(

[@Shetasen]

"Grew these bastards from acorns." -Chaotic good urban druid

[@jek__]

Druids have to be neutral on at least one axis of their alignment ;)

[@jodinha4225]

Jake then he’s neutral good

[@Unacknowledged86]

@@jek__ clearly this guy is playing a Homebrew chaotic good druid

[@kartdei7854]

@@jek__ Someone is stuck in the past.

[@jasonh8592]

Neutral chaotic. I feel like he’d say something like: Fuck the laws, fuck the city, fuck yourself, this is for me. I wanna see green shit and be happy once in a fucking while.

[@brongulus2617]

PSA: Night is for hoodlums but nobody questions a man in a high-vis vest with a hardhat and a clipboard at ten AM.

[@StephanieBacks]

OMG YES. and a pick up truck, and walking around like you own the place. no questions ever asked. i will add they don't question women in hi-vis either :P

[@oakpoacher433]

That actually works 24/7 if you add a few safety cones and a road construction sign.

[@murkstalinskitm5334]

Quit giving our secrets away🤫

[@MercMercury]

Too fucking true. An appropriate disguise with the right tools around, you won't get a second look haha

[@hughbrackett343]

And park your pickup on the sidewalk. White pickups are best.

[@gfd7469]

Famous quote: "Trees make the turd of modern society easier to swallow" Tony Santoro - 2019

[@jtknight4647]

Hahaha yo this is THE video I discovered Tony and his particular peppering misanthropic dialogue amid horticultural thought session

[@rodparker6530]

This video is gold, just landed in my feed and loving his quotes

[@calitutkowski406]

Illegal tree planting is the most punk rock thing I’ve heard in a long time

[@oz_jones]

Cali Tutkowski make trees, not war

[@azukizukisan]

Punks have been planting trees for a long time

[@tomsullivan5663]

That seems less punk and more good citizen

[@aprilkurtz1589]

@@tomsullivan5663 Punks are good citizens.

[@tomsullivan5663]

April Kurtz I thought punk was kinda a “fuck society and and it’s rules” type of deal

[@foxdylan9536]

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in” . Everyone should be out doing this, imagine how great the world would be.

[@monkeyfaceyou]

lot of trees, that's for sure!

[@twobluestripes]

Makes me think of Hamilton

[@mycoffeemyday]

A laurel k Hamilton fan, huh. ....

[@foxdylan9536]

It’s entertaining

[@erhanpoyraz8883]

Are you doing it?

[@Michiganmayor420]

When he was a kid somebody told him "the world is your oyster" But he heard "orchard"

[@afireinhearts1302]

Lol this gave me a good chuckle! 😆 💕

[@Rhythm911]

:)))))) I would say he clearly heard..."Forest". BRAVO !!! Brotha!! I wonder if they haven't offered T.S. a position, as head of "Green-Space Planning Dep't." or beyond!?!? Good One !!

[@rjchavers9267]

I actually love your comment. Kudos to you 🤗👍

[@rcdogmanduh4440]

Lol gave me a chuckle too.

[@NorthernBCFlyGuy]

I really want a t-shirt and sticker with the Dept. of unauthorized forestry.

[@mattmccallum2007]

Northern BC Fly Guy I second that. I’d buy a t-shirt with that in a heartbeat

[@invisiblebike99]

Thirded!

[@santiagodsl]

Same here!

[@andyreinisch8734]

This

[@robina.9402]

Yes!!

[@Slothery]

Some guy at a party I was at put this on KZbin instead of music, and I've been hooked ever since.

[@pkrzycki]

You're going to the right parties.

[@seltic13]

Wish I went to parties that coolp

[@rubenbarela]

I'd be tripping balls

[@zacktimmons2886]

That’s awesome lol.. I put it on the speaker at work when we are closing sometimes just to make people laugh . They like it and they could care less about plants. Dude just has a way of speaking to the masses and actually getting them to listen

[@ffwast]

That's ridiculous and I love it

[@fatherly-wisdom5683]

guerilla gardening at it's finest, a term and culture i'll never tire of. Nice to see a dude with the heart of a teacher and the mouth of a sailor.

[@100GTAGUY]

My 7th grade history/social studies teacher was the same way, dude was one of my favorite teachers. Just treated us like regular people and explained that profanity is acceptable within certain contexts. He taught us the required curriculum quite thoroughly as well as a lot of historical topics that so weren't on it that were actually useful to day to day life, and we all payed better attention because he made it interesting and wasn't coddling us with sheltered knowledge and PC phrasing.

[@ChrisfromGeorgia]

Guerrilla Gardening 😁👍🌱

[@Svensk7119]

Guerilla gardening! Ha!

[@firstletterofthealphabet7308]

@@Svensk7119 guerilla lawn care!

[@Methenjoyer69]

90% of guerilla gardeners are retards spreading noxious weeds, not everyone is like this guy

[@sh0gun___]

It's amazing how many cities/groups that claim to be dedicated to conservation and "beautification" don't even put in the basic research to determine if the trees they're going to be planting are even native to their area.

[@susaneirthug415]

I have a serious problem with a garden club like that here in Indianapolis.

[@x0thorn0x]

First clue... grass. From there it’s pretty clear how little the city planners care.

[@meganlangreck2488]

Amazing is not the word I would have thought of.

