Michael Schuck

Background

I got into this work because I've always seen trees as more than landscaping — they're living infrastructure that cities depend on. Once you start paying attention to canopy structure, root systems, and how trees interact with the built environment, you can't unsee it.

That perspective led me into arboriculture professionally. Over 13 years I've worked my way from climbing crews to running my own tree service company with ISA Certified Arborists on staff, managing crews, overseeing government contracts, and handling everything from routine pruning to large-scale hazard reduction projects.

I earned my ISA Certified Arborist credential because I believe the people advising homeowners about their trees should actually understand tree biology, structural integrity, and proper care standards — not just own a chainsaw.

Professional Experience

My career spans the full range of arboricultural work. I've performed hands-on climbing and rigging for complex removals, led pruning operations following ANSI A300 standards, managed fire mitigation and defensible space projects, and handled emergency storm response across the Peninsula. As a company owner, I oversaw ISA-credentialed crews on both residential and municipal contracts.

That field experience is what informs everything on Urban Forestry Guide. When I evaluate a tree service company, I know what good pruning cuts look like, how proper rigging should be set up, and whether a company's practices align with ISA standards — because I've done the work myself.

Why I Built Urban Forestry Guide

When Peninsula homeowners search for a tree service, they get Yelp pages, Thumbtack ads, and companies ranking themselves #1 on their own websites. Nobody was evaluating these companies against actual arboricultural standards.

Urban Forestry Guide exists to fix that. Companies I feature are reviewed using an arborist-led rubric that evaluates license status, insurance documentation when available, pruning practices, whether they top trees (a red flag), credentials, and customer experience patterns. The methodology is transparent and published on our editorial standards page Privacy .

Beyond reviews, I write the educational content on this site — from planting guides to pruning standards — grounded in ISA best management practices and adapted specifically for Bay Area conditions, soils, and tree species.

Published Guides & Tools

All content on Urban Forestry Guide is written or reviewed by me. Here is a selection of the guides, tools, and resources I've authored.

Tree Care Guides

Tools & Calculators

City Tree Service Reviews

Plus 14 additional city reviews. See all cities →

Blog & Articles