My Story
Hi, I’m Dalton.
I run a professional tree service and wood crafting business in Wausau, WI.
Much of my childhood was spent in the woods building things, collecting insects, watching animals, spending days exploring the natural world around me. Nature has always been the thing that made sense to me. That foundation shaped everything that came after.
I completed my bachelor's degree with a minor in environmental science, which gave me the academic framework for a better understanding of forests and ecology. Much of the real training came later: seven years with the USDA Forest Service, starting with the Ottawa National Forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, then moving to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest right here in Wisconsin. I was part of the timber team where I trained extensively in chainsaw work, timber operations, and precision felling. I was also certified as a wildland firefighter and spent parts of the fire season flying out to various national forests across the country, where I'd construct handlines, cut firebreaks and clear dead timber in high-stakes situations.
That work taught me how to read a tree, make precise cuts, solve complex rigging problems, and understand the difference between hurried work and safe work. It taught me respect for the tool and respect for the risk.
When I transitioned to running Arboreal Artisans, I kept the same approach: precision, safety, and the understanding that removing a tree near someone's home isn't routine and it requires real skill and real care. I specialize in climbing: using ropes, harnesses, and precision rigging to remove trees in the tight, hazardous spots that large equipment can't reach. It's slower, more technical work, but it means I can do jobs that other companies either can't do or charge a premium for. There's genuine satisfaction in solving a difficult felling problem safely, and in knowing a family's property and home are protected because of it.
I run this business on my own, besides the occasional secondary as jobs necessitate. No big crew, no fleet of heavy machinery. Just me, my gear, and an approach to tree work rooted in training, respect, and honest pricing. This limits my capacity in some ways. However, it allows me to keep costs affordable as I’m not encumbered by high fixed expenses.
When a tree comes down, I don't see waste. I see material. That's where the woodworking side of the business comes in. I've always been a maker; creating things is as natural to me as climbing trees. Cutting boards, Tables, Countertops, and Sculptural pieces. Some of which were built from wood that came from right here in North Central Wisconsin. One side of what I do is dangerous and exacting. The other is patient and creative. Both come from the same trees, and both come from the same values: respect for the material, precision in the work, and the belief that things made well last.
Beyond the work itself, I believe a community thrives when its people can trust one another. I'm rooted in this community. I've built a family here in the Wausau area, and that changes how you work. We're raising our family here, and we're invested in building the kind of place we want to live in. Where honest work is valued, where people look out for each other, and where a business owner's word means something. That belief shapes every project I take on, whether it’s tree work or crafting a piece of functional art for your home.
We're not just in the business of trees. We're in the business of neighbors taking care of neighbors because that's a community worth living in.
Request a Quote
Please use the inquiry form to request your free quote for any of our services. Quotes are provided within one business day from the time submitted. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please call us at (309) 269-2564 to speak to one of our representatives.