City Trees

Tend your reputation like a garden. At the beginning of your career, your reputation is mostly a blank slate. Do you have an overall intention or moral code that guides your decisions? Now is a good time to take that into consideration. Operating according to a system of values defines your char- acter, makes decisions easier, and leads to building respectful relationships with other professionals. Sometimes that means putting yourself in a diffi- cult situation to stand up for what's right. As you can imagine, it's touchy for me to detail situations I've found myself in, but suffice it to say, I've needed to refuse colleagues who wanted me to carry their baggage. That was uncomfortable, to say the least, but I stayed true to a value system I'd established for myself, one in which I could respect myself and others. I've observed that the more influence or power someone has, the more opportunity they have to sabotage themselves. It takes fortitude not to fall into that trap. It can be tempting to have conditional values and decision-making around people you don't like so much—or conversely, with work friends, but if you've established a value system and behaviors of fairness, you're more likely to stay consistent and there- fore create a stronger and higher-achieving team. Everyone who ever works with you will remember the good and bad experiences of that relationship. We all make mistakes, and it's important to own up to them and be accountable for fixing them when they are made. Relationships are like gardens that require our regular maintenance and care—when weeds grow, if at all possible, just get in there and clean them out. Receive and give mentorship in equal measure. Take notice of people in your professional life who carry themselves and handle their business in a way that you admire. How did they learn those moves? What path did they take to get to where they are now? Ask them out for a cup of coffee to seek their professional advice; if you're asking the right type of person, they'll say yes and gladly open up to you. Davey Resource Group Western NY Area Manager and NYSUFC Board member Lori Brockelbank went out of her way to help me when I was new to my profession. She offered me tips on where to buy high quality trees, and gave me leads on other professionals who could potentially provide best management practices rele- vant to my needs. When I first started at NYC Parks, my peer Ian Jack trained me during my first planting season; he played a big role in helping me get ori- ented to my new work environment. At NYC Parks, I also befriended Forester (now Director of Street Tree Planting) Navé Strauss, who would take the time to show me the ropes, extend his knowledge, go on lunch breaks together, or do Qijong together in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. There are so many other people who have mentored me because they saw we were both working towards the same goal of a healthier planet. Once you've made progress on your own path, look around for those junior colleagues who may benefit from your help—and lend them your time and support. It's time to pay it forward! You will see the world through their fresh eyes for a moment and find some new inspira- tion, and you may forge lasting professional friendships. I graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science (SUNY-ESF) in 2006, and by 2010 I reached out to former professors to see how I could be of service. I guest lectured for Drs. Doug Morrison and Chuck Maynard, and eventually grew to working more with Drs. Eric Greenfield and David Nowak until 2017. Eric would help me set up time to talk with stu- dents one-on-one who were interested in learning more about urban forestry careers in NYC. Some of those students later became my colleagues. I found this SUNY-ESF relationship really rewarding, and it didn't require a lot of time on my part. David lecturing in an urban forestry class at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Everyone who ever works with you will remember the good and bad experiences of that relationship. 16 CityTREES

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