[@cb-wi1cq]

Seriously!!! It's so frustrating

[@Guppyg53]

Because once they receive their budget, they will cut corners and pocket the leftover cash. Government at its finest

[@Lumenatra]

My brother's been doing loads of tree planting in inner city areas. One of these areas was where they wanted to flatten and turn into yet another uneeded car park, so him and his pals went and put in native trees (which are in decline so they're protected) so when the company brought in arborists they weren't allowed to use the land. :')

[@azukizukisan]

That’s the coolest direct action I’ve ever heard of

[@murkstalinskitm5334]

Nice!

[@Guppyg53]

We're blessed to have your bro on this earth. The hero we needed

[@MercMercury]

Yo, great story, make sure you tell your brother that we appreciate it!

[@Emiliapocalypse]

As my sister and I say whenever we do things just to get the best of each other, “Ha! Spite!” Your bro is a clever badass, keep up the great work! 🌳 ✌️

[@theebob2008]

Thank you for illegally planting native plants that will actually live without the immense resources that roses and other high water requirement plants need. Your work is appreciated.

[@JTD19881369]

I never ever water my inherited roses. They come back every year. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@masonreppeto882]

@@JTD19881369 Not all will do incredibly great as a sapling in cali.

[@OsirusHandle]

Roses are pretty vigorous provided they havent been bred for the crazy recessives like multiflora.

[@rachelmoody1520]

"you can see that all the trees they planted here are in various stages of death"

[@jp100780]

oh wait no they're all dead.. i thought maybe a few trees were still alive

[@trippingtonproductionsco.7641]

Me irl

[@rachiesayd9423]

@ForestofTooMuchFood finally someone who knows the difference!!!

[@savagebuilder4264]

Just like my soul and mental health

[@neutronshiva2498]

Just like people living in this city.

[@forge20]

"Dey seemed to be engaged in criminal activity, so in a way, it kind of legitimized it for me. We gave each other the nod."

[@Ketannabis]

Lmao

[@hectic6981]

"Of course people are generally assholes, you'll never go wrong overestimating their stupidity or maliciousness" These are some of the wisest words ever spoken.

[@sowmindful1501]

He really is full of these tidbits of wisdom. The way he talks about society, makes me not feel so alone. He sees the ugliness of strip mall America.

[@CariMachet]

Super helpful

[@Svensk7119]

I wonder if he has ever planted sagebrush... his knowledge of trees is impressive.

[@therealalexjones6369]

A new favorite

[@markae0]

8:59 is when he says it

[@jlast313]

My coworker and I call it guerilla planting. We do it with native plants in Washington.

[@katiekane5247]

@@3FeathersFarmstead Georgian here too, I spread Redbud seed pods.

[@mattmccallum2007]

I’m in Wa...what species do you like to plant?

[@trolltracker]

everyone calls it that.

[@jlast313]

A few columbines, lady ferns, but my personal favorite is Saskatoons. Nice service berry, delicious taste, birds love em, they spread nice. If you don't have an sassys (as I call em) you gotta get some!

[@jlast313]

@@mattmccallum2007 oh and Campanula. Nobody complains about the campys.

[@sniffinggluewontkeepfamili3387]

When a particular crime benefits us all then it's the law that's wrong, my friend.

[@redlaserfox3988]

Edward Snowden has entered the chat

[@Guppyg53]

Exactly and laws dont change if we sit around not taking action. And we will have each others backs if someone is arrested... *arrested for planting a tree*

[@originaljiggy]

{engage pedantry} It's not a crime, it's a civil offense. And the 'crime' in a civil offense is that you assumed the power of the government.

[@barryminor9196]

Integrity is important

[@Bluecho4]

Chaotic Good in a nutshell.

[@kimberlyshryack]

After being homeless and addicted to herion for a few years videos like these give me hope to find something i can be so passionate and knowledgeable about someday

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

Find whatever that is and let it drive you. Anything associated with "nature" usually does it pretty good and can be rather accessible. Opioids are a dead end, good for you for staying away from them.

[@jtknight4647]

You can do it.

[@Somethinghumble]

"videos like these" lol so you basically just spam this copy pasta everywhere

[@UEatPoo]

​@@Somethinghumble You don't know that. Did u see the same comment elsewhere? Regardless, it's positive feedback to a great and underrated cause. And this is their genuine thoughts, regardless if they said it somewhere else. So it doesn't matter if they commented the same thing elsewhere. Stay humble, hatin' for no reason😂

[@bryancross8068]

Hey, love you, friend

[@ryPish]

*Bruce:* _Be like water_ *Tony:* _Be like a case of lice in kidergarten class_

[@GildaLee27]

Right?!

[@x0thorn0x]

Lmao

[@grannykiminalaska]

❤

[@krinklesofmadness]

I died when he said that

[@phertility9720]

It was the moment I realized I had a new life coach!

[@Ramash440]

Since I was 15 I've been collecting seeds from a native tree around here, growing them and planting them in land I don't own. Seems like I just found my superhero.

[@cannabisresistance6757]

You are superhero 👍👌

[@thenormalyears]

youre actually badass too

[@TheCoffeeTime4]

How do you know if the trees are still there or have been taken down.

[@Ramash440]

@@TheCoffeeTime4 They're all close enough to my house that I can check on them on the way to buying groceries or when out for a walk.

[@TheCoffeeTime4]

@@Ramash440 Is it private property or public land?

