Kendall Topping, Community Forester, VA
Kendall works with Virginia governments to assist in the preservation and expansion of urban tree canopies in Virginia. She works with ordinances, canopy assessments, plantings, and community outreach to insure the steady increase and protection of urban forests.
Kendall discovered her love for the urban forest while working in Philadelphia where she surveyed more than 2,000 newly planted street trees for the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green City Clean Waters Program. Working in Philadelphia, she learned the importance of stewardship and monitoring to minimize mortality rates and maximize planting success. It was also during this project where she learned the necessity of community involvement to gain buy in for tree canopy expansion.
Prior to joining GIC, she worked for the Virginia Department of Forestry where she assisted local governments in increasing their urban tree canopy in the Hampton Roads area on Virginia’s coast. She has designed and coordinated various tree planting projects throughout the years to mitigate urban heat island effects or to provide local food through community “food forests.” Through these projects she has worked with many diverse groups ranging from regional jails to pre-schools. She has also spearheaded community outreach initiatives on the proper stewardship of trees before and after hurricanes events.
Kendall has a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Lynchburg as well as a Masters Degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Pennsylvania. When not working, Kendall can be found anywhere near water, be it mountain waterfalls or along the coast. She also enjoys snuggling her cat while reading a good mystery novel.