Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures Ltd. (LFV) is a leading forestry management corporation within the Líl̓wat Nation in Mount Currie, British Columbia. Within the corporation, crews and departments work together to manage and care for the Nation’s forests while helping keep the community safer from the risk of wildfire.

Among the team is the group often referred to as ‘the climbing crew’. A highly skilled team, the crew removes branches to improve tree health and appearance, keeping trees away from power lines and electrical equipment to prevent power outages and eliminate other potential hazards. While most of the crew’s work occurs along BC Hydro transmission lines, they also take on other projects.

“Wherever we are needed, the climbing crew goes mostly for tree removals and when the terrain is too steep for anyone else to do the work,” shared Troy Reuben Bikadi, a Senior Certified Utility Arborist and General Foreman for LFV.

For tree removals in areas with steep and hard to access terrain, the process to do the work is both extensive and detailed. The crew strategically rig each tree using ropes, blocks, winches, and slings to ensure that every section of the tree is safely lowered to the ground.

“In many situations, we can’t remove the full length of the tree,” explained Bikadi. “This is where climbing is involved to take down the tree, branch by branch, in a safe way.”

The crew’s work under and near power lines also naturally overlaps with the need for rappelling in some sections, and requires specialized skills and equipment.

“Whenever walking is unsafe due to the terrain or steepness, the climbing crew will come in, rappel down using ropes and harnesses for stability to a site that is hard to access to do the job safely,” added Bikadi.

The crew uses ropes with breaking strengths up to 45,000 pounds, along with winches, pulleys, carabiners, slings, sling shots, and bean bags for rigging. For climbing, they rely on double steel-shank boots, spurs, harnesses, steel-core lanyards, and Flame Resistant ARC2 protective clothing, which protects workers from potential burns in electrical work and other hazardous environments by resisting ignition and self-extinguishing. And they actually make it look easy!

Much of the climbing crew’s day-to-day work unfolds in difficult and often harsh environments. The terrain can be steep, rocky, loose, or interrupted by river crossings.

Weather also adds another layer of complexity, as it can shift from warm and sunny to rain, sleet, snow, or 80 km/h winds within just minutes. Crews often work in temperatures ranging from +38°C to -25°C so they stay prepared with extra layers, rain and winter gear, and multiple pairs of boots stored in the truck at all times.

Becoming part of this team requires extensive training and hours of supervised work. Members must first complete a six-week first-year apprenticeship and then a two-week class to become an Apprentice Utility Arborist (AUA). After the first year is completed, members can start collecting the hours needed to become a Certified Utility Arborist (CUA), which is 1,200 proximity hours and 2,378 workplace hours, all under the direct supervision of a CUA.

Many crew members also hold a variety of certifications, including Power System Safety Protection, Chainsaw Safety, and Falling/Bucking.

Bikadi sees training as an ongoing, daily commitment, noting, “I teach the crew every day. Not a day goes by without them learning something new. We are building capacity right now, as the apprentices are becoming CUAs, and when they do, they can have their own AUA to teach.”

For the climbing crew, the work is not just technical; it is also deeply connected to an area where they live and where their family is from. Being out on the land means encountering wildlife and entering areas few people ever see. Not known to many people, heritage sites, both known and newly discovered, are a part that shape how the crew approaches each job.

“There are heritage sites marked on our maps all over the territory,” Bikadi shared. “When we go out on the land to do our work, we always keep an eye out for new ones that have not been marked.”

As LFV continues to grow and take on projects in diverse and challenging terrain, the climbing crew carries forward a blend of technical excellence, cultural awareness, and commitment to mentorship, ensuring that the next generation of Líl̓wat forestry professionals is ready to take the work to new heights.