Known as "Tree City USA," Thousand Oaks, California is home to an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 oak trees that arborists like James "Jimmy" Dean maintain, monitor, and respect.

 

Jimmy is a Landscape Architect and arborist that began working in the late 1960s when he saw plants removed during the Westlake Village development. He retired earlier this month at 89 years old after his long tenure with the city and as a landscape architect with his own firm - as he holds one of the longest-active licenses in California - James Dean Design that he started in 1969.

According to his firm website, Jimmy has offered "extensive landscape architecture services that range from commercial centers to high-end residential and have accomplished many award-winning designs for civic centers, public parks, commercial entertainment centers, hotels, public and private schools." The page goes on to say that he is also an arborist that worked to preserve oak trees throughout Southern California.

Some of his notable works include The Grove, The Promenade at Westlake, The Lakes at Thousand Oaks, The Commons at Calabasas and The Village at Moorpark. The Thousand Oaks Acorn published a story on June 6 on his role in local arbor care and landscape architecture.