While writing his dissertation, on the protection of Taiwan's old trees, he examined and treated more than 100 trees, giving him the experience he draws on today.
之後，蕭文偉極盡所能地利用空閒跟隨林業試驗所的學長四處幫樹看病，並於退伍後考上台大植物病理研究所，論文就是〈台灣老樹保護之研究〉。論文撰述期間，他看遍了上百棵老樹，配合診斷與治療，累積出今天的功力。