Leadership Team
Don Picker - Founder & Consulting Arborist
Don Picker is an ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, Climber Specialist, and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Approved Instructor with over 40 years of experience in arboriculture. He received the 2012 ISA True Professional of Arboriculture Award, (view video below) a testament to his global impact on tree care education and safety.
Don’s early career included high-tension line work and utility-line clearance across the U.S. before founding Picker Tree Experts I. He later studied Cantonese and Mandarin while living in Asia, where he trained arborists throughout the region in their local languages. Highly-proficient in Chinese and deeply knowledgeable in cross-cultural communications, Don co-founded Asia Tree Preservation, LTD and led international safety initiatives within ISA. He holds an MA in Cross-Cultural Communications from Wheaton Graduate School.
In 2005-2006 Don led a team in the translation of the Tree Climbers’ Guide, Third Edition English to become the first ever Chinese Language Tree Climbers’ Guide, First Edition
Don served as Managing Director of ATP until spring of 2025, when he passed leadership to his son and co-founder, Jonathan Picker.
Jonathan Picker — Director, Asia Tree Preservation, Ltd.
Jonathan Picker is a Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA) with more than 20 years of experience in urban forestry and international arboriculture. A graduate of the ASCA Consulting Arborist Academy, he has led Asia Tree Preservation, Ltd., the Institute of Arboriculture Studies (HK), and Arbor.Tools, with strong integrity in business dealings and has raised the level of company operations to the highest caliber in Asia.
Jonathan played a key role in shaping the arboriculture industry in Hong Kong through leadership in the ISA Hong Kong Chapter. He has lectured worldwide on advanced risk assessment technologies and innovations in mature-tree bare-root transplanting. He continues to advocate for modern, science-based tree care throughout Asia.