55 - Randy Krouse - City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Paul Filary is the Director of Operations for Kramer Tree Specialists and is the Commercial Director for the Illinois Arborist Association. Paul holds a B.S. in Forestry from Michigan State University, is an ISA Certified Arborist and has been working in the industry for two decades. Through this time he has become more involved with understanding motivational leadership and helping others achieve their goals in the field of forestry/arboriculture. He believes that whether you want to work the physical aspect, research focused or a leadership role, forestry/arboriculture will provide you those opportunities and allow you to not only help and make an influence with your peers, but also influence how people interact with the natural environment around us! ________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care________________________________________________________________________IAA Careers in Arboriculture Demonstration Event, Lisle, Illinois October 17-18th 

Randy Krouse has been the Urban Forestry Services Manager for the City of Milwaukee since 2019. He is responsible for directing forestry operations, workforce development, and long-range strategic planning. He held many previous positions with the City of Milwaukee since starting in 1995, including Urban Forestry Crew leader, Technical Services Supervisor, and Urban Forestry District Manager. Randy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and holds multiple professional credentials, including Certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified by the International Society of Arboriculture. He is an active leader within Wisconsin’s professional organizations—elected to the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council, serving as Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Arborist Apprenticeship Advisory Committee, and Past President of the Wisconsin Arborist Association.________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care________________________________________________________________________Certified Arborist Exam in Whitby, ON, CANADA November 8th, 2024

Nathan Schuettpelz is an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist, ASCA Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualified, ISA Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist, and ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified professional with 20 years of industry experience. His primary focus is consulting arboriculture, serving as a contract municipal forester and expert witness in litigation and insurance matters. Nathan has a passion for sharing his love of urban trees with others, providing speaking engagements with the WAA, ISA, WIDNR, and municipalities across the States of Wisconsin and Illinois. He has additionally served as the ISA WAA Chapter President and Tree Fund Liaison.________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

Ian Brown is the City Forester for the City of Madison.  He joined Madison in 2023 after over 15 years with the City of Milwaukee.  He has worked on a variety of projects including hyperspectral imagery analysis, street tree inventory, ash treatments, urban wood utilization, and arborist apprenticeship.  His work continues to increase recognition for the economic value of urban canopy and grow arboricultural career pathways.  Ian attended the University of Minnesota – Morris (B.A.) and the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (M.S.). ________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

In this episode I provide some updates on what I have been up to working with the:Illinois Arborist Association International Society of Arboriculture Urban & Community Forestry SocietyIllinois Urban Forest Strike Team________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

Steve Lane joins us again! Steve is an Urban Forestry Consultant with  Great Lakes Urban Forestry management where he specializes in GIS based tree surveys, tree risk management, urban forestry management, planning, appraisals and other innovative forestry solutions for a variety of public and private sector clients.  He is also the past president of the Illinois Arborist Association, where he teaches a variety of advanced training courses for the organizations. Steve recently joined the ISA Board of Directors.  He is also the bass player of a bunch of lousy bands you've never heard of.  His opinions here are his own and do not constitute any form of legal advise.________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

This special episode features a few of my favorite friends and colleagues including Village Forester Kevin Sorby from Wilmette, Illinois and Streets Superintendent Tony Dati from Niles, Illinois. ________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

Michael Collins has been Riverside's Village Forester for 19 years. Prior to his arrival there, he worked at Cantigny Gardens as a Grounds Arborist and at the Morton Arboretum  as a Research Assistant. Mr. Collins received his bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison in Forest Science and a masters degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Natural Resources. He has been a Certified Arborist for over 25 years. He has also received his Municipal Arborist Specialist certification and is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ). Michael serves on the Illinois Arborist Association's Board of Directors as the Municipal Director and also serves as the Co-Chair for the Tree Stewardship & Planting Workgroup with the Chicago Region Tree Initiative (CRTI).________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

Kellie Schmidt is the Statewide Director of Development for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, maintaining an office in Springfield, IL. She is responsible for advocacy, member outreach, and program development in the regions outside of the Chicagoland area. She also serves as a liaison to ILCA member nurseries. Before joining the ILCA, Kellie served as Executive Director of the Illinois Green Industry Association for five years. She brings two decades of marketing and sales experience to her work and is passionate about representing the hard-working people that work in all segments of the green industry. In her spare time, she serves at-risk youth and families through Christ-centered, equine assisted programs at Refuge Ranch in Rochester, IL.Huge thanks to ILCA for providing a place to record at their iLandscape Conference!_________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care

Following in the footsteps of notable black plant researchers and scientists like George Washington Carver and Percy Julian is no easy task, but Derek Haynes is more than up to the challenge. With a background in plant biology, and working in vaccine and therapeutics development using non-traditional plant-based technologies, Derek certainly practices what he preaches. Plants offer so much more than home decor, and Derek wants to show you how. He understands that the ancient and the modern don’t need to compete, but rather can work together in harmony, offering viable solutions to pressing questions like food insecurity and mind-body-spirit holistic wellness.Merging together education, his signature wit and humour, and his keen love for plants and science, Derek’s mission is to pull the traditional knowledge of our ancestors into the mainstream. Known affectionately as The Chocolate Botanist on Instagram, Derek has built a community of over 10K like-minded people, who have come to respect both his incredible depth of knowledge and the palpable joy he cultivates with the subject matter.His earnest passion has landed him features in The Guardian, Lifehacker, and has been a guest on renowned podcasts like Black in the Garden and In Defense of Plants. He has also worked with the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in developing educational workshops on botany and plant science. Through his dedicated commitment to fostering community and providing the necessary tools to expand knowledge, Derek is solidifying his place in the plant world—continuing to pave a new and sustainable path for the next generation of young, Black botanists. Derek's Website & Derek's Instagram Huge thanks to ILCA for providing a place to record at their iLandscape Conference!_________________________________________________________________________Patreon: http://patreon.com/TheMunicipalArboristInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_municipal_arborist/Questions or [email protected] you to our sponsors:Davey Resource GroupArbsessionWinkler Tree & Lawn Care