Phil has been working with trees since the age of 16. Finishing his Forestry Certificate in Nelson and working in a number of logging crews before moving back South to work in contract Silviculture (Pruning, Planting, etc.)

After a number of years doing this and 'branching out' into some other areas (finishing a Bachelor in Contemporary Music at SIT, among other pursuits) Phil moved North to Masterton.

Here he continued in silviculture and planted Manuka trees for the beehive industry for a couple years, before moving over the hill to Wellington to start as an arborist trainee in Karori.

After 7 years of honing his skills in the challenging weather, trees and landscapes of Wellington, he returned to his hometown of Invercargill September 2025. He has been happily serving his Southland community in tree work ever since.