Torsten Melzer holds a degree in Biogeography from the University of Hamburg, where he engaged in practice-oriented research. During his studies, he developed and implemented the horse chestnut monitoring program. Following his academic pursuits, he worked as a freelance project associate in urban tree management for the Environmental Ministry in Hamburg. Since 2021, he has been serving as a Senior Officer in Urban Tree Management and since 2025 he leads the Urban Tree Management for the City of Hamburg. In this role, he is also responsible for the technical oversight of the tree registry. The specialized authority is responsible for city-wide issues and conceptual tasks, while the operational business is carried out by the seven district offices. Additionally, Torsten Melzer leads a working group with the arboricultural engineers of the seven district offices.