POST FALLS - Brendan Murphy, who has been Post Falls' assistant urban forester for the past three years, has been named the city's new urban forester to replace Angel Spell.

Spell has been hired as the city of Spokane's urban forester. Her last day at Post Falls is Friday and she starts in Spokane on Monday.

Murphy will become Post Falls' urban forester on April 22.

"Horticulture and trees are in my blood," Murphy said. "Helping my mother in the garden when I was just a boy was my first introduction to this healthy addiction."

At 16, Murphy began working with landscape gardeners and his local parks and recreation department in Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia. He went to a technical college in that city to receive a horticulture degree.

Murphy worked in the nursery industry for several years and became a head groundsman for several estate gardens. He moved to Post Falls in 2006, and in 2007 became the assistant urban forester under former forester Linden Lampman and later Spell.

"I have the privilege of continuing the good work for this growing city and doing what I can to help improve the community's awareness of the value of trees in the urban forest," Murphy said.

Spell will come back to assist with the tree giveaway in Post Falls at Q'emiln Park on April 10.

"While this new position (in Spokane) has many things to offer and is a wonderful opportunity for me, I will greatly miss the exceptional support and cooperation I found here in Post Falls," Spell said. "The Post Falls urban forestry program is truly outstanding because of committed leadership, supportive staff and an engaged community."