[@someguycalledCh0wdah]

This guy speaks my exact language. Real talk, civic responsibility, a copious amount of slang, cursing and crime references, all seamlessly sprinkled with biological and taxonomic jargon and terminology.

[@GeorgeLucas1138]

Same. Im a geologist and when he went in on the subduction zone it was 😘👌

[@iFrostNight]

This man is the perfect image of "chaotic good"

[@HerzoginLina]

True tho! 😂

[@allgodsnomasters2822]

thats anarchism baaaaaaby

[@Tearakan]

Fucking exactly!

[@patrickpile-seymour9047]

True

[@danieledrich6602]

Anarchism with a true Science flare.

[@simondanielsen1911]

'You're basically expected to live, work for awhile then die, and buy some shit you don't need in between. He fkn nailed in.

[@anthonyfaiell3263]

Yepp

[@alexis_electronic]

But it's not what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to live.

[@aerynventress7702]

We have to build more meaning into our lives, and this is such a good way.

[@brendanh8978]

I didn't see anyone comment how fitting that he had planted so many Cypress varieties on the site of the former Cypress street viaduct. Its actually pretty poetic. Bringing life back to a tragic site of so much death.

[@100GTAGUY]

There were some major cypress logging operations back in World War Two around my hometown in SWFL, apparently there were tons of giant ancient cypress trees out in the everglades that made for great naval decks as it was more resistant to rotting when wet. There's only maybe a handful of the giants left, but at least the smaller ones are quite prolific these days. They allegedly only grow like an inch every 30 years.

[@sleepystar1638]

4/5ths of every tree is dead and is just used for translocation

[@andybaldman]

*KZbin is going crazy virtue signaling about planting 20M trees. Meanwhile this guy's actually been doing it since before it was cool. You're the real deal, Joey.*

[@brongulus2617]

Virtue signaling is a thing for sure, but before you blast it away like a crime, consider this: If millions of dollars suddenly land in the lap of the Arbor Day Foundation and they spend it, as they say they will, on planting ecologically appropriate trees in the forests most in need, has all that virtue signaling gone merely to stroke egos and line pocketbooks? Doesn't sound like it to me. And though intent matters, what matters most is the results.

[@jaimedelgado7529]

Aint that the truth. Preach brother

[@cb-wi1cq]

Ah yes, the Arbor Foundation, notorious swindlers. It's a wonder they haven't been taken out yet!

[@cb-wi1cq]

Dudes like this made planting trees cool. It's a very good thing younger generations are inspired by that and keeping up the effort. It's a good thing planting trees is cool now and forever frankly.

[@andybaldman]

@@brongulus2617 To me there's a difference between writing a check (or getting someone to write a check), and being the person who actually does the work. What we need is more people to not be afraid to roll up their sleeves, and affect the world immediately around them. That's what generates sustained change, i.e., changing people. Else what you have is a PR campaign to generate clicks, views, and attention for those who push it.

[@gideon903]

"Gotta make sure no one steals my friend's scooter that he stole." I love this guy

[@MrPhatties]

Forced sharing 😂

[@Atheism-And-Normative-Ethics]

Small tribes lmao

[@LiseFracalossi]

I know there are a million comments on this already, but I love the humanity in saying hi to the homeless guy he passes. Can tell that, despite his gruff exterior, Tony is someone who really cares about life in its multitude of forms.

[@devinandrews2346]

"You can't be discouraged when your shit dies. You just gotta grow more." Central tenet of my gardening philosophy.

[@heidilady]

I guess the same applies for the weed Wackers too. Love me some abandoned lots. ❤️❤️❤️

[@Felix.Wingfield]

I feel like you're showing us pictures of your babies.

[@nancydiane86]

Exactly! Only difference is his babies will grow up to fight climate change, not contribute to it.

[@phonzy]

Wanna be my baby

[@Felix.Wingfield]

@Madematician I've been happily married for twenty years, y'all can both fuck off.

[@risipieces]

Madematician literally what the fuck, both of you.

[@alexh4935]

Why is “Plant the trees that are already adapted to live here” such a difficult concept? Why waste all the effort on non-native trees that are going to do poorly?

[@JonnyHatesJuice]

City planners are all moronic, proud collegiates that think they can ignore nature while they make a quick buck. Mother nature always brings the bill in the end however. Sadly it's usually the future tenants that get punished for such things. (terrible landscaping, depleted groundwater, etc.)

[@MsBizzyGurl]

So tree crews will have jobs.

[@mossmeow]

people think it’s “more exotic” and therefore better

[@malloc7108]

There is almost certainly a standard list that was probably established on the east coast, probably near the capital. Nobody bothered to adapt it until ecological collapse made all the borderline plants die.

[@runed0s86]

You probably have a fescue lawn. That's not native! It looks pretty and it's everywhere already. That's why. No one thinks to be different.

[@erikchavarin6085]

"tree feet tall" yes

[@SPCEMN3]

Des bastards are great plants. Don't take em for granted. -Agave Americana

[@Emiliapocalypse]

🌳 feet tall

[@boa9535]

Erik Chavarin: I like “da fucking yuccas.”

[@flamomo]

I love unauthorized planting! When ever I remember I carry a little bag of California poppy seeds and sprinkle them wherever they belong, last winter I planted 10 California buckeye seedlings across Santa Cruz and most of them are already 5 feet tall! So exciting, hoping to plant 100 more trees this winter.

