RALEIGH -- Dangling one recent morning 30 feet in the air, Cormac Nagan looked like the certified arborist he is. Secured by a rope system, he deftly swung alongside the big branches of a willow oak, reaching out with a handsaw to trim the smaller ones.
This weekend he's in Rhode Island, participating in an event that at first glance would seem designed for hyperactive 10-year-olds: the International Tree Climbing Championship.
Nagan, 26, who lives in Raleigh, earned the right to compete in a regional competition this past spring in Louisiana. Although a tree-climbing championship might sound like child's play, it's anything but. The contest draws some of the best arborists from around the globe.
Climbers from Switzerland, Australia and Japan have descended on a city park in Providence, R.I., aiming for the championship. Nagan, who owns his own firm, Aerial Innovations, said the competitions provide a way to keep up with changing equipment and trends in the tree-climbing community.
"It keeps me inspired," he said. "It keeps you thinking outside of your little company."
Family landscapers
Growing up, Nagan helped his father in the family landscaping business, which jumpstarted his love of trees. After earning an urban forestry degree in Illinois, he moved to North Carolina to work for another tree service before starting out on his own.
During the competition, climbers will be put through simulations that judge their speed, accuracy and poise in and around trees. Nagan will have to ascend ropes quickly, move his way through a tree, and even rescue a 120-pound dummy stuck in a tree. The exercise simulates what would happen if one of Nagan's co-workers was injured and unable to descend without help.
The International Society of Arboriculture organizes an annual conference and trade show, of which the climbing contest is a part, said spokeswoman Sonia Garth. In its 33rd year, the contest will feature 52 men and women from 14 countries.
Although the climbers are serious about the competition, it does not have a win-at-all-costs feel to it, Garth said. "They're a very tight group," she said. "It's almost like a family reunion."
Nagan is looking forward to competing against his fellow arborists and catching up with climbers he hasn't seen since last year, when he attended the championships for the fun of it. This year, he'll do his best to bring home the prize.
"Anybody can have their day," he said, smiling. "The tree gods have to be with you."
