The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are celebrating a new accomplishment that isn’t all about their animals. As NBC 7’s Joe Little shows us – this distinction was achieved with the help of an employee who is nearing the top of his profession.
He’s a world-class tree climber climbing in a world-class arboretum.
Joe Wurzel is a Senior Arborist at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. He specializes in climbing the tall trees throughout the park. Wurzel climbed his first tree six years ago.
“Absolutely fell in love with it,” he said. “It's a very free feeling. I guess you could equate it to surfing or snowboarding or skydiving.”
Using climbing and safety gear, Wurzel will scale trees throughout the Safari Park to inspect them for damage and diseases. He’ll trim the trees if needed. Wurzel is a small part of a massive San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance horticulture team that gives the trees and plant life the same care given to the animals.
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“You look at some of the rarest animals in the world, we have some of the rarest plants in the world,” said Adam Graves, the San Diego Zoo’s Director of Horticulture. “We never had an actual official way to shout it out to the world.”
Now they do.
The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program awarded the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park a level four accreditation for its education, conservation, and work in the global community.
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“A level four is pretty rare,” explained Graves. “There's only approximately 50 in the entire world.”
“It gives us the recognition that I think that we deserve and want to showcase,” added Safari Park Horticulture Manager Maddie Roberts.
ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. It is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards.
Wurzel is one of the many people caring for the San Diego Zoo’s arboretum every day. However, his care is apparently elite.
“I think climbing in general is just the coolest thing that I've ever done,” Wurzel smiled.
He’s so good at his job, Wurzel qualified for this year’s International Tree Climbing Championships in Georgia. He represented the western United States as one of 90 competitors.
“It wasn't any surprise to me. I've seen Joe climb, and he is amazing,” Roberts said.
“I think we're really proud that we're able to attract a talent like Joe to our organization,” added Graves.
Wurzel said competitors were judged on speed, technique, and safety.
“Just the craziest, most stylistic art form that I've ever been a part of. I love it,” he said.
Wurzel said he didn’t win but he’s looking forward to competing in the future while keeping the Zoo’s global standard high.