[@dyllanusher1379]

"we're in a big urban toilet so it doesn't matter too much" I love this chaotic good man

[@DanielinLaTuna]

A man after my own heart ! I used to walk around "liberating" city-planted trees. They used to plant and forget; sooner or later the trees would start to be strangled by the ties or grow into the supporting poles. So I would walk around with my Leatherman tool and cut the ties. I can't believe how much leaf litter is thrown away, I rescue leaves and small twigs from my neighbors waste and bring them over to my yard. Japanese maple! doesn't work in my area, too dry. Keep on planting, my brother. Greetings from SoCal.

[@jdwspe]

"Bleak concrete architecture planted with trees in various stages of death..." Coffee shot out of my nose after hearing that one! It perfectly describes most of California!

[@SpiritBear12]

The man speaks the truth.

[@MaeV808]

😅

[@Big_ol_bass]

Speaks even more true today unfortunately.

[@Queenie-the-genie]

I loved living in Northern Cal where I grew an abundance of food all year round and had 3 free ranging chickens. Between the veggies and the eggs we could survive if we had to. Lucky us there was a happy little organic pig farm - just far enough away so you didn’t have to smell it too often. Lots of small creatures like foxes, etc. and an abundace of birds. Now that place is burned to the ground - 3 houses, a barn - 2 artist studios etc. every single tree and bush etc. all gone.

[@grassgreen3119]

11:55

[@martinphilip8998]

Well done buddy. My mother planted a burr oak about 30 years ago on the city right of way. They would normally pull these up but when they saw what she managed to do they commended her. They told her it’s hard for them to plant an oak because of long tap roots. Mom’s gone but her tree will be there a century or two.

[@runed0s86]

I've found that most trees that cities plant have broken, damaged, or bent taproots. Those die within a few years. If you grow them from seed, the local mycorrhizal fungi community will more easily bond to your sapling, and the taproot will actually go DOWN.

[@martinphilip8998]

@@runed0s86 She had dug it up at a friend’s house when it was but a seedling. It’s girth is about two and a half feet and fortunately there aren’t any wires that require pruning. We planted a memorial oak for my late wife. They replaced it a year later as the first one died.

[@bruceluiz]

"You see all this green shit? It was all rock soil before I got here" The contrary to "See all these buildings? It was all green and grass in my times"

[@jamess1787]

I love this guy. I feel like I'm watching godfathers with a botany twist.

[@Yellow.1844]

You better not fuck with his trees

[@prtcgv5105]

Ha ha ha... this dude ROCKS!

[@Naalders]

Instead of Goodfellas its Goodflowers

[@jroberts1734]

Funny af right there..true!

[@funsimulator7246]

The Sowplantos

[@johndesaavedra1040]

I planted a seedling bur oak in my yard in 1991. It is now past 24" in diameter and 60' tall. An offspring has been moved and is 30' tall. Thanks for spreading the word, Tony.

[@garbleduser]

Mulch also raises the water table. Paul Stamets used this along with a specific variety of oyster mushroom to clean the water table of contaminantes from commercial chicken farming.

[@katherines6322]

Paul Stamets!! He's the best

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Great comment! Love Paul Stamets (and his legendary mushroom cap/hat!)

[@mrfizzlshizzl]

love me some mushrooms and Stamets. Preferably cubes ;).

[@katherines6322]

@@mrfizzlshizzl what do you mean cubes?

[@mrfizzlshizzl]

k Strom Lol, Psilocybe Cubensis

[@Tindomul1of9]

I studied botany and this is the most entertaining botany session I have ever experienced! SUBSCRIBED!

[@ElGueroLoco831]

Caesar Castillo Funny enough my botany professor was from Chicago too and was hilarious, but Joey is much funnier.

[@jaggedbrain]

same!

[@dopaminey9946]

I'm a Canadian surrounded by overly articulate, overly polite people. I need this guy in Canada! I want Canada's guys from the 'wrong neighbourhoods' to go to university and learn Botany. I imagine this scenario - but, a Canadian accent, and, yes, his attitude, too. Although, America is the best when it comes to exuberance of attitude and language, if you get my drift. 😎

[@jroberts1734]

Facts

[@roamintraveler3935]

I started doing guerrilla gardening in Greece on 2 traffic islands. I am planting local fruit trees and good coverage trees. It's gotten much hotter in the summers with, traditionally, no water fall from about May thru October. So it's really important to use only drought resistant plants and to water them during the first year. I hope they survive but, like you say, I am prepared to plant again. One of the good things that has slowly started is that neighbors have started watering some and also adding their own volunteer plants. It is very heartening. I love knowing others are committed to doing this too. Bravo

[@diosamurcielaga9418]

Wonderful, continue growing your wonderful endeavor. A big hug from a random Mexican

[@humandoodad]

Dang, that volunteer squash is just going nuts. Love how enthusiastic squash can be, brings a lot of color and good ground cover.

[@Brettjnash]

And food for those who may need.

[@LexYeen]

Plus the greens and stems make good compost if you ever feel like chopping it back.

[@robertlussier2944]

And their own species of bees, usually!

[@evilsharkey8954]

My squash always get murdered by borers in mid to late summer. Just a couple of grubs kill the entire plant! I hate those damn things.

