About
About Steve
Howdy, I am a Navy veteran with a background in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University as well as recently earned degrees from Cuyamaca College including; Arboriculture, Landscape Architecture, Landscape & Nursery Technologies, and Sustainable Urban Landscapes. Additionally, I am an ISA Certified Arborist with many areas of horticultural expertise. Some of my areas of specialization include California Native plants, bonsai, niwaki (Japanese Garden Training), carnivorous plants, rare trees and flowers, rare cacti, and succulents, ethnobotany and so much more.
ISA Certified Arborist WE-14213A
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
― John Muir
I am currently employed as a Horticulturalist at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Previously I was employed as a Head Gardener at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. I am a long-time member of the San Diego Bonsai Club and the San Diego chapter of the California Native Plant Society. I am a very active participant in the iNaturalist citizen science project. I am a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, the Professional Tree Care Association, and the Society of Municipal Arborists.
Though my academic background favors plant knowledge I like to think of the big picture, focusing on the greater ecological snapshot. This means I approach all of my endeavors with a well-rounded process thinking about all of the inputs and outputs contributing to the greater goal.
