MONROE — When arborist Lant Huntley is called to look at an ailing tree, he opens up a large wooden box in the back of his truck. 

The box is full, with a field library and equipment, adorned with his certifications and a “Prevent Wildfires” poster. 

For 41 years, the Oregon, Illinois, native has been making house calls, diagnosing trees and saving as many as he can. 

“Trees contribute a lot to the air quality, but beyond that I think they contribute a lot aesthetically,” Huntley said. “They make people feel at peace.”

He often makes the trek to Green County, where he said he admires the Swiss culture and friendliness of the people as he attempts to save ash trees from the onslaught of the Emerald Ash Borer, among other tree saving projects.

Huntley’s admiration for trees started when he was a child growing up on a farm in Oregon. His father wanted to cut down trees that were shielding his corn from the sunlight, to which Huntley didn’t think was justifiable. His dad struck him a deal and told him he could select the trees he found the most valuable, and he’d leave them alone. Huntley chose the oaks, hickories and some walnuts. 

Huntley went on to attend Northern Illinois University and then obtained his masters degree from Western Illinois University. He worked as a park ranger for four years before he decided to dive into the healthcare of trees.

“It just seemed like a natural fit for me because I was really interested in the trees,” Huntley said.

Early in his career, he traveled to southern Wisconsin to diagnose a tree. For Huntley, the answer was obvious: the soil wasn’t acidic enough. He knew he needed to introduce iron to the soil and inject the tree with ammonium citrate. Huntley considered it a textbook answer. He told his client the tree should be green and beautiful in about a month.

A month and a half later, Huntley received a call from that same client saying he needed to come look at the tree. Huntley was hesitant to make the long trip, but assumed it had to be bad due to the owner’s insistence.

When Huntley drove up, the tree was green and vibrant, just as he had predicted. 

“I was tickled to death,” Huntley said. “I thought ‘Well, my gosh, I’ve worried. Last night I didn’t sleep and I worried all the way up here and — it’s beautiful.”

His client agreed, but kindly pointed out the grass below the tree, which was stark white. Huntley had applied too much soil sulfur. 

“That was an experience I never forgot,” Huntley said, smiling.

Although still slightly nervous when applying soil sulfur, Huntley is more than past making rookie mistakes. 

Huntley says he now finds more issues occurring in the health of trees than when he first started. 

Invasive species are frequently problematic. A lot of conifers, Huntley said, such as the blue spruce, aren’t thriving because they’re out of their latitude. Warmer temperatures are causing these trees to struggle and become more prone to disease. 

Huntley said the best solution for people to avoid trees becoming plagued with disease is to make sure they’re getting enough water during warmer months like July and August. He has also dealt with his share of Emerald Ash Borers, an invasive wood-boring beetle that attacks the ash trees in Wisconsin, a problem Huntley is aware Monroe has dealt with repeatedly. 

Monroe resident Jeanne Hein, one of Huntley’s clients, recently had her ash trees affected by the emerald ash borer. She will have to have them removed. 

“The party’s over on them,” Hein said. 

Hein said she’s glad to have Huntley care for her trees to avoid having any more removed. She had Huntley inject a white birch tree in her front yard, which serves as a memorial to her grandparents, with nutrients to ensure its health. Huntley still lives in Oregon, on a 40-acre forest where he likes to host “Tuesdays with an Arborist,” where he educates the public about trees. When he was younger, he wanted to get more into the research side of trees, but said he has found educating people gratifying. 

One of his favorite experiences was getting to teach a group of students about trees while he had them close their eyes and listen. They were fascinated, he said. 

“They had never taken the time out to listen,” Huntley said. 

He said it reminded him a poem he read in school, which he always thinks about, by Henry David Thoreau, “The arts and sciences, and a thousand appliances; The wind that blows is all that anybody knows.”

Those interested in Huntley’s services can find out more by calling 815-229-6695 or by visiting www.huntleyhorticulture.com.