ABOUT US
You can hire Asheville Arborists with confidence!
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We are fully licensed and insured
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Safety is our highest priority
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We comply with industry regulations and standards
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Our modern, professional equipment allows us to work efficiently and safely on your property
Nich Maidment, Owner, Operator and Certified Arborist
Nich has been in the industry for almost two decades and has filled a lot of different roles, he can honestly say that climbing trees is still his favorite part of tree work. The canopy of a tree is where Nich feels most at peace with what he is doing and enjoys it.
Nich founded Asheville Arborists almost 15 years ago in 2010. His primary role now is in the sales/consulting role, although he still spends days on the crew when he can. He states that his body isn’t as young as it used to be, and fieldwork is a little more taxing than it used to be. Nich finds himself more and more grateful for the time he spends touching trees and learning from them. He has been able to work on the same trees, multiple times now, and the lessons bestowed are only from repeat visits and observations.
Nich’s life has evolved since he started the company, and his family is now the primary focus of his free time. His wonderful and supportive wife, Amy, and his incredibly busy daughter Ayla are whom he spends most of his time with. Exploring mountains, camping, and seeing national parks is still a commonality. Although now the itinerary is a little different.
Nich’s family also consists of his cat Gigi and his dog Tsuga. The latter of which may be with him when he visits your property.
He has been pleasantly surprised with where his path has taken him, and he has stepped into the most important role at this time. He hopes to still someday venture into Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) land and get back to being more of an arborist.
Billy Barbour, Crew Lead & Certified Arborist
Billy was born in North Hollywood, CA. Growing up in the mountains not far from there, he fell in love with trees and climbing them. As a forestry major at Bakersfield college he found his path, then moved to Iowa city, Iowa and started his arboriculture career in 2011. Billy has been with Asheville Arborists since September 2017, an ISA Certified Arborist since 2017, as well as Tree Risk Assessment Qualified since 2018. He has plans of getting his Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP) certification and continuing to advance his knowledge and experience in the field.
In his free time, Billy enjoys woodworking, blowing glass, and repurposing some of the wood harvested from our urban forests in the Asheville area.
Johnny McLeod, Crew Lead and Certified Arborist
Johnny has had a passion for trees since he was a kid, climbing them whenever he could, back in Arkansas where he grew up. When he was a late teen he started his career in tree climbing and hasn't stopped since. He loves working on difficult removals and the art of safely taking hazardous trees down. He received a CTSP (certified tree care safety professional) and is always interested in the most innovative and safe way to get the job done well.
When he's not working trees you can find him having fun with his two boys and wife, playing outside in the woods around his home. He loves a strong cup of coffee, a good book and a fireside conversation any day!
Andrew Lawson, Consultant and Certified Arborist
Andrew has a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation and Management from WCU. He has been an ISA-certified arborist for over 5 years and is TRAQ certified. He also operates our articulating crane. In his spare time enjoys camping with his family, fly fishing, hiking, and playing with his two kids.
Nick Ngaopraseut, Arborist
Nick served 3 years in the Navy; during his time in service he has always wanted to be a part of the arbor industry.
Asheville Arborists welcomed Nick to the team in August of 2022. He has been in the arbor industry since 2021. He is working towards getting his International Society of Arboriculture certification (ISA) and is super excited in the road ahead. He is learning advanced climbing techniques, tree health care, and preservation.
In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, training dogs, and working on cars.
Ray Nichols, Arborist
Raymond is a North Carolina local who recently returned to Asheville after working as a diesel mechanic around the country. He spent the last 10 years in the Northwest working with forestry programs involving controlled burns and reinstatement of native land management practices.
At Asheville Arborists, he combines his mechanical skills with his forestry experience by keeping our machines in top shape and providing extra muscle on the job site.
In his spare time, he enjoys fixing up his old homestead and playing fiddle for his cattle dogs, Yoohoo and Bandit.
Sara Spaulding, Arborist
Sara grew up in the woods of northern New York, on the border of Canada and Vermont. As a kid, she would climb her favorite tree and perch for so long her mom would bring her lunch and dinner. She aspires to become a climber and certified arborist, perhaps even an instructor someday! Outside of work she enjoys hiking, playing and teaching roller derby, dancing to live music, and dabbling in sewing and stained glass.
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Keith Stoner, Certified Arborist
Keith is an ISA certified arborist and tree climbing instructor. He started out as a local community park ranger in the PNW then went on to wildland firefighter for the forest service. He attended the University of Washington for a B.S. in environmental science and resource management focusing on forestry and sustainability.
After university Keith taught youth outdoor education, rafting, mountain biking, and tree climbing.
Having found a passion for tree climbing he went on to become a tree climbing instructor for the Tree care industry association’s arborist apprenticeship program in Colorado for 3 years. He has taught and worked in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Brazil, Argentina, and climbed recreationally of 4 continents.
Keith works towards tree health and forest ecology endeavors by supporting the climbers in the field. He is actively working with research scientists mapping climate change as a safety technical advisor both here in the states as well as in the tropics where both education and equipment to care for urban forests is greatly needed. In his spare time, he enjoys disc golfing and exploring nature.
