The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department is pleased to announce Jennifer Rall as the town’s new Urban Forester. She will begin work on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
As Wake Forest’s Urban Forester, Rall will be responsible for planning, developing, implementing and managing the town’s urban forestry program. In this capacity, she will oversee the planting, removal and maintenance of trees and other vegetation located on public property and rights-of-way. She will also be charged with promoting public education initiatives through community-wide landscaping projects and informative seminars.
Rall was born and raised in Goldsboro. After graduating from Southern Wayne High School in Dudley, she attended N.C. State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Management – Ecosystem Assessment.
Rall joined the N.C. Forest Service in 1999 and has served as the Urban & Community Forestry Program Assistant since 2004. In December of 2012, she completed the requirements to become an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist.
Through her work with the NC Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program, she administered the Tree City USA, Tree Line USA and Tree Campus USA programs; administered the Arbor Day poster and state photo contests; and assisted with the administration of the Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program. Wake Forest received a grant from that program in 2013 to help start the Wake Forest Volunteer Tree Nursery.
Rall has also presented workshops and conducted training sessions across North Carolina on a variety of urban forestry-related topics. In her new position she will continue to advocate for educating the public, staff and resource professionals for the betterment of the town.
In addition to her assorted job functions with the N.C. Forest Service, Rall also sits on the Urban Forest Strike Team, which evaluates storm-damaged trees for communities to help identify those that need to be removed or pruned. The Strike Team also provides information needed for potential FEMA declaration in hard hit areas. She also has served on a N.C. Forest Service Incident Management Team in various capacities, including both in-state and out-of-state wildfires and natural disaster recovery efforts. The most notable dispatches Jennifer has been on include Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans and the Evans Road Fire, the second largest fire in North Carolina history.
“I am very excited about coming to work for the Town of Wake Forest,” Rall said. “I am especially looking forward to meeting the challenges of the town’s diverse communities and working with town residents and staff to make Wake Forest an even better place to live, work and play.”
Rall can be contacted at 919-435-9565 or jrall@wakeforestnc.gov.
