Having fun is one of the main reasons for climbing. But safe climbing means using techniques that have been tested and proven through time. TCI studies and practices many styles of roped climbing. These techniques are then taught at the TCI school or promoted through workshops and publications. A not so obvious consideration is the welfare of the tree being climbed.
Trees are fragile.
Much more so than rock, mountains, or caves. A tree can be killed in a single season if improperly climbed. Leg spikes, like those used by pole climbers should never be used. Techniques using a rope moving over a branch can injure or even kill a branch on a single climb if the bark is thin. We are loosing far to many trees to land developers and loggers to add recreational climbing to a long list of hazards facing our tree population.