Am I In The Zone?
Meet Your Local Foresters:
Ana Nenshati
Education: B.S. Environmental Studies, Suffolk University (2011)
Experience: 6+ years of tree planting in Lynn and Salem, member of Swampscott’s Tree Committee, Americorps alumni with Maryland Conservation Corps
Interests: I enjoy running a women’s jewelry and clothing shop with my mom in our hometown!
Favorite Tree: I started my career with Greening the Gateway Cities planting trees in Lynn, the city I grew up in. I noticed several properties had old and majestic Beech trees, and they quickly became a favorite. They are slow growing and have beautiful, dense canopies and smooth bark. As a big Lord of the Rings fan, I love that the ‘Leaves of Lorien’ in the story are newly-opened leaves from a Beech tree. In the Fall, as other deciduous trees fully lose their leaves, Beeches cling to some of theirs, persisting on even throughout the winter.
Mike Griffin
Education: Bachelor’s in Natural Resource Conservation with a concentration in Forest Management, UMASS 2014
Experience: Started working with DCR in Amherst assisting various management and service forestry projects, then worked one season as a Laborer on the Chelsea tree planting crew. Worked for two years as the Forestry Assistant at the Asian Longhorned Beetle Reforestation program. In 2017, became a Forester for the GGCP in Lynn and have been here since, totaling 11 planting seasons.
Interests: Backcountry snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and anything else to take me up mountains and get me out into the wilderness.
Favorite Tree: Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) It is a long lived tree that will leave an impact when open grown. It is also rather urban tolerant and can leave a lasting impression for years after it is planted.
