City Trees

My name is Thibault Monnier; I was born and lived in France for most of my life. I now reside in California where I am enrolled in the landscape horticulture program at Merritt College in Oakland. The program con- tains classes from basic horticulture to tree climbing; I am most interested in trees. I am also studying to obtain the TCIA Tree Care Specialist certification. The more I learn about trees and other plants, the more fascinated I become. I cannot keep my eyes away from trees while walking around and often make a comment about the tree shape, health, or other details—much to the annoyance of whoever is with me at the moment. My interactions with trees breaks with the daily craziness of life and gives me the ability to feel more grounded and connected to what nature offers, with patience and resilience. I moved to California in 2020 after spending a decade in Miami chasing celebrities and covering news stories as a paparazzo. The closest I came to working in a tree was climbing them to be able to shoot over a fence Thibault Monnier pruneatree@gmail.com I cannot keep my eyes away from trees while walking around and often make a comment about the tree shape, health, or other details—much to the annoyance of whoever is with me at the moment. of a resort, snapping shots of celebrities by the pool. Eventually, I wanted to change path and focus on trying to cultivate a healthier lifestyle, to slow down a little bit. This led me to move to California with the idea of working in the cannabis industry, where I started as a weed delivery driver and eventually worked in security in dispensaries in the Bay Area. Meanwhile, I started growing cannabis and other edible crops, taking advantage of the California weather. This is when my curiosity about plants really turned into a passion. After a couple seasons growing food in a community garden as a hobby, I started taking classes to expand my knowledge and interest, which led me to become focused on arboriculture, which I find to be an infinite source of wonder. Working night shifts as a security guard, I was able to study for exams. After a semester at Merritt College, I got hired by one of the instructors who teaches tree climbing and owns a local tree service company. This was my first experience in the world of arboricul- ture, climbing, and pruning trees. Merritt College also offered me a paid student position on the grounds; I still work for the college and for the tree service company, supervised by experienced professionals and masters of their craft who I can now call friends. I am now in the process of creating a small tree and garden care business. I enjoy the flexibility of working for myself and the excitement of being in a new loca- tion every day. I can be weeding one day, climbing and pruning a tree the next day, and planting one the fol- lowing day. The variety of tasks is entertaining and I get to be outdoors—a good source of happiness. I plan on graduating from Merritt College in 2023 and after that, preparing for the ISA Certified Arborist test. Being very new in the business, I have a lot left to discover and master; however, I feel very lucky to experience many things for the first time. One of my long-term dreams is to move out of the Bay Area, away from large and dense cities to a place where I can afford a small piece of land and create a place I call home, with trees and a place to grow vegeta- bles and fruits—a space where life makes full sense. I would eventually like to work with big timber, in for- estry. Why not dream big and split life as an arborist between the U.S. and France? That way I could see my family and friends in France, whom I miss. As of now, I enjoy every single day and feel very grateful to learn and work in something I love. Long live the trees! 20 CityTREES

• Cover