Grateful Tree Service, LLC was founded in June 2020 by Mark Stuart. Mark served 20 years in the U.S. Military, the first 5 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and finished with 15 more years in the U.S. Coast Guard. His service included a tour in Iraq and a station in Japan, as well as numerous deployments to South and Central America. His areas of specialized training include Intelligence, Mechanics, Precision Marksmanship, Advanced Tactical Operation, Counter Terrorism, and Chemical\Biological\Nuclear\Hazmat response.

At the end of his military career, Mark developed a passion for tree work, starting with the 150-year-old tree on his property in historic Portsmouth. The physical, challenging, and dangerous nature of tree work felt like love at first climb. Combining the leadership, risk mitigation, and problem-solving skills he learned from the military with modern arboriculture practices and permaculture ethics, Grateful Tree Service was born.

Garrett Forrest started his first business at just 18 years old trimming small trees in high school. Around the same time Mark Stuart started climbing trees after retiring from the military. After being on their own separate tree service ventures for three years they decided to team up in 2022 to form the current day Grateful Tree Service. Garrett Forrest credentials include but are not limited too : ISA certified arborist, tree risk assessment certified via Isa, and is currently enrolled as a junior in college at ODU for business management in pursuit of a masters degree in business management.

How Garrett likes to spend his time outside of work is training mixed martial arts . Garrett is a blue belt in Brazilian jujitsu and a wrestling coach at grass field high school. In the off season he enjoys world travel and snowboarding.

"There's no job that Landle can't handle"

Is the first phrase that comes to mind when asked to describe Mr. Robby Landle. The newest addition to the Grateful Tree Service family Robby brings with him 10 years of experience. Currently studying for his ISA certification in his free time. Robby is committed to providing nothing short of excellence to all customers and trees. Robby likes to enjoy life by playing tennis and snowboarding. 

 Daniel is a graduate from Odu with a degree in applied mathematics and a minor in physics.

His passion for the science of physics in relation to the real world applications has create a destiny for him to become a tree climber of epic proportions. Daniel has been best of friends with Christian and Garrett years prior to starting the tree service. Daniel enjoys his time away from work by training Brazilian jujitsu (also a blue belt), skateboarding and bodybuilding.

Christian has been on the journey of the tree service since Garretts very first job in 2019 . He has been a back bone in growing the company from the very beginning. Christian has been best of friends with Garrett Forrest since 2016 and is currently studying to become an ISA certified arborist. In his free time Christian enjoys seeing live music , white water rafting, snowboarding , and skate boarding. Christian is owner and founder of a custom necklace pendant business @pushingpendants on Instagram check him out.



Alex Chirico has also been apart of the tree service since the very beginning with now five years of experience under his belt he has begun his journey of becoming a production climber at the start of last season. Alex and Garrett were high school wrestling partners for almost three years prior to them doing tree work together. Alex enjoys his free time by training Brazilian jujitsu. He is the second of three members to have acquired the ranking of blue belt, Alex is also a dominant spike ball player, and a avid skier.