager, Portland, OR

  Perform arboricultural services in the Portland metropolitan area consistent with ANSI safety and arboricultural standards and ISA Best Management Practices. Proficient in tree climbing, including moving rope systems and stationary rope systems. Exceptional pruning skills. Proficient in installing supplemental support systems. Proficient in moderate complexity removals. Highly proficient as a crew leader and in complex job site management. Served as lead on safety and training since 2018. Assist in managing all field operations. Perform sales and consultation work, including tree preservation plans required by local municipalities.

• 2006 – 2016 Friends of the Columbia Gorge, Conservation Legal Advocate, Portland, OR                      

  Worked with legal and conservation staff to advocate for the protection of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (CRGNSA). Responsibilities entailed commenting on all permitting and regulatory proposals that could impact the scenic, natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the CRGNSA; oral advocacy at administrative hearings; and collaborative support on litigation, including extensive legal research and drafting legal briefs. Permitting agencies included six counties in the CRGNSA, multiple state agencies in Oregon and Washington, the USDA Forest Service, and other federal agencies. Obtained an advanced understanding of the application of multiple local, state, and federal statutes protecting the scenic, natural, cultural, and recreation resources of the Columbia River Gorge. Worked with a range of stakeholders, including individual property owners, other conservation groups, the Yakama Nation of Indians, state agencies, and federal agencies.

• 2007–2012, Happy Fish Restoration Landscaping, Forestry Technician, Portland, OR

  Worked weekends performing restoration work in wetlands and oak woodlands in the Portland metropolitan area. Work included manual and chemical weed removal and native tree and shrub planting. Developed strong native tree and shrub identification skills and knowledge of practical restoration strategies.

• 2000–2003 USDA Forest Service, Wilderness Ranger/Trails Technician Enumclaw and Chelan, WA                                      

  Seasonal Forest Service employee responsible for maintaining wilderness trails (clearing downed trees with crosscut and chainsaws), coordinating work parties, and educating visitors. Forest Service-qualified Wildland Firefighter (Red Card). 

Select Publications

• Oregon Wildfire Preparedness, The Arboricultural Consultant, Vol. 58, Issue 1 (2025).

Select Volunteer Activities

• 2022 – Present, Governance Director, Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.

• 2005–2022 Crew Leader, Friends of Trees Natural Area Program

• 2016 City of Portland Street Tree Inventory Team, Foster Powell Neighborhood.

• 2008–2020 Director, At-Large Position 1, East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (Elected position for a public agency)