Ricky Folse

Ricky wanted to serve in uniform. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, but a medical issue kept him from completing his service. Ricky himself makes the distinction clear: he doesn’t believe he earned the title of veteran. When that path ended early, his connection to service didn’t. Over time his mission became creating opportunities and direct support for the veterans who did serve.

His tree-care career grew after Hurricane Katrina, and for years he operated under the Tree-A-Nator name before the company became Veteran Tree Care. As the work grew, his philosophy moved from cutting trees toward understanding them: their biology, their risk, and how they can be preserved.

The turning point came when he was asked to remove an old tree he remembered from childhood. Instead of cutting it right away, he brought in several arborists for their opinions. That tree led him into plant health care, soil science and the preservation of Louisiana’s mature live oaks, which is now his specialty. Today he shares that knowledge in his Loving Live Oaks video series.