My name is Gayle Lam. I’m mostly a Billings lifer. My work life has been somewhat diverse. I started working when I was 14 years old and can truthfully tell my grandchildren I rode my bike to my first job four days a week, 8 miles (round trip), regardless of the weather. Luckily, it was a summer gig, but it still rained! I’ve been working ever since…
In college, I studied Biology and Environmental Science and received a B.S. in each—you can fill in BS how you see fit. Unfortunately, I was interested in nature and not medicine, so finding work was a little challenging, but I did get some lucky breaks along the way. Before mapping apps were on smartphones and before smartphones were born, I was lucky to work in Geographic Information Systems, get a few certifications, and go on to teach courses in the field at Rocky Mountain College in the mid-late 90s. I found I loved teaching and later got a master’s in education, and I was hired as a biology and later environmental science teacher at West High in Billings.
I retired in 2023 to be “Gran-Gran” to my twin granddaughters before they get older and too cool for me. After a year of being retired and on a bit of a whim, I started looking for a new challenge, knowing I could be a little selective. In an employment search, I found a listing with Billings Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands for Urban Forestry Technician and read the description. The advertisement had just been posted, and I literally…wait, nope, I didn’t apply right away. I thought about it, went for walks with my dog, pulled weeds in my garden, and thought some more. “Ugh, it’s so much work writing resumes, letters of interest, and getting rejected because I’m, well, not very young AND it’s Parks and Recreation for goodness’ sake!” Yes, I’m a fan of the namesake sitcom too, and I thought, “there’s no way!” That was my head talking, but when I stopped to think if I could “see” myself doing this job, I could.
So, I applied, interviewed, and I was hired! Thanks to trees, stars, or whatever, education is a large slice of the necessary skill set for this position, along with knowledge of plants, and a passion for doing something that will ultimately make the city of Billings a more hospitable and beautiful place! The purpose of this blog is to educate anyone willing to read my ramblings on all things related to trees and Urban Forests! Thank you for this opportunity.