Discovering Humor and Heritage Among the Trees with Tobin Mitnick

Actor, naturalist, and tree enthusiast Tobin Mitnick (@jewslovetrees) joins us this week for a delightfully rooted conversation about what it means to really see a tree.

Best known for his hilarious and heartfelt social media content blending botany and comedy, Tobin has become an unexpected ambassador for curiosity, joy, and ecological attention. In this episode, we explore how he invites people to get up close and granular with trees — to allow each wild and wonderful tree to help you “chase all your cares away.” 

We talk about his book Must Love Trees: An Unconventional Guide, his journey from actor to unexpected arborist, and how humor can be a profound tool for connection — to each other and to the natural world. Tobin reminds us that the impulse to learn and the instinct to laugh are deeply intertwined, and that awe doesn’t have to be solemn. Sometimes reverence looks like walking through your neighborhood, naming the trees, and assigning them irreverent personalities! 

Together we reflect on Jewish identity, stewardship, and finding spiritual and comic resonance in nature. It’s a conversation full of wonder, wit, and the grounding reminder that every tree has a story — and some of them are funny.

This week’s episode was written and recorded on the native lands of the Chumash, Tongva (Gabrieleno), Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), Pawtucket people, and Lenapee tribes. 

This episode was produced by Jonathan Zautner, and co-written & co-edited by Jonathan Zautner and Dori Robinson

More about Tobin Mitnick can be found at www.tobin-mitnick.com, and Must Love Trees. 

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — every contribution supports our production, and we offer gifts of gratitude to patrons at every level. If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or share it with a friend. Every kind word helps this forest grow.