In brief: Jersey Trees for Life has announced that two members of its team have completed arboriculture training in the UK. Lead arborist Chris Querée is now a qualified tree inspector, and ranger Leni Savva has earned qualified arborist status.
New qualifications for the charity’s growing team
Jersey Trees for Life, the environmental charity dedicated to planting and protecting trees and educating the community about their importance, has added fresh expertise to its ranks. Bailiwick Express reports that Chris Querée, the charity’s experienced lead arborist, has become a fully qualified tree inspector, while ranger Leni Savva has achieved qualified arborist status. Both completed their training in the UK.
Querée, who first worked with Jersey Trees for Life between 1996 and 2000, returned to the charity in November 2024. Speaking about his new qualification, he said: “I really enjoyed the course and it’s great to have the assurance of being formally qualified to independently assess tree health and provide advice.” Chief executive Alex Morel noted that Querée is now “part of a tiny group of fully qualified local tree inspectors” in Jersey.
A career path in environmental work
Leni Savva joined Jersey Trees for Life in October 2025, bringing experience from several environmental roles, including work as a gardener in Cyprus and Georgia. She said that one of the things that most attracted her to the charity was “the offer of a career path in my specialist area, including covering the costs of the qualifications that I’ll need.” She added that she is “loving my work and looking forward to applying what I’ve learned.”
Alex Morel said the charity was pleased for both team members, pointing out that “having an augmented skillset in-house means we can do even more.” She highlighted the charity’s ranger and arborist apprenticeships as an example of how Jersey Trees for Life is encouraging the next generation into meaningful careers in arboriculture, while also noting that Querée’s achievement showed “you’re never too old to learn.”
Why this matters for Jersey
Trees are a quietly vital part of Jersey’s landscape, from the ancient hedgerows and elms of the countryside to the green canopy of St Helier’s parks and residential streets. Qualified tree inspectors and arborists play a practical role in identifying disease, managing risk and advising landowners, and the island has historically had very few formally accredited professionals in this field. The expansion of in-house expertise at Jersey Trees for Life means the charity is better placed to fulfil its mission without relying on external consultants, which is good news for both the environment and the island’s community.
Source: Bailiwick Express
