The company has a focus on design and has a deep understanding of the forestry and arboriculture markets, and the needs of operators in those markets. With a focus on reliability, practicality, and innovation, Vertical Forestry is dedicated to transforming the way that operators work.
Our Values
Partnership
Vertical Forestry believes in the value of partnership – the idea that by sharing and leveraging each partner’s strengths we can create a stronger company and deliver superior results for every shareholder. We want our partners to share in our successes. Knowing the tree industry as we do, this means our partners expect to work with us side-by-side through the challenges inherent in the business.
Talent
We remain committed to the employees as the most critical shareholder group within our industry, recognizing the role that safety and team cohesion play in motivating and leveraging employees’ goodwill and enthusiasm. Rather than “acquiring talent” through acquisition, we are firmly aware that the talent is on loan. We intend to pay it back with interest. In fact, rather than measuring success by the retention of talented employees after a new partnership, we measure it by growth of talent.
People
We think that it is through continued investment in people that we can best serve our clients, vendors, and other strategic partners. Ultimately, it is our belief in people that sets us apart. We invite you to read more about what this means for us. This site explains in detail the actual elements we used and our approach to people – and how we develop and build a word-class team of professionals. Let these details inform you about the values that drive us.
One last thing – we like to show you these things in person when possible. Let’s meet – in Atlanta or elsewhere – and shake hands. When building trust, there’s a lot to be said for the old-fashioned way.
Our Team
Art Morris – Chief Executive Officer
Art Morris leads Vertical Forestry as Chief Executive Officer. He sets the platform’s strategy and builds its partnerships with tree care companies. Art is a Board-Certified Master Arborist and a University of Georgia graduate with more than a decade in the tree care industry. He also has a background in residential and commercial sales, so he understands the craft and the business behind it.
Art believes arborists and skilled tree workers deserve more credit for keeping their communities safe, healthy and green. That belief drives how he builds Vertical Forestry. The platform helps partner companies professionalize their operations, grow their people through stronger employee development, and expand into plant health care and technical services. Under Art’s leadership, independent tree care businesses get the resources to grow while keeping the local reputation their customers already trust.
Tierson Boutte –Chief Operating Officer
Tierson Boutte is Chief Operating Officer of Vertical Forestry. He is also the founder and co-owner of Boutte Tree, Inc., one of the platform’s partner companies. He is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist with a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech, and he has spent more than 20 years in the tree care industry. He learned the trade from the ground up in pruning and removals, then started Boutte Tree in Atlanta and has grown it steadily ever since.
Tierson brings that field experience to how Vertical Forestry runs. At Boutte Tree, he leads safety training and employee development for the field staff and stays involved in daily production, so he knows firsthand what it takes to run crews safely and efficiently. He also works with the Georgia Arborist Association, the Crane Safety Institute and other local organizations to raise safety and skill levels across the industry.
Jock Graff – As Chief Financial Officer
Jock brings decades of financial experience and know-how to Vertical Forestry, as well as a strong commitment to ensuring that tree workers get the machinery and tools they need to work safely and efficiently. Jock helps set financial & operational goals, assists with equipment acquisitions, and using Vertical Forestry analytic tools, can put numbers to anything arboricultural! Jock is a steadfast partner, supporting operations, sales and marketing teams with efficient financial strategy and investment guidance.
Jessa Boutte – Brand Leader and Co-Owner, Boutte Tree, Inc.
Jessa Boutte is Brand Leader and co-owner of Boutte Tree, Inc., a Vertical Forestry partner company. She has helped grow and develop the business since its early years in 2005 and has more than 20 years in the tree care industry. As Brand Leader, she guides how Boutte Tree presents itself to clients and the community. Behind the scenes, the company’s systems and data support that work and keep it running smoothly.
Jessa’s expertise covers client relationship management, HR and payroll efficiency, and the tools that connect them. She also shares what she’s learned with Vertical Forestry and keeps the platform up to date on the latest tools and data strategies. She graduated from Boston University in 2001, where she studied philosophy with a focus on logic and critical analysis. That background shows in the clear, structured way she approaches the business.
Hannes De Wet –Owner, Tree Worx
Hannes De Wet is the owner and leader of Tree Worx, a Vertical Forestry partner company based in Chattanooga. Tree Worx provides tree removal, pruning and plant health care to residential and commercial clients. Hannes was born in South Africa and started Tree Worx before he graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in entrepreneurship. Within two years, he had grown the business enough to run it full-time. Over more than a decade, he has built it into one of Chattanooga’s leading tree services.
