The District Department of Transportation has announced that Dr. Monica Lear, Deputy Associate Director of the Urban Forestry Administration (UFA), will be assuming the duties of State Forester for the District of Columbia. John Thomas, Associate Director and Chief Forester of the District of Columbia, formerly served as the state forester. "Dr. Lear's rich academic and professional background provides a strong foundation for her new responsibilities that include overseeing state-equivalent and federal policy efforts to improve Washington, DC's urban forest," said Thomas.

Prior to joining the District Department of Transportation, Dr. Lear served as an urban horticulture extension agent in Arlington County, VA for Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech. Earlier in her career, she served as the Assistant Director of Horticulture and Quarantine Programs at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Baton Rouge and as a horticulture county agent for the Louisiana State University AgCenter in New Orleans.

Dr. Lear is also currently serving a three-year term as the State Forestry Agency representative on the U.S. Forest Service, National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC). Dr. Lear took the lead in developing the first Urban and Community Forestry Committee publication, "Assessing Urban Forest Canopy Cover: A Primer for State Foresters", a briefing paper written by state foresters for state foresters that provides a quick guide to the benefits, approaches and technologies available for urban tree canopy assessment.

Dr. Lear earned Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Plant Health and a B.S. degree in Horticulture, from Louisiana State University. She is a member of the National Capital Society of American Foresters (NCSAF).

"This change will allow the District of Columbia to have greater focus on national issues surrounding Urban Forestry and provide a stronger presence with the State Foresters. Dr. Lear will bring great leadership skills and the ability to assist with collaboration between the District of Columbia and the US Forest Service," said Thomas.