Erik Zupko got started in the tree care industry early. As a high school student looking to make some money during the summer, Zupko saw working outside and driving a big truck as appealing. Little did he know, that part-time job would set him on a career course.
“I like working with trees because they’re a living thing,” says Zupko. “I’ve always been fascinated by the way they grow and I enjoy climbing.”
Going out on his own
Zupko earned a degree in natural resources and is also a certified arborist. In 2009, after working for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and another tree care company, he founded his own company, Treeway Tree Care, based in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
“It was tough to get started,” Zupko recalls. “At that time, the economy wasn’t doing well, so it was hard to get jobs. But giving up was never an option.”
He says a strong work ethic has been key to the company’s growth and success. For the first couple of years, he was the only one on the payroll. Now, he has one full-time employee and a few part-time employees. Treeway Tree Care provides tree trimming, tree removal, stump grinding, tree planting and tree health services, as well as the treatment of buckthorn.
Falling in love at first demo
A few years ago, Zupko owned a brush chipper from another manufacturer. When the machine needed to be repaired, Zupko was loaned a Vermeer BC1000XL by the dealership.
“I fell in love with it. The Vermeer BC1000XL blew the doors off the other brand I had been using,” Zupko says. “So, I traded my old chipper for the BC1000XL, and it’s been much more efficient than the other brand chipper I was using.”
That led Zupko to purchase a Vermeer SC292 stump cutter.
“The Vermeer SC292 is a great machine. It’s not too big and it does well on many types of terrain. I also like that it has a high and low speed for going across the yard. It’s got plenty of power and it doesn’t bog down. I love it.”
Adding to his fleet
In 2015, a storm produced straight-line winds of 100 mph (160.9 kph) in Brainerd, Minnesota, blowing down thousands of trees. One of Zupko’s customers enlisted his expertise to remove 40 trees on his property that were damaged.
“It was a huge job. We purchased a Vermeer S450TX compact utility loader with a grapple attachment specifically for this job,” says Zupko. “We cut the trees into logs and limbs that were 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) long and hauled them out easily.”
Zupko says the compact utility loader is more efficient than doing the work by hand, plus, it helps reduce worker fatigue. The S450TX has shown its worth in other applications, like buckthorn removal.
Taking on an invasive species
Buckthorn is an invasive species prevalent in Minnesota, especially in older neighborhoods. It out-competes other plants for nutrients, light and moisture and lacks natural influences like insects or disease to control its growth. Treatment for small plants includes removing it and the root system. Larger plants need to be cut down and have the stump treated with a herbicide to prevent regrowth.
Zupko first encountered buckthorn when working with the Minnesota DNR. Now, he says 50 percent of his work is buckthorn treatment.
“Vermeer equipment has really helped out with buckthorn removal. We are using the S450TX with a grapple attachment to remove small trees — roots and all — from the ground. ”
For larger trees, Zupko will cut them down and use the Vermeer SC292 to remove the stump.
Thanks to Zupko’s expertise in buckthorn and the ease of removing it with Vermeer equipment, Treeway Tree Care has made a name for itself in the Twin Cities.
“We’ve done quite a few large buckthorn removal jobs and our Vermeer equipment is helping us succeed.”