Tim Ifill is an experienced urban forester and ISA Certified Arborist (NJ-1411A) who believes trees belong in all communities. 

Tim’s areas of expertise include street tree planting and maintenance, urban forestry planning, structural pruning of young trees (a.k.a tree training), community engagement around urban forestry, Tree Equity, and species selection for tough urban environments.

Tim first learned tree care as a student worker at the Haverford College Arboretum, where he gained new perspective on the magic of trees from up in the canopy itself. His tree journey continued with a stint with the U.S. Forest Service where he was lucky enough to work in the National Forest that is home to the Methusaleh Tree, the world’s oldest known living organism (though its exact identity is a secret to all but a select few). Tim is an experienced nonprofit leader, having co-founded and served as Executive Director of Philly Fellows.

Tim and his wife Lindsay started Wild Roots in 2017 to bring more nature into South Jersey communities.

From 2020-2024 Tim was Director of Trees at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, where he led a team carrying out ambitious urban forestry projects across the Philadelphia region and where it was noted in the press that he had “the coolest job in Philadelphia.” During his tenure, Tim’s team was responsible for the planting and care of over 8,000 street and park trees, including over 3,200 street trees in Philadelphia, more than doubling the team’s annual planting impact.

He also served on the Project Team for the Philly Tree Plan, spearheaded tree equity and place-based public-health focused greening initiatives, and collaborated with the U.S. Forest Service Philadelphia Field Station on urban forestry research projects. Tim is a member of the Collingswood Shade Tree Advisory Board and was appointed by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to the NJ Community Forestry Council. His hope is that more people embrace big trees in their landscapes.

He will absolutely not give you a straight answer if you ask him what his favorite tree is.