!T THE END OF /CTOBER ) TRAVELLED TO
,EXINGTON +ENTUCKY AS PART OF AN EXCHANGE WITH *OHN
3AYLOR WHO IS AN ARBORIST WITH ,EXINGTON&AYETTE 5RBAN
#OUNCIL ,EXINGTON IS A 3ISTER #ITY TO MY HOME OF +ILDARE
#OUNTY IN )RELAND A LINK THAT CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY IN BOTH PLACES
,EXINGTON PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING (ORSE #APITAL OF THE
7ORLD AND ) QUICKLY LEARNED WHY THIS IS SO AS ) FLEW INTO
,EXINGTON !IRPORT 4HE ONLY THING VISIBLE FROM THE AIR WAS
MILES AND MILES OF STUD FARMS WHERE BREEDING TAKES
PLACE /N MY FIRST DAY *OHN TOOK ME TO THE OUTSKIRTS
&ROM +ILDARE TO ,EXINGTON !N !RBORI
CZ4JNPO8BMMBDF4FOJPS&YFDVUJWF1BSLT4VQFSJOUFOEFOU,JMEBSF$PVOUZ$PVODJM*SFMBOE
OF THE CITY WHERE THE FARMS ARE LOCATED "EFORE *OHN
WORKED FOR THE 5RBAN #OUNCIL HE WAS SELFEMPLOYED AS
A TREE SURGEON AND WORKED ON MANY OF THE STUD FARMS
MAINTAINING THE TREES )T QUICKLY BECAME EVIDENT TO ME
THAT +ENTUCKY HAS A VAST ARRAY OF NATIVE TREES INCLUDING
VARIOUS OAKS THAT *OHN POINTED OUT 4HIS BROUGHT HOME
TO ME THE RELATIVELY SMALL SELECTION OF NATIVE SPECIES
)RELAND HAS IN COMPARISON
*OHNS POSITION IS CALLED !RBORIST 3ENIOR AND IS BASED
IN THE %NVIRONMENT $EPARTMENT WITHIN THE #OUNCIL (E
WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH #OUNCIL 5RBAN &ORESTER 4IM
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