Growing up in DeKalb County, Kay Evanovich would spend days outside hanging out in trees with her friends, watching the forest and the squirrels. They even named one of them Chester the Chestnut Tree.
“I’ve always loved trees,” Evanovich said. “[I’ve] had fun in trees my whole life.”
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Trees have played many important roles in Evanovich’s life. Aside from climbing them, she met her wife underneath the large dawn redwood tree in front of Eddie’s Attic in downtown Decatur. They’ve been together for 27 years.
“I asked her to marry me under that tree because [the] day I met her, I stood under that tree and watched her walk to her car, thinking I want to be with somebody like that. A year and half, two years later, we were,” Evanovich said.
When she grew up, Evanovich wanted to be a forest ranger. Now she is protecting and managing Decatur’s urban forest as the city’s arborist.
“Go trees,” Evanovich said.
She’s been recognized as a leader in her field.
Evanovich was named the Georgia Arborist Association’s 2023 Arborist of the Year for promoting the arbor care industry through community engagement, implementation of Decatur’s updated tree ordinance, and doing so with passion and integrity.
Through the Georgia Arborist Association, she helps train other arborists. She serves on the board of the GAA as well.
“I was not expecting it,” Evanovich said of being named Arborist of the Year. “I talk [the GAA] up a lot because we need good arborists out there doing the work.”
Much of her job in Decatur involves reviewing site plans, meeting with people who want to build something on their lot and have trees, enforcing the tree ordinance, and inspecting the health of the city’s trees. Education is also a big part of her duties as the city’s arborist.
“A municipal arborist is the focal point for the trees for the community, so if there are problems with…
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