Temescal Canyon Gateway Park. After a year of internship he became a MRCA employee. It’s been 17 years since Lorenzo joined the MRCA team and is now a Park Manager at Vista Hermosa Natural Park. His job duties are diversified, but trees are still his passion. Several years back, Lorenzo passed the rigorous requirements to become a Certified Arborist from the International Society of Arbor Culture. In addition to his park manager responsibilities, he is the agency’s resident arborist.
Unlike the others, Alfredo was working the graveyard shift at a vegetable packing warehouse in South Central Los Angeles. His work hours were spent indoors and, worse yet, in a freezer. Fortunately, the perfect opportunity came along. Nearby the MRCA had begun planning for a new park in his neighborhood, Augustus F. Hawkins Natural Park. In order to build the
park, the MRCA advertised job opening to the local community. Alfredo found out about the opportunity and knew working outdoors with the earth and plants was a far cry from working inside of a food freezer. He applied for the job and was selected from a large applicant pool. He was dedicated to his work on Hawkins Natural Park, which led to permanent employment with MRCA.
Glad to have a steady job and working outdoors, Alfredo became a jack-of-all-trades building skills in maintenance, landscaping, fire- brush removal, and he even ran the coastal route twice a week picking up trash at MRCA parks. Eventually, he became supervisor for Facility and Maintenance Division at King Gillette Ranch. He manages 12 employees that do all of the various jobs that he once did. To hear it from Alfredo, his various duties over the last 15 years at the MRCA were
Lorenzo enjoys a typical day of work as the MRCA’s resident arborist.
a series of lucky breaks. Truth be told, dedication to his work and the agency mission, rather than luck, are the reasons he is a valued MRCA employee.
What is remarkable about all three of these employees is that they have spent their entire career with the MRCA. Not only are they hardworking and dedicated employees, but they have used their positions within the agency to invest back into the community. Alfredo works directly with the L.A. County Honor In-Mate Fire Crews providing opportunities to learn useful skills to those in need of a second chance. Fernando works with communities by providing a safe environment to enjoy the outdoors and by being a positive role model. Lorenzo welcomes and works with urban residents at Vista Hermosa and wants to pass on his love and his years of experience with trees onto future employees. We have no doubt
18 Symbiosis
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