Merced’s arborist promotes worker growth, as they care for the city’s trees

For Angel Nunez, the city’s arborist and supervisor of the Merced’s Parks and Tree Division, there’s more to the job than supervising crews and scheduling work. Creating an atmosphere where employees can thrive and grow to be the best versions of themselves is a responsibility he takes seriously, he told The Sun-Star.

Starting his day around 5:30 a.m., Nunez directs crews on the various jobs and order requests the department receives. While his day begins early, he said it doesn’t end until his crews are finished with their work.

“I think it’s very important to set a good example for the crew,” said Nunez. “If they saw me or heard of me leaving, you know, trying to make short days of it, it’s very bad for morale.”

Nunez said he understands how physically demanding the work is, having previously done it himself.

“I like to be here when they’re here throughout the day so that way if there’s anything that comes up—I always have my phone on me,” he said.

Having an open-door policy with the crews he supervises, getting their feedback and listening to their ideas is important to Nunez. Crews have access to vehicles, tools and equipment that the department didn’t have in place years ago, he said, adding that if there is something needed, crews can communicate that.

“I feel like we've kind of got to that point where all of our crew feels like anything they need, just let me know we can make it work,” he said. “That’s how I like to keep the vision going. I mean, there's enough stress out there with the work itself, we shouldn't have to have problems with the tools and vehicles and equipment to do the work.”

Prior to his time with the city, Nunez worked in the parks division for Merced County. He has also worked in various positions with the Merced County Association of Governments, as well as financial institutions.

Before stepping into his current role he worked as a park worker for the city. That experience is something Nunez said he enjoyed before taking on the supervisory role.

“I can honestly say that was the first time I had a taste of a good job that made you feel like you were doing something that was, you know, very beneficial to the community.”

In his current role, Nunez said he works with team leads when prioritizing jobs across the city and identifies the tasks that will take priority, including any pressing issues. This sometimes results in working with third-party contractors depending on the location and work that must be completed.

Nunez said he was drawn to the position of supervisor when the job opened up. He now oversees 20 employees, including 11 in the tree division and nine in the parks division. In addition to assigning crews their daily responsibilities, he ensures they have the necessary vehicles and equipment to perform their jobs effectively.

While some of the work may seem routine, each job can present new challenges. Maintaining the city’s trees is not always as straight forward as it seems, according to Nunez, stressing that the work and tree trimming performed by the crews need to be done in a way that is best for the trees.

“It’s not necessarily a good thing for a tree to be trimmed every year,” said Nunez. “You’ve got to give it time to heal—it’s got to develop wound wood for the tree.”

Trimming of the trees goes beyond just taming overgrown foliage, meaning crews must focus on maintaining the health, safety and structure of the trees while ensuring proper clearances for areas such as roadways.

While some people prefer large full canopies, Nunez said that is not always in the best interest of the tree. Proper trimming can help reduce the weight of heavy limbs, helping them withstand forces, such as strong winds, and minimize the chances of those limbs breaking off and posing a hazard.

To help ensure this, Nunez said he stresses the importance of doing the job correctly, instructing his crews to imagine if it was their family members who may be playing beneath that tree.

“You got everybody already there,” he said . “Just get the tree done, do it right and make it to where you're really proud of the work that you do.”

He said he also makes a point to rotate crew member responsibilities to ensure all gain experience performing different tasks and working with various tools and equipment. Nunez stressed the importance of having crew members learn from senior employees for professional and personal growth.

When it comes to maintaining the city’s parks, Nunez said ideally every park would be fertilized, seeded and aerated. But with systems that have been in place for 25-30 years, improvements take time. The department continues to adapt as new technology is available and implemented, such as new irrigation systems that can be monitored and controlled remotely, which have made some of the operations more efficient.

Nunez said he also believes in giving his crews the opportunity to better themselves and their work. Over time, Nunez said the employees that make up the crews in the parks and trees division, have developed skills which allow them to work efficiently and independently.

Overall, Nunez said he enjoys working with the parks and trees crews calling them “outstanding.”

“I think everybody understands their role,” he said . “I think everybody is looking to make improvements.”

He said the bar has been set high and will not be lowered. He is committed to helping the individuals on the crews better themselves and encouraging and motivating them to earn various certifications and commercial licenses while achieving personal growth.

“I think everybody here recognizes that. I think we’re making things easier for them to get better,” he said.

In addition, Nunez said there are opportunities for advancement as employees can work their way up from temporary positions to roles such as team leads.

“We don’t want anybody to feel like they have not had an opportunity here,” said Nunez.

This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 5:30 AM.