We’re excited to introduce you to Liam McCarthy, Community Forester, and reintroduce you to Kal McLane, Conservation Coordinator!

Do these faces look familiar to you? 👀 Kal began working at Friends in April as our community forester, and Liam joined us over the summer as our part-time watering technician. As they transition into their new roles, we can’t wait to see all the work they’ll do for parks, trees, and trails in Grand Rapids!

Meet our new Community Forester, Liam McCarthy! 👋
I am a Grand Valley graduate (Sustainability Studies), long-time Grand Rapids resident, and a practicing humanist. I am enthralled to formally join Friends’ team in my pursuit to help strengthen our marvelous city/communities via the Community Forester position. I not only love people, but also life and thus have very broad interests ranging from games (Magic: The Gathering, League of Legends), sports (Vikings and Spurs),  music (listening, playing, and mixing), to history and philosophy. Again, I am beyond excited to join this organization, if you ever see me around town, feel free to stop me for a chat regarding anything!

Meet our new Conservation Coordinator, Kal McLane! 👋
We’ve been lucky to have Kal on the team since April as our Community Forester. Kal is excited to transition into their new role as Conservation Coordinator and be able to encompass all their experience of forestry, invasive species treatment, habitat restoration, and community outreach. They look forward to teaching, collaborating, and engaging with community members and local organizations to control invasive plant species and then replace them with native plants.