Growing up, he was surrounded by trees -- thickets of majestic oaks and maples bordering his family's New Jersey farm -- on which to climb and bask.

That childhood pastime has since grown into a lucrative business. Gross is the co-founder of the New England Tree Climbing Association, an organization that, in addition to teaching tree climbing, shows how to inspect for invasive species and arboreal diseases.

For Gross, 61, the forest is more than just a playground -- it's a place to needs our protection.

"By teaching my students to look out for various threats, I can help them keep Connecticut trees safe," Gross said.

Gross is one of 40 forest-friendly exhibitors who will be on hand at the area's annual Tree Festival, sprouting up at Norwalk's Cranbury Park on Saturday, May 17.

Now in its seventh year, the spring event is geared toward educating the public on care for urban trees and plants. Visitors can pick the brains of gardeners, arborists and environmental groups, who will help with everything from planting a backyard garden to identifying trees and shrubs. (Look for the "Ask the Arborist" signs.)

One way to get people excited about trees is to get them in touch with nature -- literally. Gross, who has been scaling trees since he was practically in diapers, said it is a safe, fun activity that "can be enjoyed by people of all generations."

"Everyone is surprised by how easy it is," Gross, of Manchester, said. "If you can climb a ladder, you can climb a tree."

And in New England, the tree-climbing opportunities are as plentiful as the maples and oaks that inhabit the landscape.

"Everybody has a tree in their backyard," Gross said. "You don't have to drive hours and hours to some place special in order to climb a tree."

Nor do residents have to drive far to experience the wonders of the natural world. Cranbury Park offers wooded trails, a dog park and a regulation disc golf course that winds in and out of the forest -- a sylvan playground that should have Gross feeling right at home.