Hannes has deep respect for the risks of tree work, and crew safety is at the center of how he runs the company. His view is that everyone deserves to go home to their family at the end of the day. In 2025, he partnered Tree Worx with Boutte Tree to speed up its growth, which brought the company into the Vertical Forestry network. He still leads Tree Worx day to day.
Adam Elliott – Owner, Ace Tree
Adam Elliott is the owner and leader of ACE Tree Service, a family-owned Vertical Forestry partner company based in Birmingham, Alabama. He studied at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is an ISA Certified Arborist. He has led ACE Tree for about two decades and grown it to three locations across Alabama and Georgia. The company serves residential and commercial clients with tree care, landscape installation, and lawn maintenance, all aimed at increasing property value and curb appeal.
Adam’s own expertise is in the technical side of tree care, including tree cabling, micro-injection, deep root fertilization, and hazard assessment. He trains his tree and landscape crews personally in tree care, landscape installation, equipment operation, and safety. His team includes ISA Certified Arborists and TRAQ-qualified hazard assessors. As a Vertical Forestry partner, ACE Tree adds that technical depth and full-property service to the platform’s growing network across the Southeast.
Our Partners
We are always looking for great tree services to join us in our mission to improve outcomes for employees and clients. We are especially looking for the following attributes in a tree service:
- Engaged Ownership willing to partner with us to develop new leaders
- Strong focus on residential and commercial tree care services.
- Strong management team, with potential future leadership qualities
- Safety & training-focused
Boutte Tree, Inc. is an Atlanta-based company founded in 2002 with a commitment to safety, great arboricultural practices, and customer service. Boutte Tree has a reputation for treating people right and tackling the hardest projects.
Approach
Vertical Forestry is dedicated to transforming the tree service industry through strategic partnerships that leverage the strengths of individual companies to create a more robust and sustainable future. Our goal is to foster a culture of safety, efficiency, and sustainable growth. While we are innovative, we also learn from the past. This section explores the dynamics of the tree service business, the impact of leadership and culture, and the benefits that companies can reap by partnering with Vertical Forestry.
The Growth & Decline of Tree Services
Tree service businesses, encompassing the arboriculture industry, operate on a fee-for-service basis and engage with trees near infrastructure, making the sector inherently risky. Despite these risks, the demand for tree services remains stable, even during economic downturns, due to the essential nature of these services. However, weather seasonality, and the low barriers to entry do create volatility in demand. This creates highly variable pricing pressure, which acts in concert with a highly mobile workforce can result in rapid growth or sudden decline. This section delves into how employees influence business trajectories, the unique industry factors that lead to resource dissipation, and strategies for maintaining a tree service company within safe operational parameters.
Organic Growth in the Tree Service Industry
The tree care industry's fundamental unit is the crew, typically consisting of 2 to 5 workers led by a proficient climber. The low barrier to entry fosters a vibrant startup environment. However, growth trajectories are often limited by recruitment, training, sales expertise, marketing, or management deficiencies. Vertical Forestry is able to supplement an owner’s strength to leverage great success in continuing organic growth.
Training in the Tree Service Industry
Initial growth in tree services often stems from strong foundational skills in climbing and sales. However, as companies expand, training gaps, particularly in safety, become apparent. Tree work involves complex skills influenced by various factors, necessitating nuanced understanding gained through experience. Effective training is crucial but challenging due to the environment. Creative approaches, such as experienced trainers climbing with trainees, are essential.
Leadership & Culture of Safety
A genuine culture of safety requires active leadership and continuous nurturing. Effective leaders articulate clear safety values, integrate them into strategic objectives, and ensure team engagement. Building a sustainable safety culture involves focusing on leading indicators over lagging metrics, integrating safety into daily management, and establishing accountability and measurement systems. Vertical Forestry’s team can help build the leadership of tomorrow– but we’ll need the support and encouragement of an involved owner/founder to do it.
Vertical Forestry's approach to partnering with tree service companies is built on understanding the industry's dynamics and fostering a culture of safety, investing in training, and developing strong leadership. By addressing training deficiencies, developing managers, and maintaining operational and cultural continuity, we create a stable, thriving environment for tree service companies. Our strategies are designed to ensure successful partnerships that benefit company owners, employees, and clients alike. For more details on the guiding principles that Vertical Forestry uses to help tree companies succeed, consider reading this document, which is part of our EHS manual.