[@stainedsteel1]

"I like to think of it as forced sharing." LMFAO

[@jodinha4225]

Martin McPherson *knock knock* it’s the communist party

[@stainedsteel1]

@@jodinha4225 I'm not home to hear your knocking though... Nor am I gay.

[@jodinha4225]

Martin McPherson well Greek I’m not gay either

[@bvegannow1936]

Convince gov to let everyone have an acre of free tax free land to grow a food forest on and live on. End farm subsidies. End tax breaks to farms exsept those who grow healthy vegan food for human consumption exsept no large mono crops. End mandatory school, ged and hsd requirements, age limits, minimum wage, and exsessive regs. People should be able to learn how to do a good job they want so they can afford a house and car before 18. For those who and whos parents can afford it, tax deductible chairty and or the about 180,000dollars spent on k thru 12 per student could pay for it and trash k thru 12 and some of that money could be used to promote more independence and healthy living. Watch cowspirasy

[@hicknopunk]

Where my grandfather is burried, there is private property literally 20 feet from his place of rest. When we placed him there, my sister and I dug up a baby cherry tree, only 2 or 3 feet tall from his property. We then snuck it into the grave yard under a coat I was wearing and then planted it just on the private land. 🤣🤣 It never felt so good to break a rule. The tree stands there to this day 😁

[@dengueberries]

good on you

[@GildaLee27]

Until recently I was working quite near this location and often commuted via Mandela. Your efforts are absolutely appreciated. Proud to share a city w/you. I love that 'King Death' painting of the shiny skull on that warehouse on the corner -- a reminder of the '89 collapse and memento mori in general. Without you, the entire length of the former freeway would have long ago become that hard pan, concrete-like surface. Cypresses are fitting; before it collapsed, it was referred to as the Cypress structure. Those brutal planters with all the dead trees in them...ugh. You're right. Someone's brother-in-law or whattheshit made serious Oakland taxpayer money putting in that eyesore. I'll say it again: you are the Green Man. Never stop. I feel an upwelling of superlatives and sentiment about you & what you do coming on, so I'd better just say alright, that's all I've got, gfy, bye. PS: Would love to see a botanizing video of Lake Merritt and hear whatever you have to say about it.

[@Ken-pv9zu]

If anything happens to Tony we riot.

[@stuntone]

Ken Comstock most definitely 🔥💪🏽🌱🌎

[@Guppyg53]

100% agree

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Right there with ya

[@hezbollah670]

rather everyone adopt the work of Tony and we will win... they cannot stop all of us.

[@Paperbutton9]

yep

[@calliejohnston1471]

As a horticulture student, this man is my hero and I aspire to be at this level

[@tbrice64]

Go Fund Me started for your finger-ruler tattoo?

[@sillydogfarms2983]

I've been a horticulturist one way or another for 30 years. Serve the plants and they will serve you. You've chosen well for your spirit.

[@EmporerBlock]

From observing urban plantings it seems that the people who designed them have never seen a mature tree before

[@susaneirthug415]

They haven't...

[@meganlangreck2488]

They hate trees and it really shows.

[@murkstalinskitm5334]

In large letters tag on tree says, grows 450 ft tall and 150 ft wide, city proceeds to plant in 3ft x 3ft hole in the concrete with 26 more spaced 6ft apart

[@evilsharkey8954]

They don’t expect them to live that long with their neglect and incompetence.

[@fireballninja01]

Yeah I used to live in one of those planned ass suburbs. What they’d do is they’d get beautiful maples, spaced them 6ft apart on the divider of a pretty small street (still larger than it needed to be) on an incline. And by the time I moved I saw them digging them out and switching them out with younger specimens, cause it was never supposed to live past being a juvenile. Could have spent the money they’ll spend replacing trees every 5-15 years putting in place and taking care of elms, like my parents and my grandparents remember hanging over the boulevards all through out their years and I see so rarely it’s like walking into a memory. But it’s easier to put in something and not care about it til you’re paid another thousand bucks to kill it a few years down the line when you’re hair is a bit more gray and it’s just starting to look like a piece of nature and not just the whims of a city planner. At least they were red maples instead of purple maple or blue pine, sucks that when we let things grow half the time it’s something that doesn’t belong. I love pretty colors too but fuck man the native shit would be even more beautiful if you didn’t kill it all. Shows how much people cared about nature that the little strip of woods that was kept near the park had fucking bedframes in the creek. Wasn’t enough woods that I could get in close enough to not see a house or lawn, but still enough where the hockeypit fucks threw their old shit into it like nature is just a garbage disposal you don’t have to hire a plumber to fix when you stuff it full of gross shit “Press the button to turn the waterfalls on” type people Kill capitalists and use their entrails to feed and mulch location appropriate flora, fungi, and fauna

[@jimv8957]

"The microbes and fungi and what-the-shit." I could listen to this dude talk all day.

[@kindmama]

I love that he calls all the roses by the very accurate name of "Tacky Rose Bush".

[@Frank-zs1wk]

"the whole concept of legality doesn't matter so much"

[@twothreefour234]

its only a crime if Karen calls the police.

