Liz Chow Finds Her Passion as Arborist and Earns Recognition at Ontario Tree Climbing Championships

Liz Chow has finally found her calling. Originally studying to be a nurse but finding that too stressful, she went to school to become a firefighter. But ultimately, it was the trees that won her over.

A recent graduate of the Humber arborist apprenticeship program, Liz joined the Mount Pleasant Group in August 2024. And in September, she competed in the Ontario Tree Climbing Championships in Mississauga for the first time, joining nine other women and 35 men.

Liz finished in seventh overall amongst the women, including winning a second-place medal for one of the six stations. Stations included an aerial rescue, a speed climb, a speed ascent, a throw line and a work climb.

Liz had a lot of fun, despite it being her first time.

“I didn’t do too well on some of the stations and timed out on others, but I got a medal in one of them, so I guess I did something right there!” she said.

Liz won an award for first-time female competitors and was also awarded the $400 Wenda Li bursary. Li was the first female production climber for the City of Toronto in the early 1990’s, the first climbing arborist in 1992, is a six-time Ontario Women’s Tree Climbing Champion and in 2002 was the International Women’s Tree Climbing Champion.

While women like Li and this year’s champion, Hannah Winters, are an inspiration to Liz, she has goals of her own.

“I hope one day I can be an inspiration to other women in the industry,” she said.

In the meantime, Liz has already learned so much in the short time that she has been with MPG.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot of tree ID here. When you do production and you just go to people’s houses, everyone has the same 10 trees, but here, because Mount Pleasant is an arboretum, it’s amazing to see,” said Liz. “It’s pretty awesome to see the size that the trees get to here. You don’ t see that on the street.”

She’s also still adapting to working in cemeteries.

“It’s interesting. I just try to tell myself I’m here for the trees – they’re alive.”