City Trees

March/April 2015

City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!

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Board Member Profile: Casey Jogerst Casey Jogerst is the urban forestry super- visor for Portland Parks and Recreation in Portland, Oregon. She is an MFI graduate and has recently joined the SMA Board. Can you tell us about your edu- cational and career trajectory? Casey Jogerst: I spent my under- graduate years as a pre-med major. During my last semes- ter, after having completed my required courses, I had to select some elective science courses to finish up my degree; I opted for a few environmental courses. I was immediately enthralled. I found myself looking forward to these classes and started to change my mind about the path I was headed down. After graduation I put my biology degree to use and started at a company building DNA strands for research while simultaneously searching for opportunities to continue my education in the envi- ronmental forestry field. I stumbled upon the Peace Corps Master's International program in forestry at Michigan Technological University and knew I had found my ticket to a career in forestry. I spent two years in Peace Corps Panama working as an agrofor- estry volunteer while developing and collecting data for my master's thesis. Upon graduation from Michigan Tech, I was fortunate enough to successfully transition right into working for NYC Parks and Recreation on the Million Trees program as a forester. I spent a few years learning and practicing urban forestry and was then pro- moted to senior forester of Manhattan. The years spent in NYC played a significant and pivotal role in my career. While Peace Corps had provided me the opportunity to enter into the field of forestry, NYC Parks provided me the opportunity to develop pro- fessionally and to refine my skills in urban forestry. After about five years my family and I, who hail from the Midwest, decided to leave the East behind and head to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where I had been hired as an urban forestry manager for the City. After a short time in Milwaukee, I continued moving across the country to ultimately land in Portland, Oregon where I am today. Please tell us about your position now. CJ: I am currently employed as an urban forestry supervisor for Portland Parks and Recreation in Portland, Oregon. I supervise the tree inspector staff and oversee urban forestry permitting. There is a wide spectrum of permitting in Portland, which includes non-development permitting of street and private trees, private development permitting, and capital improvement project permitting. Portland just recently implemented a new tree code, which added the regulation of all trees on private property that are greater than 12 inches (30 cm) DBH. Needless to say, the development and implementation of the new tree code has kept me engaged and busy. What has your involvement in SMA meant to you? CJ: My involvement in SMA, including attending MFI, has been invaluable. It has kept me in tune with the industry and provided a network of professional affiliates who are facing similar challenges. The field of urban forestry is constantly changing as we are challenged with global warming and new invasive pests, and the battle for the right-of-way space con- tinues. SMA helps to eliminate the need to reinvent the wheel by bringing together urban foresters who can learn from each other's experiences, failures, and successes. What do you like to do in your free time? CJ: I am an outdoor and physically active person. I feel genuine happiness and joy when I am able to spend time outside and physically challenge myself. I have participated in The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) a number of times, ran the NYC and Chicago marathons, dabbled in some triathlons, and practiced hot yoga. Currently, I use my bike as my mode of transportation to and from work, try to keep a regular running and yoga schedule, and am hoping to get selected in the lottery for a weeklong ride across the Rockies in Colorado. When not physically challenging myself I like to spend time camping with my family and attending/hosting potlucks with my friends. 8 City Trees

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