[@brittney605]

"Gotta make sure no ones stealing my friends scooter that she stole in the first place"

[@mikehawk2630]

I gotta figure out that chip trick

[@robotman99lolface]

@@mikehawk2630 check out reddit for some good info my guy. Once summer hits I'm chipping one for myself

[@objectreborn.artsewing]

This is an excellent showcase in the learning that takes place when you f*ck around and find out. When you acknowledge that any gardening you do is a cocreation and collaboration with the soil, the surrounding ecosystem, the rainfall in that place, etc, it propels you so much farther in your learning. I've recently begun a little illegal gardening when I have time from my regular gardening, and it's one of my favorite things. It's exciting, it's peaceful. I get to go back and check on it when I can. I can't imagine the feelings when I can go back to a site like Tony is doing here, and say I did xyz 10, 15 years ago. That's legit. Stay regulated 🍉✌️

[@majarimennamazerinth5753]

"And I saw a couple people riding it [the scooter] around and they seemed to be engaged in criminal activities, so in a way it kindof legitimized it for me" XDXDXD

[@wasabij]

It's called civil forfeiture if you're a pig.

[@bewareofthekoala3564]

I love how he points at everything with his middle finger

[@cssruth]

Yeah it's actually a thing older people do. Not saying this guy is old, but it's an old fashioned bad manners rule that to point with your index finger is rude. So lots of people were raised to point with the middle finger, and that's somehow more polite 😂

[@tirone7520]

@@cssruth can confirm, my granny was trying to teach me to point with my middle finger cause its more polite. Whats weird is that we live in Eastern Europe.

[@mookiemorjax]

And ends videos with "that's all for today. Go fuck yourself bye."

[@mattlopez2139]

I was driving by a house that was being demolished and I was able to talk the new owner into letting me salvage a beautiful Golden Barrel cactus. I stop a local park that I had volunteered many hours picking up trash, sweeping sidewalks, ect. I had told the park ranger I would like to donate it and if I could drop it off while I acquired the proper paper work with the owners' signature regarding salvaging native plants. I was shown where to leave the cactus and was told several times not to dig any holes. When transplanting plants I always make sure to bring extra soil from where it was dug from. I dumped the soil out and put the cactus in the center and placed a few rocks I found near by underneath it for support. When doing so it appeared that it had been part of the landscape. When I returned about 15 mins. later the police were waiting for me told me that I was banned from returning to that park and I was leave immediately.. When I received the notification in the mail It stated if I was caught in the park I would be charged vandalism and destruction of public property.

[@alexis_electronic]

Yeah, unfortunately the mistake was getting permission, in this case.

[@shasmi93]

Ya the man is a cunt. Never ask. Just do. But make sure what you do is the right thing to do.

[@cycloneranger5354]

land of the free

[@tjcihlar1]

Ask for forgiveness, not permission.

[@rockjockchick]

Wow. Such stupid beaurocrats.

[@Diarmuhnd]

@Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't: Your city should be hiring you as the lead landscaper boss & nature conservator. Seriously. Regarding the dead tree, i'd try and grow some safe mushrooms on it with some tall bushes on either side if it needed some shade.

[@dontalkt2meboutheroes]

I work for a city, they squeeze any goodness from people. He would hate it!

[@jaikis2019]

I know what city this is. Would never happen. Too busy trying to build a stadium by the water instead of addressing homelessness or the environment

[@brainsfordinner7196]

@@jaikis2019 agreed, plus plant nerds are a dime a dozen around here

[@robertl.fallin7062]

WE GOTTA STOP EXPECTING MUNICIPALS TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO cause they aint,.

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Brains for Dinner why don’t all the local plant nerds organize and do something?

[@mikemcghee5413]

How many millions of dollars of trees and shrubs are lost due to municipality miss management?

[@robertbogan225]

You dont vote in the idiots pushing papers.

[@SpenserRoger]

The contractors planting the trees are probably just looking for job security. Why tree an area once when you can you tree fifty it. Lmao. That, or if they actually planted something that grows maybe they'd have to trim it more often. I mean talk about a low level make work operation. Why not plant shit that makes fruit or something.

[@theapexsurvivor9538]

@@SpenserRoger yep, same as how lawyers will always push for stupid laws, as it guarantees job security.

[@SpenserRoger]

@@theapexsurvivor9538 Yea that sound's entirely logical, however do you have any good examples?

[@elsielake6511]

Made me think about my dad. He took an area of our back yard in San Jose and always had hundreds of baby trees in coffee cans. Never questioned whether anyone objected to his transplanting them.

[@xxxApplianceStorexxx]

your dad's a hero

[@NewMessage]

Actually, this would be a great TV premise... 'Breaking Bad meets Johnny Appleseed'. HBO, call him.

[@graybeard4962]

I am the one who burdocks.

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

Tony Soprano meets Johnny Appleseed*

[@ericward8459]

@@graybeard4962 Best pun!!

[@sonipitts]

Eh. This guy's legit. Johnny Appleseed, otoh, was a land-grabbing capitalist speculator who planted apple orchards because it allowed him to legally lay claim to the land he planted through existing homesteading laws. He'd then move on, plant more apples elsewhere, and eventually come back when the trees were mature and sell the land at a high profit to new settlers. He wasn't the altruistic environmentalist he's portrayed to be in folklore.

[@ericward8459]

@@sonipitts Never the less, he still helped a lot of settlers in settling the Mid-west because of it.

[@dominiclindus2535]

That Department of Unauthorized Forestry logo is great. I would buy a patch with it on for sure!

[@MrRobot01010]

!

[@joshuakuehn]

Yes

[@AHeadC]

Definitely!

