It is with great sadness that we announce the de Gouret Litchfield, ISA Board of Directors past president, passed away. The entire ISA family mourns this loss. On behalf of our Board of Directors, management team and employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to Litchfield’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Litchfield served as president of the ISA Board of Directors from 2015 -2016. In addition to serving as president, he was a longtime volunteer, an ISA International Tree Climbing Championship judge and all around ISA advocate. In 2017, Litchfield received the Millard F. Blair Award for Exceptional Contribution to Practical Arboriculture because of his incredible career and his numerous contributions to the profession.

For more than 30 years, Litchfield offered courses in practical arboriculture, climbing and rigging. He designed the first work positioning belt in Scandinavia and developed hard hat adaptations that transitioned into today’s specific arborist helmets. He also provided volunteer leadership for the Baltic States’ Tree Climbing Competitions.  Additionally, his work with the many ISA committees was very important including the ISA Hispana Committee and Nominating and Elections Committee.

“ISA has suffered a major loss with the passing of de Gouret Litchfield,” said Caitlyn Pollihan, the executive director of ISA. “He had a profound impact not only on ISA, but on the arboriculture profession and he will be greatly missed. We will miss the passion he brought to his work and service, but mostly, we will miss our friend.”