About
About Beyond the Bark Ltd
Owned solely by Phil Johnson, a seasoned arboricultural professional with comprehensive qualifications and training, our fully insured consultancy brings experience and expertise to every project involving trees and their successful care and management.
Owner & Arboricultural Consultant
Meet Phil
Phil brings more than 15 years experience in the arboricultural world. Having worked as a climbing arborist before achieving his L6 Cert in Arb, he appreciates the practical elements of tree work as well as wider tree management.
Adventurous, open-minded and solution-oriented, Phil is always looking for new learning opportunities. Specialising in the use of internal tree inspection equipment, he is looking to push the boundaries of what is possible with the latest technology.
If the name Professor Shearbomb rings a bell, that’s Phil too. It was given to him by Dr Claus Mattheck, the founder of Visual Tree Assessment, at his VTA seminars in Germany in 2023, and the business traded as Professor Shearbomb Ltd before becoming Beyond the Bark. Read the story.
Phil also wrote and delivers the Internal Tree Inspection Programme, training tree officers and consultants to use and interpret internal inspection equipment.
Qualifications include:
- Level 6 Certificate in Arboriculture (Tree Life)
- Level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture (Tree Life)
- Professional Tree Inspector (PTI)
- Associate Member of the ICF
- VALID Tree Risk-Benefit Management – VALIDATOR
- Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) – Licensed User
Field Notes
VTA Seminar with Dr Claus Mattheck: The Birth of Professor Shearbomb
Road trip to IML HQ in Germany
Business Support Administrator
Meet Catrin
Catrin joined Beyond the Bark as Business Support Administrator in March 2026, bringing previous experience working within the arboricultural industry.
Organised, calm and solution-focused, she enjoys the variety her role brings, from keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes to getting out on site and seeing some beautiful trees along the way. She also supports Phil with the management and organisation of training course days.
Having previously worked for a tree surgeon, Catrin brings useful industry knowledge alongside strong organisational skills and a practical approach to problem-solving.
She particularly enjoys supporting Phil with the wider development of Beyond the Bark, including talking through new ideas and plans for the future of the business.
How we work
Contact UsSpecialised Services
Our core specialties include hi-tech internal tree inspection, tree risk assessment, tree condition surveys and associated tree reports.
Professionalism
From the initial consultation to the completion of our tree inspections, tree risk assessments, tree surveys and reports, you can trust in our commitment to excellence and innovation.
Communication
We fully understand the importance of clear and efficient communication with our clients at every step of the process.