[@mundanestuff]

Paw paw used to be all around our area, upstate new York, finger lakes area, they're making a comeback in the bottoms where they like to live. The best protection I've found is a little plaque declaring the native species status, it makes them look so official, like an old eagle scout project.

[@stephaniewilson3955]

I remember the collapse of the freeway, caused by an earthquake. It is lovely that it has been replaced by greenery. More strength to Tony Santoro and illegal tree planting worldwide.

[@eggsoups]

Good work. Keep “line of sight” in mind when planting near intersections...

[@evilsharkey8954]

eggsoups, true! Not just for safety, but so the city doesn’t cut your tree down later.

[@kayjay2588]

A lady I worked with/for used to say, "we never have time to do things right, but always have money to do it over"! She was a VP for a bank. It seems like the motto of City govts. Beautiful job!

[@ralfish2008]

awesome. when I was a kid my dad planted a lot of trees along the highway behind our house. They kept getting cut down, so he kept planting. He passed on, but I kept planting. Fast forward 40+ years and some of those trees now are pretty big. They were all cedars, hemlocks and firs. Problem now is they are getting hacked by hydro contractors because I planted them under the power lines. oops. I fucked up. so then the highway was widened and the ones far enough away from the hydro lines got chopped. Double fuck. So i planted another 40 or so cedars as they can take the shade from the mangled hydro trees. Problem is with our climate getting drier, I kind of doubt those cedars will live too long. but for now they have shade and are far enough away from the hydro lines they wont get chopped and the highway won't get widened any further, for now at least. So long after I'm dirt, those trees, at least some of them will be sequestering carbon.... in the meantime the city brain dead architectural landscapers keep planting out of area shit trees. Fucking horible things that look like shit 1/2 the year because they have no leaves...

[@theapexsurvivor9538]

Good work man, hopefully the new ones will get a good long life. And yeah, if things keep getting drier there'll be a need to spread some Aussie and equatorial desert trees to help with the drought conditions.

[@jeanniebuchholz9923]

With all of the hungry folks, cities could quit planting "pretty" trees and start planting fruit trees and gardens.

[@KomajuDraws]

community gardens are great! who needs trees and stuff they dont manage? instead they could make a community garden with plenty of veggies and fruits that not only give people food, but an opportunity to get into horticulture and find a job with that.

[@cordelia8803]

but that would involve cities actually caring about people in need over the people who are profitable. caring for eachother is one of those things we gotta do for ourselves.

[@olivesantos1840]

@@cordelia8803 all the power to the people comrade

[@princessjello]

@@cordelia8803 🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@pangurechyx3010]

They'd probably just use those as an excuse to arrest the homeless when they tried to pick the fruit.

[@kieranleopold9115]

I lost it at, "Boy, this appropriated scooter, I like to think of it as 'forced sharing'". I'm dying.

[@Bigfourthing]

no idea how this ended up in my recommendations but I loved every second of it

[@aquariansage1451]

Hey, thanks, Tony. I've started my own unauthorized forestry project just a few weeks ago, and this video just showed me that I work alone, but I'm not alone. There are others willing to work outside the law to protect and enrich our urban environments. I hope to one day have 'my' woodland as lively as yours. Keep planting and giving middle fingers to the law, Tony.

[@katreyu2967]

Do the samething with water ways glad others are doing the same 😊

[@0v_x0]

"learn a coupla things, be nice to other people and learn to grow some shit." I'm adopting this as my life's philosophy.

[@skategreaser]

The squirrels in my area have been doing this forever. Total outlaws.

[@Pablodelic]

About 36 million years to be exact😉

[@gcxred4kat9]

This video is easily the most entertaining thing l've watched in a long time! l'm in Florida and a member of The Florida Native Plant Society, so l REALLY appreciate what yer doin. Was quite a fight, but l got my condo board to let me restore about 5 acres within our complex that was being over run by invasives. Now l got live oaks sprouting up like weeds like crazy and wasn't sure what to do with them. Never occured to me to just go plant them somewhere like what your doing! Gonna have to do it! Should be fun to check on shit in 10 years and know it was all cuz of you. Fun fact, North America doesn't have any native cedars. What people think are cedars are actually in the cypress family.

[@wmluna381]

Wow, you talked some sense into the Condo Commandos. Impressive.

[@Doppioristretto]

Eastern red cedar& Thuja plicata Both native to US.

[@FoxtrotYouniform]

"that'll break down by the action of the microbes and the fungi and the soil and what the shit" I'm sold, subbed

[@MaybeBored]

any logical government would pay this man for his services.

[@NetScourge]

Yeah too bad we don't have anything like that lol

[@taekinuru2]

Why? He does it for free. From the govt’s point of view the current setup works fine.

[@gardenman3]

Most governmants are not

[@lloyddavies9683]

Any logical government isn’t going to pay someone for something they’re already doing for free, unfortunately

[@Sh4dxwxz]

@@lloyddavies9683 I believe you've confused the word logical with the word sociopathic.

[@nickles2185]

I love the way he's down to earth while clearly very intelligent and passionate. Ex: "Formerly [Latin plant name] after the molecular phylogenetics and what the shit" 🤣 I have no green thumb but this was very entertaining and informative. Subscribed in the hopes that I too can someday learn the art of unauthorized forestry.

[@jroberts1734]

Totally agree...hes throwing out full scientific names like mad...2 cool..subbed as well..lol..cheers

[@simondanielsen1911]

This guy knows his shit.

