Cass Turnbull

Lecturer, Author & Founder of PlantAmnesty

Cass Turnbull left the Seattle Parks department in 1986 after 11 years to start her own landscape renovation business in 1986. One year later she founded PlantAmnesty, a non-profit organization with 1,000 members in 32 states and three countries. PlantAmnesty's mission is to "end the senseless torture and mutilation of trees and shrubs". The goal of the organization is to educate commercial and private sectors on responsible and appropriate pruning and landscape management practices, establishing a standard of quality care for the urban ecology.

Born in 1951, Turnbull studied for a liberal arts degree at Fairhaven College of Western Washington State University in Bellingham, Washington. She is certified to teach at Washington State Vocational Schools and is a Washington State Certified Landscaper, an ISA Certified Arborist and a veteran of the King County Master Gardener program. She has also studied and taught at the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture and Edmonds Community College.

Turnbull spends half her time in the field with hands-on maintenance and renovation projects. The other half is spent working through PlantAmnesty to promote better care of plants. She has won several awards including, Seattle's Friend of Trees award, The National Arbor Day Education award, and two International Society of Arboriculture awards. This work includes not only teaching and lecturing, but the creation of slideshows, videos, instructional pamphlets, radio and television public service announcements, a newsletter, and instructive pamphlets.

Armed with a sense of humor and a mission, Cass has gained considerable local and national press for the subject of pruning reform. This includes Associated Press coverage, frequent appearances on evening news programs, in local newspapers and radio broadcasts. She has published many articles and two books (published Feb 2005, Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning) on landscape maintenance.

Turnbull resides in Seattle with her husband, cats and garden.