INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ABORICULTURE
CEU and Credential Status CERTIFICATIONS
Retired Master Arborist Emeritus
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE & CURRICULUM VITAE
THOMAS ALLAN SELVIG Retired Master Arborist Emeritus
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• Arborist Apprentice to Master Arborist A. Warren (1966 – 1968)
• Technician: Pumps, Exotic Fuel Systems for Apollo 11 and 12, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, State of Florida, USA (1969)
• Computer Systems Analysis and Programming School Computer language skills, include Basic I / II, COBOL, FORTRAN, and ALGOL (1969)
• Technician, propulsion systems, United States Navy vessels, Department of Defense, Mayport Naval Station, Mayport, Florida (1969 – 1971)
• Quality Control Inspector, computer memory boards. Memorex Corp. Eau Claire, Wisconsin. (1971 – 1972)
• Founder: Selvig Brothers Tree Surgeons. Jacksonville, Florida (1973)
• Completed University of Tampa’s Arborist Study Program (1974)
• Co-authored Tree Preservation Ordinance for the City of Jacksonville, Florida (1974)
• Participant: Accelerated composting research on the microbial hydrolysis of wood. Project Director: Roger Funk, PhD. Microbiologist: Davy Tree. Callaway Gardens, Georgia (1974)
• Board Member: Recycling Urban Waste Program, City of Jacksonville (1979)
• Director of Research at B.E.S.T. Ethanol, a joint venture with Gate Petroleum, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Army (Natick Command), and Leonardo Spano, PhD. Produced successful feasibility study for 25 million gallon per year ethyl alcohol distillery, utilizing wood waste as feedstock. Biological enzymatic hydrolysis process included production and utilization of plant extracts and microorganisms for use as crop enhancement products. Process engineering for the project conducted by the A. Kinney affiliation. Chief Engineer: Simon Klosky, P.E. (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Director of Research, Reotec Corp. Conducted pilot ethanol production via enzymatic hydrolysis of wood chips. Process included production and utilization of plant extracts and microorganisms for use as crop enhancement of products in agriculture. Joint study: Dean Witter Reynolds, Hartford Steam and Boiler Insurance Group, and Battelle Research Institute. Participants in the project: Quaker Oats Chemical, Gate Petroleum, Deshawa Lignin, and Arco Petroleum. The Project feasibility studies were produced via the cooperation and participation of the following institutions and universities: The University of Sherbrook (Quebec, Canada), the University of Wisconsin (Madison Wisconsin), Professor Raymond Young PhD, Georgia Tech University, Herty Foundation Laboratories (Savannah, Georgia), Professor Robert Hart, PhD, Virginia Polytechnical Institute (Blacksburg Virginia), Professor Wolfgang Glasser, PhD, Byrd Machine Laboratories (Walpole, Massachusetts), Ultra-fermentation Systems (Chicago, Illinois), Professor Robert Tuttle, PhD, and David Mattis, PhD. The engineering firm of record for the project: the A.M. Kinney affiliation (Cincinnati, Ohio). The Battelle Institute confirmed the viability of the concept as detailed above in 1985, and subsequently disclosed confirmation to the United States Department of Energy.
• Project Director for Barton Mallow Southern with David Hotvedt, Project Manager. Utilized biotechnology elucidated in prior research, incorporated plant extracts and microorganisms as bio-adjuvants to transplant large trees without root pruning. Transplanted 115 large trees for hospital expansion. Trees transplanted included (1) Ficus Bengalese with trunk diameter of 15 feet as measured at 48” above grade, (6) trees with trunk diameters over 6 feet. Project was initiated and completed in 90 days. 114 of 115 trees are still thriving. Fort Lauderdale, Florida (1987)
• Consulting Arborist for Jacksonville Port Authority. Project: Jacksonville International Airport Expansion. Utilized plant extracts and microorganisms in order to treat stressed transplanted large trees and woody ornamentals (1989)
• Directed feasibility study for Minnesota Power and the University of Minnesota. (1991 – 1994). Purpose of study: Production of paper from recycled waste, utilizing biotechnology, i.e. enzymatic hydrolysis of wood chips for pulp production, plant food, cattle food, and chemical compounds. Chemical compounds included carboxymethyl cellulose, and hydroxymethyl cellulose. Engineer of record: A.M. Kinney, in affiliation with Robert Byrns, P.E. Study published in 1995. Conclusion: proceed with project.
• Passed Board Certification as Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture, thereby becoming the first certified arborist in Jacksonville, Florida (1993)
• Founded Green Releaf BioSciences. Purpose of company: Mass production and commercial utilization of biotechnology developed through prior research. The technology: Utilization of plant extracts and microorganisms as plant adjuvants to induce, enhance, and defend plant growth (1993)
• Consultant to the Walt Disney Corporation (Epcot Center, Magic Kingdom, and Walt Disney Golf). Utilized plant extracts and microorganisms to treat stressed transplanted trees, woody ornamentals, flowers, and turf. Walt Disney representatives: Katie Moss Warner, Director of Horticulture, and Benjamin Brogden, Parks Management. Subcontractors included Richard Leavitt, PhD and Douglas Dent, field scientist. Orlando, Florida (1993)
• Arborist of record for Treaty Oak Park, City of Jacksonville, Florida (1993)
• Directed research on root initiation in plants with Professor Gustavo Escobar, PhD at the Fusades Agricultural Institute, El Salvador (1993)
• Consultant for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Twyford Tissue Culture Laboratory (1994 – 1998, 2006 – 2008). Project: Sustainable atmosphere in space vehicles, utilizing biotechnology and living plants. Robert Hartman PhD., James Knausse PhD. Conclusion: It is impractical to try to grow plant life under sterile conditions. Plant life is dependent upon symbiont microorganisms.
• Filed Biological, Antifouling Methods and Materials Patents (October 29, 1996)
• Sold Green Releaf BioSciences to Sybron Biosciences, “specific” technology involved, acquired by Bayer (1997)
• Environmental Science Consultant to Augusta National (1997 – Present)
• Co-founder of Naturize Biosciences (1999)
• Awarded patent #5,919,689 for marine antifouling methods and compositions (July 6, 1999). Patents valid in 82 countries.
• Filed for biological herbicide, pesticide and fungicide combinations (May 30, 2002)
• Awarded patent #6,342,386 for biological removal of marine fouling (January 29, 2002). Patents valid in 82 countries.
• Co-founder of Applied and Experimental Microbiology (2004)
• Began commercial sale of photosynthetic microorganisms marketed under the name Inoculaid/Quantum Growth. “Licensed” Naturize Bioscience to Clorox Corp (January 2006)
• Awarded foreign patents in Bio-fungicide, Filing number 20080220063 (April 21, 2009)
• U.S. and Canadian patents pending. Biochemical herbicide patent filing #11/ 755,283 currently under review.