[@dananorth895]

I love plants, botany. But the latin names give my brain kiniptic fits.

[@sashaashby]

i used to drive through there every day going to bart, i remember when they did that project thinking, who tf put all those incredibly wrongs plants in, anyone could see it was a slap dash job…thanks so much to you and all others for making it right

[@jaridkeen123]

I plant trees where i want. If someone says i cant i just tell them the land was here before them and it will be here long after them.

[@editefiskovica641]

This man is like a botanical Gandalf on an electric scooter. Love him.

[@LaundryFaerie]

A cussy botanical Gandalf! Love it.

[@leslieviljoen]

Radagast the sweary!

[@cobalt1754]

"Be like the case of lice in a kindergarten class you wish you could be." Inspiring words from Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't.

[@kevinheckeler]

Hallmark card material for sure.

[@vitriolicAmaranth]

"I was pissed off for a minute but then I realised they were just driving drunk" holy shit I'm in stitches

[@phillbenjamin4715]

This guy is a hero! A superhero! The brutal honest truth put on full open display... No hiding, eyes wide open, unafraid. Some folks want to sell us phony BS idealogy, this guy is selling truth and honestly - and I'm buying.

[@Travelling_with_my_dog]

You are so inspiring! I have been saving native milkweed, butterfly weed, and bee balm seeds from my Minneapolis yard for the last few years, and sowing them in weedy parts of city parks & empty lots. My friends & I call it "guerrilla gardening."

[@LuckyLeprechaun100]

now we just need tony's guide to growing and keeping a sapling alive for a year

[@evilsharkey8954]

LuckyLeprechaun100, with emphasis on keeping squirrels from digging the trees out and filling the pots with someone’s pilfered birdseed. The dicks killed every single one of the oak seedlings I’d started.

[@evilsharkey8954]

Afrodisiac, I normally use wire mesh to keep them off of my flower bulbs. I didn’t expect them to eat the live trees right out of the pots! That’s more of a rabbit thing, but rabbits couldn’t reach where the pots were.

[@meaghanorlinski8464]

"Makes the turd of modern life easier to swallow." I love you.

[@StrayCatHomestead]

The modern Johnny Appleseed meets the Italian John Muir.

[@xWHITExMONST3Rx]

“we got a squash there volunteering” 😂😂 your a very funny guy. Keep doing what you doing

[@Emiliapocalypse]

I worked on a farm one year, and one of the ladies there called those plants “volunteers” too, it cracked me up. 😆 Maybe the homeless across the street will spot the fresh produce and be able to make use of it?

[@evilsharkey8954]

Volunteer tomatoes and petunias show up in cities quite often from discarded food bits and seed from the previous year’s planters, respectively. Local maintenance people generally leave them alone, even if they don’t match the rest of the plantings. What’s weird is how those volunteers sometimes do so much better than the carefully cared for heirloom tomatoes. Every gardener I know lost most of their tomatoes to blight this year, but two obvious volunteers grew huge and green with not one rotted leaf! No fairsies!

[@dangolfishin]

Volunteers are just what gardeners call plants that pop up from compost or previous plantings. It's a very commonly used term, but yeah this dude is funny.

[@halburd1]

they could fire 20 ppl from the parks department and hire this guy. they would save millions and the job would get done right.

[@keithlarsen7557]

Dude, If I ran a city, I would try so hard to get you to run my forestry department.

[@sneepsnorp1404]

0:57 *Anyways, I had to go stop at the taco truck and get a burrito* Idk why but this made me laugh so hard 😂

[@PaNdAlAnDpRiNcEsS]

Lmao 🤣 I love that part!

[@IL_801]

Tony Santoro, DirtRooster, and Post10. My favorite nature-loving dudes from every corner of the US.

[@moretimethanmoney8611]

You need to take the city's landscape architect on a field trip and teach 'em a thing or two about a thing or two.

[@Doofnut040tv]

When I saw this video I thought it would be him putting these invasive and improper species in, but no, it was the hopeless council, I should've known. Good planting bud

[@pibblesnbits]

You could probably have the city hire you as a consultant and do this all legally. You are so intelligent and talented. Also wise words "dont get discouraged when your shit dies, just plant more of it". As they say "we will rebuild".

[@earthsprite]

Best accent for stealth urban beautification. Love it. "Horticultural atrocity... What's goin' brotha how ya doin'?" 🤣

[@geradv1]

"Be the case of lice in the kindergarten that you want to be, very hard to get rid of, keep doing your thing." - I want this inspirational quote on a coffee mug.

[@pattymcswain2168]

Me also!

[@FallLineJP]

“Molecular phylogenetics and what the shit” 🤣💀 So much respect for the work you’re doing. Gotta see how deep this rabbit hole goes 🤘🏻

[@scottadams157]

I absolutely LOVE this video and the point Tony is driving home: plant things that are actually ADAPTED to the climate! Thank you Tony--made my day!

[@kathy1ninny]

Dude.. I must say, YOU are amazing!! Your passion for life starts at a microbial level..this world needs more people like you! Thank you for the inspiration! You are making a difference! I first heard of your channel from Diamond from Oppenheimer Ranch Project he is passionate just like you! Never let anyone squelch your passion! (I don’t think you will!) 👍😊

[@jumbo4billion]

Woah, read the word "microbial" just as he said it. That will probably never happen again.