Mary Martin in the Adirondacks As the volunteer coordinator for the NYSDEC Urban Forestry Program, I do a lot. My job duties vary throughout the year, ranging from planning ReLeaf workshops to creating theme and lesson plans for the 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster [...]
James taking tree pics in Melbourne. All photos courtesy James Kaechele New York Tree Trust Development Director James Kaechele joined the Council Board last summer. The Council is lucky to have the contributions of this powerhouse who has achieved so much at 33! Here’s James [...]
New NYSUFC Board Member Joseph Charap is the Director of Horticulture and Curator for Green-Wood in Brooklyn. He’s also a new dad—his son Benjamin was born on September 3rd. Charap and his Green-Wood colleagues are transforming the historic landscape of this cemetery into an urban arboretum/public garden [...]
Photos Courtesy Andrew Newman Andrew Newman joined the Council Board last summer. He is Senior Correspondence Liaison for the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner’s Office. Can you tell us about your childhood influences that foreshadowed getting interested in arboriculture and urban forestry? Andrew Newman: Growing up in Brooklyn, Prospect [...]
Abigail at Storm King Art Center, taking in the Maya Lin installation, “Wavefield.” Please tell us about your internship experience, including anything surprising. Abigail Mahoney: I began the Urban and Community Forestry internship at NYSDEC shortly after completing my junior year at SUNY College [...]
Keuka College Grounds Manager Drew Rojek proudly accepts recognition for Keuka’s first year as a Tree City USA. Drew Rojek has been the Keuka College Grounds Manager for just over a year. With Rojek’s leadership, the College recently celebrated its first year as a Tree [...]
Navé Strauss has been director of street tree planting for NYC Parks since April 2016. Can you tell us about your childhood influences that foreshadowed getting interested in urban forestry? Navé Strauss: I grew up in suburban Long Island with a father who is an [...]
NYSUFC Board Member Rachel Holmes is the coordinator of The Nature Conservancy’s urban forestry program called Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities. She is also a Flamenco dancer and a wildland firefighter (read on!). Can you tell us about your childhood influences that foreshadowed getting interested in urban forestry? [...]
Council Board Member Art Traver. Photo by Paul Maurer Landscape architect and longtime Council Board Member Art Traver works for Wendel Companies out of their Buffalo office. Were there childhood influences foreshadowing your career? Art Traver: I think I first noticed the “environment” [...]
Council Board Member Mike DeMarco attended the 2017 Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) on scholarship from the Council and NYSDEC. MFI is an immersive, weeklong leadership training for urban forestry professionals. Here, we learn about DeMarco’s takeaways from MFI, his current position, and his work and educational background. [...]