Meet Crown Hill’s New Arborist!

Carrie Tauscher is stepping into the role of Arboretum Director at Crown Hill Cemetery on the very front end of this endeavor. She will be essential in helping the site adapt to functioning not only as a cemetery but as an Arboretum and meeting the accreditation requirements necessary across operations to be recognized internationally as a Level II Arboretum through ArbNet.

Her work this first year will include developing a better understanding of current day-to-day operations and sales as well as current tree management practices; the development of a strategic plan, collections policy, education and outreach programming; as well as the implementation of best management practices. Work on the ground will include a campus-wide tree inventory, with priority for risk mitigation and increased site safety. This will include work in support of retaining the existing trees on site in a healthy condition for as long as possible. After those large projects are moving, focus will shift to planning for the recovery and restoration of trees lost to storms and invasive forest pests like the Emerald Ash Borer and the extreme drought of 2012, and the planting of new trees to develop collections that fall in line with the original design intent of the site while blending with the site’s overall goals as a cemetery.

Carrie began her career at the Morton Arboretum on one of the largest arboreta in the United States as an inventory technician. She continued with the Community Trees Program at the arboretum, working with municipal urban forestry programs and green industry partners in the Chicagoland region. She was administrator of the Illinois Urban Wood Utilization Team before coming to Indiana in 2012.
She served as the program coordinator for the Indiana DNR Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) Program for nearly a decade. The program provides statewide technical and financial assistance including: grants, education, training and collaboration with communities, individuals and not-for-profit organizations across Indiana. The CUF program collaborates locally and nationally to grow and advance urban forest management for the health, wellbeing, safety, environmental and economic benefit of our communities.

Carrie holds degrees from Iowa State University in horticulture and landscape architecture. She is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist with Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ) qualifications. She is a past president of the Indiana Arborist Association, a Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). She also serves on the Board of Directors for Saluting Branches, a national day of service organization supporting arborists across the US who are focusing on the care of trees in cemeteries and sites that serve our veterans and their families.

Carrie’s office is located at the Waiting Station at Crown Hill Cemetery with the Crown Hill Foundation.