ABOUT US
A team of specialist arboricultural consultants
When you work with The Tree Consultancy Company, you tap into the combined expertise of a team of highly trained and experienced arborists. The Tree Consultancy Company was formed in 2010, drawing on many years of industry experience of its founder, Sean McBride. The company now has a team of full-time consultants, with a range of qualifications and internationally recognised certifications, up to Ph.D.
Our business culture is to provide efficient and expert arboricultural advice that focuses on finding resolutions and workable solutions to any complex tree issues. We are highly motivated to work with our clients and encourage sensible design solutions to tackle the most difficult challenges.
The Tree Consultancy Company has become a regular consultant to Auckland Council and other regional authorities, working on tree risk assessments, district plan changes, notice of requirements, resource consent applications and by the NZ Police to assist in a coronial inquest.
Sean Mc Bride
Director
Sean has more than 20 years’ experience working as a Consultant Arboriculturist in both the private and public sector.
After working in the United Kingdom for five years as an Arboricultural Advisor, he returned to New Zealand and founded The Tree Consultancy Company.
Sean has carried out specialist advisory roles for major projects such as the City Rail Link (CRL), Mill Road/Redoubt Road, Western Springs pine tree removals and assessments of oak trees within the Auckland Domain.
Sean is regularly engaged as an expert for Auckland Council, providing advice for district plan change matters, Environmental Court mediation proceedings, providing risk assessments on trees within road reserves and parks, and processing tree only resource consent applications. Sean was also engaged to assist the NZ Police in their investigations when an oak tree failed, causing a death. Sean provided evidence at the subsequent coroner’s inquest.
Andrew Benson
Urban Tree Ecophysiologist
Andrew holds degrees in biomolecular science and arboriculture as well as a Ph.D. in forestry. His area of expertise is urban tree ecophysiology. Specifically, he specialises in finding practical solutions to everyday problems involving trees, especially in the urban environment. He works closely with engineers and architects to devise workable solutions to juxtapose established trees into new urban design. He also works with local universities and academics and undertakes research.
Andrew is a highly regarded researcher and academic who has won several prestigious awards. He serves on three technical review committees and is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and NZArb (New Zealand ISA chapter).
Matthew Clifford
Junior Consulting Arborist
Matthew has been with The Tree Consultancy Company Team for several years, with a primary focus of undertaking monitoring and supervision of development and construction sites.
He entered the arboricultural industry in 2011, starting out as an apprentice for his local Council in the United Kingdom. Two years later, he had completed his apprenticeship and moved into a tree surveying role with the council. Here he provided tree risk assessments along with processing tree related enquires from the public.
Matthew moved to New Zealand and began working at The Tree Consultancy Company in August 2019. His primary role within the company is to monitor projects to ensure that they comply with consent conditions.
His aim is to provide clients with relevant and practicable arboricultural advice on topics such as the effect a proposed development may have on trees in the area, and how best to retain them and incorporate them into the finished design.