Serving Trees, Serving Country: Foothills Tree Service

Trees first, business second. That’s the motto at Foothills Tree Service (FHTS) according to owner Vince Walsh. 

Respect for the Trees 

“I think what sets Foothills Tree Service apart from other tree companies is my genuine appreciation and respect for trees,” said Walsh. 

Growing up as a local of Saratoga County, Walsh developed a love for the area very early on in life. After graduating from Saratoga High School in 1990, Walsh joined the Marine Corps and spent much of his time stationed in Hawaii. During his time in the 50th state, Walsh developed a deep appreciation of the local culture and natural wildlife. Returning home after his completed tour, Walsh would find he had brought back with him a renewed sense of home and a craving for learning. Upon his return, he would enroll at Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, New York. While there working to complete a degree in Environmental Studies, Walsh befriended another enrollee, coincidentally also named Paul, who was an arborist by trade. 

“It kinda all started with my friend Paul actually,” said Walsh. “After college, Paul had the basis of this business going, and I worked with him for a few years learning as much as I could. But when he made a move north to Canada to be with family, people started to turn to me as the expert,” said Walsh. 

Flash forward 20 years and people in the local community are still turning to Walsh and his team for expertise. With a focus mostly as production climbers (trees that are hard to access), Walsh grew his team over the years from just one to a strong and experienced team of six. Now, as he is looking to narrow the focus of the business, he is currently back down to a smaller crew and is focusing almost exclusively on specialty jobs within Saratoga County. 

A Full Scope Service 

In addition to his Environmental Studies degree, Walsh is a proud naturalist, and tries to ensure that when he spends time with his clients, he not only rehabilitates their landscape but educates them on it as well, sharing the naturalist perspective along the way. 

“With over 25 years experience, my working knowledge of assessing tree health in specific locations is uncanny. I guide my customers to meet their needs while advocating for the trees themselves. I want them to truly understand the value of the trees in their own landscape,” said Walsh.

In addition to the actual tree removal and the educating of his clients, Walsh also takes his efforts one step further through FHTS’s sister company, Local Roots. Local Roots draws on permaculture principles to utilize pruned or removed trees, turning them into useful materials to be sent back into the local economy and environment. Their list of products includes lumber, furniture, bowls, carvings, firewood, and mulch. It is Walsh’s hope that in the years to come, this sister company will become an even more active entity in the local community. 

A Balancing Act 

Keeping a sustainable mindset in a world that doesn’t always adhere to sustainable practices can be a challenge for those with even the purest of intentions. This certainly doesn’t stop Walsh from trying though. 

As Walsh explains, “Here at FHTS, we have been using biodegradable chain oil for the last 25 years or so. It may not sound that impactful but when you consider that it’s at least 3-4 times more expensive than non biodegradable kinds that other companies use, it’s a big expense to us financially but it’s more than worth it when we consider it’s the safety of the environment we’re talking about.”

In addition to the biodegradable oil, Walsh’s company additionally focuses on things like keeping all of their equipment up to date and ensuring that the equipment they bring to a job is appropriate, and non-intrusive, to the local landscape. Being mindful of those types of details is just one more example of how FHTS hopes to keep as close to ‘sustainable in practice’ as possible. 

Connect with FHTS 

Foothills Tree Service is a fully insured practice. Those interested can call (518) 242-0618 for a free consultation or visit their website at foothillstreeservice.com.