Husqvarna Celebrates 10 Years of the H-Team: How Britain’s Top Forestry Professionals are Shaping the Future of Tree Care
Husqvarna, the global leader in outdoor power equipment, recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its prestigious H-Team at the APF 2026 International Forest Machinery Exhibition. For a decade, the H-Team has brought together the people at the cutting edge of professional forestry and arboriculture. H-Team ambassadors have tested products, shared professional feedback and helped shape Husqvarna product development through their close collaboration with product and marketing teams.
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“The H-Team has played an important role in helping us stay close to the realities of professional forestry and arboriculture, ensuring we continue to develop equipment around the people who use it every day,” said Jonathan Snowball, Head of Business Unit Professional for Husqvarna UK. “As we celebrate ten years of the H-Team at APF 2026, it is a fitting moment to recognise the expertise, commitment and passion our UK ambassadors, Jo, Andy and Tim have brought to Husqvarna and to the wider industry.”
The H-Team is a global ambassador programme that comprises elite, credentialed experts whose daily realities span competitive tree climbing, precision logging and rigorous industry training. The UK team are:
- Jo Hedger: A multiple World and European Tree Climbing Champion who runs a highly successful arborist business and training school, tirelessly championing advanced tree climbing systems and the vital inclusion of women in professional tree care.
- Andy Campbell: A forestry professional and dedicated precision chainsaw competitor, serving as a Technical Standards Verifier for Lantra Awards and an Assessor for City & Guilds to safeguard the future of forestry skills.
- Tim Bendle: Bringing four decades of contracting experience to the team, Tim has spent 30 years as a City & Guilds NPTC Assessor and Lantra Instructor, ensuring equipment meets the exact workflow and safety standards of professional users.
Proving Progress Through Innovation To demonstrate how this professional feedback drives Husqvarna’s engineering, the APF 2026 50th-anniversary celebration heavily featured the brand’s established hero products, which have been built to meet the exact demands of modern forestry and tree care:
- Husqvarna 564 XP® Fuel Inject: Pointing to a new standard for professional petrol performance, this established 60cc chainsaw delivers “big saw performance with a smaller saw feel.” By integrating fuel injection, it offers rapid acceleration, precise throttle response, and 70cc-like capability within a highly manoeuvrable, compact 50cc-sized body.
- Husqvarna 550i XP®: Showcasing adaptability in battery performance, this professional chainsaw allows users to tailor their equipment to the task. Arborists can pair the saw with the lighter B330X battery for maximum agility while climbing, or the B540X for peak power and extended runtime during ground work, all within a narrow, lightweight professional chassis.
- Husqvarna x Skylotec Power Ascender: Highlighting innovation beyond the chainsaw, this collaborative technology uses Husqvarna’s BLi-X 36V battery system to help arborists arrive at the work position with more energy. The compact, mid-line attachable unit reduces the physical effort of access and features a remote control, allowing ground crews to easily and practically send tools and gear up or down to the climber.
Reflecting on the milestone, Jo Hedger said: “Being part of the H-Team has been a real privilege. It has given me the opportunity to share practical feedback from the climbing world and help champion the needs of professional arborists.”
Andy Campbell added: “I have really enjoyed being part of a team that listens to working professionals and uses that insight to support skills, safety and performance across the industry.”
Tim Bendle said: “The H-Team has been a great way to bring decades of hands-on experience into the conversation, and I have valued the chance to help shape tools that genuinely support the way professionals work.”
Throughout the APF Exhibition 2026, attendees had the opportunity to meet H-Team members, discuss the future of the industry, and witness live, practical demonstrations of the equipment these professionals have helped refine.
The wider Husqvarna Arena featured the popular World Pole Climbing Championships and demonstrations of competitive logging competitions by the UK Loggers, bringing an action-packed feel across three days at the APF Exhibition 2026.
For more information about Husqvarna’s professional range and the continuing legacy of the H-Team, please visit: Logging supplies and forestry equipment | Husqvarna | Husqvarna UK
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