Tree Trimmers and Pruners
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 37-3013.00
Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.18
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 24 hidden tasks26 rated tasks · 2 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (7.7%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 2 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Provide information to the public regarding trees, such as advice on tree care.O*NET Task ID 13125 | 1.0 |
Plan and develop budgets for tree work, and estimate the monetary value of trees.O*NET Task ID 13131 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (24)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Supervise others engaged in tree trimming work and train lower-level employees. | Core |
| Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools. | Core |
| Climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas. | Core |
| Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment. | Core |
| Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers. | Core |
| Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes or to remove low-hanging branches. | Core |
| Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle. | Core |
| Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines. | Core |
| Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal. | Core |
| Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems. | Core |
| Cable, brace, tie, bolt, stake, and guy trees and branches to provide support. | Core |
| Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes, or other tools. | Core |
| Provide information to the public regarding trees, such as advice on tree care. | Core |
| Clear sites, streets, and grounds of woody and herbaceous materials, such as tree stumps and fallen trees and limbs. | Core |
| Trim jagged stumps, using saws or pruning shears. | Core |
| Prune, cut down, fertilize, and spray trees as directed by tree surgeons. | Supplemental |
| Remove broken limbs from wires, using hooked extension poles. | Supplemental |
| Transplant and remove trees and shrubs, and prepare trees for moving. | Supplemental |
| Spray trees to treat diseased or unhealthy trees, including mixing chemicals and calibrating spray equipment. | Supplemental |
| Plan and develop budgets for tree work, and estimate the monetary value of trees. | Supplemental |
| Water, root-feed, and fertilize trees. | Supplemental |
| Apply tar or other protective substances to cut surfaces or seal surfaces and to protect them from fungi and insects. | Supplemental |
| Scrape decayed matter from cavities in trees and fill holes with cement to promote healing and to prevent further deterioration. | Supplemental |
| Split logs or wooden blocks into bolts, pickets, posts, or stakes, using hand tools such as ax wedges, sledgehammers, and mallets. | Supplemental |
0.49/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas. | E0 none |
| Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers. | E0 none |
| Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes or to remove low-hanging branches. | E0 none |
| Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems. | E0 none |
| Cable, brace, tie, bolt, stake, and guy trees and branches to provide support. | E0 none |
| Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes, or other tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clear sites, streets, and grounds of woody and herbaceous materials, such as tree stumps and fallen trees and limbs. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Trim jagged stumps, using saws or pruning shears. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prune, cut down, fertilize, and spray trees as directed by tree surgeons. | E0 none |
| Remove broken limbs from wires, using hooked extension poles. | E0 none |
| Transplant and remove trees and shrubs, and prepare trees for moving. | E0 none |
| Spray trees to treat diseased or unhealthy trees, including mixing chemicals and calibrating spray equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Water, root-feed, and fertilize trees. | E2 structured facilities |
| Apply tar or other protective substances to cut surfaces or seal surfaces and to protect them from fungi and insects. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Scrape decayed matter from cavities in trees and fill holes with cement to promote healing and to prevent further deterioration. | E0 none |
| Split logs or wooden blocks into bolts, pickets, posts, or stakes, using hand tools such as ax wedges, sledgehammers, and mallets. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 71K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 74K
- Change (2025–35)
- +4.2%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $50,960
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61220 | 조경원 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 6113Gardeners, Horticultural and Nursery Growers
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- tree surgeonESCO 6113.7Same scope
Tree surgeons maintain trees. They use heavy machinery to prune and cut trees. Tree surgeons are often required to climb the trees to perform maintenance.
- arboriculturistESCO 6112.1Overlapping, not the same
Arboriculturists carry out specialised tasks related to observation, health and maintenance of trees.
- forest workerESCO 9215.1Overlapping, not the same
Forest workers carry out a variety of jobs to care for and manage trees, woodland areas and forests. Their activities include include planting, trimming, thinning and felling trees and protecting them from pests, diseases and damage.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| A1209 | Elagueur / Elagueuse | Same scopeprovisional |
| A1201 | Bûcheron / Bûcheronne | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 6120 | Trabajadores cualificados en huertas, invernaderos, viveros y jardines | Related, not a match |
| 9543 | Peones forestales y de la caza | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 12142 | Berufe im Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 12143 | Berufe im Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 463 | 植木職，造園師 | This occupation is narrower |
| 471 | 育林従事者 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources