Celebrating International Women’s Day with Amelia Williams: Leading arboricultural consultant and advocate for change

Arboriculture has traditionally been a male-dominated field, but more and more women are making their mark and driving change. Today, we’re excited to feature Amelia Williams, an influential professional in the field of arboriculture, and share her insights as part of our celebration of International Women’s Day.

Amelia Williams is the Principal Arboricultural Consultant and Director of The Arboricultural Company, founded in 2020. With over 25 years of experience, she has a wealth of knowledge from running her own consultancy and holding roles such as Arboricultural Officer at Test Valley Borough Council, where she managed tree safety surveys, and contractor delivery for council-owned land. Amelia is also an assessor for the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and an active participant in strategy groups. Prior to her consultancy career, she worked as a senior consultant at CBA Trees and has teaching experience at Moulton College in Northampton.

She is a true role model, her leadership in the industry has positioned her as a highly respected figure in the field, and her passion for arboriculture continues to inspire the industry. To give us a deeper look into Amelia’s perspective on arboriculture and her journey, we invited her to share her thoughts through a series of questions.

What inspired you to pursue a career in arboriculture, and how has your journey shaped your expertise, ultimately inspiring you to found your own company?

“As a child, I was always climbing trees and adored being outdoors in nature, so it was an ideal opportunity to learn and train about trees, following my degree in geography at Royal Holloway University. It was a chance to specialise, and my first role was as a tree surveyor, and my passion for trees was sparked and fully ignited during my time studying and training as well as whilst travelling, meeting some incredible trees and people in trees. It is at this point that I started an appreciation and to learn about the diversity of trees. I find their resilience and adaptive features fascinating and have led me to the hobbies of bonsai and niwaki. There is so much to learn about trees and the interactions of the environment with trees that I am still learning and shaping my knowledge. I loved my role as a tree consultant, and after gaining valuable experience at a tree consultancy practice, I had the confidence and connections to start my own company, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made.” 

As a woman leading in a traditionally male-dominated industry, what challenges have you faced, and how have you navigated them to achieve success?

“For me, it was about gaining credibility and earning respect through attaining professional qualifications and demonstrating my abilities across multiple areas of the arboricultural industry. From being a practical arborist to teaching arboriculture through to performing tree surveys and consultancy as well as tree management of large tree stocks. I sought to always see opportunities rather than challenges, continuing to learn and expand my knowledge through openly sharing with others and collaborating and surrounding myself with a strong network of amazing and supportive people.” 

What advice would you give to young people who are considering a career in arboriculture, and what skills do you think are essential to succeed in the industry?

“Network, communicate, and ask for help when you need it from colleagues or mentors. Focus on following your interests and passions and enjoy the journey. Join your industry professional organisations to fast-track your career, as they can help you progress and provide training and guidance. Be willing to carry out lifelong learning, as every day is an opportunity to learn or try new things, and explore a variation of different roles to get as much experience as possible.”

How do you see the future of arboriculture evolving, particularly in terms of technology and women’s increasing role in the industry?

“The future of arboriculture is evolving in exciting ways and at a fast pace with phenomenal technological advancements and developments in scientific research. I have loved integrating tree management systems for data collection, mapping solutions, drones, 3D models, and tree health innovations into my work. I have seen a really positive trend towards the breaking of barriers with more women in climbing, consulting, and leadership roles. In addition to the greater understanding of arboriculture as a profession, encouraging more people to engage with and be in our amazing industry. It has been wonderful to be part of education and outreach elements supporting the introduction of mentorship programs, of which I am involved alongside being an assessor for the Institute of Chartered Foresters and an examiner for the Vet Cert Consulting exam.”

We are fortunate to have Amelia as a valued customer and friend of the Ezytreev team. She has been using our software for many years, and we’re grateful for her ongoing support for Ezytreev. We admire her work and contributions to the field as an expert consultant, advocate, and mentor. Her passion for the field and her contributions to the arboricultural community are inspiring, and we wish her continued success in her career.

For our customers who are looking for expert consultancy services, please find out more about Amelia and her work at https://arb.company/.

Amelia offers a comprehensive range of arboricultural consulting services, managing projects from small tree collections to large-scale tree management. Her expertise spans not only to tree surveys, inspections, hazard risk assessments, contract management, and tree preservation order advice, but also to tree surgery business and tender support. She works with councils, developers, tree surgery firms, and private clients, ensuring efficient, safe, and sustainable tree management solutions.