About Safe Trees, LLC

Founded by Ed Hayes in 2000, Safe Trees, LLC is a company dedicated to teaching in the field of Tree Risk Assessment. Ed has over 30 years experience in the field of Tree Risk Assessment.

In 2000, following 20 years of field experience Ed wrote and published a field guide for Arborists titled "Evaluating Tree Defects". Following a year of travel and teaching workshops he wrote and published the second edition. Currently there are almost 7000 copies in circulation worldwide. Over these last 30 years Ed has conducted Tree Risk Assessment or Hazard Tree Workshops with field exercises through Safe Trees, LLC. Ed has taught workshops in many US states including Hawaii and in other countries including Australia and the UK.

Ed is a retired Plant Pathologist and Entomologist by education and training with more than 35 years experience, with 31 years as a Regional Forest Health for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, covering much of the lower one third of Minnesota from Rochester.

Ed's training is in Plant Pathology and Entomology with a B.S. degree in Forest Management and a Master's degree in Plant Pathology from Virginia Tech. He has been an ISA Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture since 2000. Ed has authored many other publications and newsletters over the years, see resource links. Ed also runs a Plant Health Care company out of Rochester, Hayes Trees, LLC, servicing much of southeast Minnesota, www.edhayestree.com.

Noteworthy Recognition and Memberships:

Minnesota Division of Forestry Award of Excellence June 1998.
International Society of Arboriculture, Minnesota, Western, and Florida chapters.
Tree Care Industry Association.