Thirty-two years ago Dave Hawes was a young forester excitedly starting his first day with Tree Trust. The work was harder than he thought it would be. The kids he was teaching to plant trees and build bridges sometimes seemed more interested in socializing than working. Many of his projects were deep in the woods and he and his crew would spend as much time swatting mosquitoes as they did busting buckthorn. Other times their project would be right on schedule and Mother Nature would throw a wrench in their plan.
But he was happy. He was doing two of the things he loved most – making the Twin Cities a little greener and helping people make their lives a little better. And for the next 32 years Dave dedicated himself to Tree Trust and continued to do just that.
In his time with us Dave moved from leading crews of young people to managing the agency’s expanding operations and creating our for-profit venture, Landscape Services, in order to help sustain Tree Trust in future years.
In 2007, Dave became our Chief Executive Officer. Blending his respect for the history of Tree Trust with his passion for new ideas, the agency’s programming continued to grow. And in 2008 he launched our Green Futures initiative and paved the way for Tree Trust to play an even bigger role in improving lives and landscapes throughout the Twin Cities.
Over the years Dave could have explored other career opportunities that might have provided him with a more consistent schedule, more notoriety and perhaps even more money. But, he was one of those rare people who actually loved going to work each day. Dave truly loved Tree Trust.
Earlier this year our dear friend passed away after a brave eight-month battle with cancer.
While Dave’s formal education was in forestry, we will remember him for his heart and passion for people. We are forever grateful for what he’s done for Tree Trust and the community, and we miss him dearly.
