‘You have to know what a tree is supposed to look like’
“Top of the world, as always,” Preston Goodman answers when you ask about his mood on a cool morning. Why not? He’s the city of Henderson’s head municipal forester. “I’m the guy always looking up,” says the man who has shaped the city’s 32,000 trees for more than two decades. “It’s a year-round job, and I love it. Trees are here. They’re landmarks in our society and markers of our history.”
Why do humans gravitate toward trees?
Think about Lee Canyon. We have bristlecone pines that can be 4,000 years old. Think about what those trees have “seen.” People who come to a park and look at a tree are usually happy. That’s what drew me to this job. I wanted to have an impact on the place I live.
Did you start out wanting to be in forestry?
I had no idea I was going to end up the tree guy. Originally, I was going to be an archeologist but ended up doing liquor sales. But I always felt my best when I was outside, so I went to CSN and got a degree in horticulture. I’m a certified international arborist. I can go to England and still be an arborist.
Is taking care of trees an art or a science?
It’s half art, half science. You do need to know the biology of a tree. But it was the art part that drew me. You have to know what a tree is supposed to look like. Each tree has a different shape. We have to guide them along to be what they’re supposed to be.
What’s unique about trees growing in a desert environment?
The unique thing is we have such a wide variety of trees here — everything from mesquites to palo verdes to ash or desert pines. They all survive here. The thing you have to ask is: Will this tree thrive or just survive? People have tried to plant sycamore trees. They just don’t thrive in our elevation, although some survive. Survive versus thrive.
Lemon trees.
You need to put 4 inches of rock on the bottom of the pot and then the soil. If you just plant it in soil, it sits in the excess water and drowns. Only water it three times a week. Too much water pushes the oxygen out of the roots and it dies. Everyone tells me, “My lemon tree started failing, so I gave it more water.” You just finished it off.
What can we actually do this spring to help the great outdoors?
Get rid of your grass. It uses too much water. Don’t plant palm trees. A palm uses more water than other trees and provides almost zero shade. Plant a pine tree that will take less water and provide shade while sequestering a whole bunch of carbon. Plant appropriately — mesquites, palo verdes, mountain laurel. Remember: You can’t fight the desert.
What trees are in your yard?
I have a mixture, including two oaks and a fruitless olive, plus two mountain laurels and lemon and lime trees. It’s like a jungle out there.
Do you drive around marveling at your work?
When I started, Henderson had 32 parks, and now we’re up to 67. Our goal is a park within 10 minutes of everyone’s house. And I am proud. The other day I was driving down Water Street thinking, “These are my trees. I did this!”