Whether you’re a newbie or a long-time participant, TreeTopia had a winning attitude this weekend on Mare Island.

“You can do it,” Robert Albritton shouted to a participant in the “Human Claw,” a popular activity at the TreeTopia event in which a person is suspended in the air using a belay system. By engaging the belay system, the person moves around to pick up boxes with their feet before making it back to the platform. The boxes they successfully pick up contain prizes ranging from $50 to $200 worth of equipment.

“Don’t let go of the box! Don’t even think about it! Don’t drop it! That way!” shouts Albritton and the crowd cheers him.

As the instigator of the “human claw” activity and owner of Tree Works Unlimited in Georgia, Albritton wears a cape but will again pass it on as a badge of honor to the person he feels is dedicated and has a positive attitude at the third annual event on Mare Island. Classes, activities and games centered around “all things trees” will be offered. Although it’s a celebration for arborists and tree care professionals, the industry event is also an accessible entry into the highly skilled world of tree care.

Similar to Albritton 35 years ago.

“When I got into the tree business 35 years ago, I had never cut down a tree in my life,” Albritton said. “I couldn’t tell a magnolia tree from a dogwood. And here I am today.”

The best part of the TreeTopia event is the fun, camaraderie and the looks on the faces of young people trying out events like the human claw or ninja ladder for the first time, Albritton said.

“I’m very proud of it,” smiles Albritton. “I’ve been travelling around the country organising events like this for about six years – three years at this location. This morning we had a huge line of people wanting to get in before we even opened. It’s a lot of work, but to put a smile on someone’s face and brighten their day makes it all worth it.”

“No one is a loser here, everyone is a winner today. This little boy made it through the human claw and I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough to take a picture of him smiling and running to his mommy. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.”

When someone completes one of the events, they can open the crate they successfully brought to the edge of the platform. The crate often contains a prize in the form of new equipment valued between $50 and $200.

Or it could be a box of rocks and sawdust.

“That’s part of the surprise,” laughs Albritton. “Sometimes everyone laughs out loud when they get a box of sawdust, but together.”

“These prize boxes are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get,” said Albritton, doing his best Forrest Gump impersonation.

Victor Bailey came from Colfax to take part in the event for the third year in a row and was once again beaming with joy.

“I come here every year and see the nice people and the tree climbing,” Bailey said. “I think what I like most and why I keep coming back is all the excitement of the people here. I love how Robert (Albritton) runs the human claw event. That’s probably my favorite event because you get up there and have to rappel down cables and then pull yourself back up when you grab one of the boxes. It’s a lot of fun.”

Bailey said he also likes the “ninja ladder” – a ladder made of ropes and cables that reaches about four stories high. Bailey said he was impressed when he saw someone climb to the top in just over a minute. It took John Rodriguez a little over a minute, but he managed to climb the ladder on his first try. Rodriguez, who works for Woodland-based Arbor Company Tree Services, said his boss – Don Steinke – encouraged Rodriguez to take part in the event.

“It’s my first time here,” Rodriguez said. “My boss asked me to do it (the ninja ladder), so I tried it. It was a little wobbly at first, but I used my upper body and after a short break at about three feet, I finally made it to the top. It was a great feeling to do that and I felt accomplished and even a little surprised when I made it. I definitely had to take a breather when I got to the top.”

While the day was a fun one for those with tree experience, it also served as an introductory course for beginners. Six-year-old Alexa Santiago was able to successfully complete the human claw competition with a little help and encouragement from Albritton.

“I loved grabbing the boxes,” said shy Santiago. “I wasn’t scared. I had fun and I liked the hay bale activity because it’s really fast.”

Citing an overwhelming lack of “fun tree events in the industry,” A Plus Tree, Inc. initially started by hosting parties after industry trade shows before realizing they wanted something bigger. The result was TreeTopia. The event is informative, skill-building and entertaining, and represents a concerted effort to give back to the industry while shining a spotlight on an overlooked trade.

The two-day festival is about more than just tree hugging, says Sarah Gaskin, vice president of strategic initiatives at A Plus Tree. As a tree care company tasked with removing dead or diseased trees, a hands-on approach is critical to ensuring the well-being of the trees and the workers.

“You definitely have a passion for trees, but you look at them with different eyes,” Gaskin said.

TreeTopia offers the public a chance to experience this new perspective. Involving the community and making it a festival helps “raise public awareness of tree work,” Gaskin said. “They hear a chainsaw and that’s it. ‘Oh, they’re cutting down a tree,'” Gaskin said.

“Many people come to me and say that participating in one of these events is what got them into the field for the first time,” Albritton said. “This area of ​​tree climbing is not for everyone. You have to have the drive and the heart to take on the physical tasks that you initially thought you couldn’t do. And then when you see them come back year after year, that’s even better.”

Sometimes they even come back with a cloak.

“I once gave my cape to someone named Doug who came all the way from Hawaii to one of our events,” Albritton said. “A year later, he came to one of our events wearing the cape! It’s like a badge of honor, like the Stanley Cup. I love the energy we can give people. I love the vibe it creates, and every now and then I just enjoy it.”

Times-Herald writer Karenna Meyer contributed to this article.