Work With Tree Trust This Summer!

Tree Trust has many employment opportunities this summer. If you are interested in working outdoors on a landscape crew, Tree Trust may have the job you're looking for!

Summer Youth Employment Program

This program is for lowincome and at-risk youth ages 14-21 from Dakota, Washington and Hennepin Counties (not Minneapolis) and provides an opportunity for many young people to have their "first job." This is a 9-week, part-time (average 20 hours per week) program that pays $7.25 per hour and is perfect for youth who plan to return to school in the fall. Most jobs are outdoors with the Youth Conservation Corps and involve building environmental improvement projects like retaining walls and staircases, and doing landscape projects like  erosion control and trail maintenance. There are also limited individual placement opportunities in Dakota County with local businesses and other organizations for positions that include administrative, retail, customer service, and janitorial work.

Please note that this program does not serve youth from Minneapolis, Saint Paul or Ramsey County. If you live in Minneapolis you must apply through the STEP-UP program. We will not work in Saint Paul this year, but if you are seeking a job there, please see the Youth Job Corps website.

  

Applications are available on our website, and as in past years, program participants are chosen through a lottery system. The program is NOT first come, first served so  as long as you complete an application and submit it (online or by mail) by March 21 and meet the eligibility requirements for the program, your application will be considered. This is a popular program and we do not have enough positions for all youth who will apply, so there is no guarantee that you will get a job with Tree Trust.

Young Adult Conservation Corps

This program is for low income and at risk young people ages 18-21. It is an opportunity to gain real life work experience in a supportive setting. This program is more intensive than the Summer Youth Employment Program. It is 39 hours per week for 12 weeks on an entry-level crew. Successful participants have the opportunity to continue for another three months on the advanced crew, and following that for three more months as an intern. These promotions are merit-based and not all participants will continue beyond the entry-level stage.

There is a 3-month cohort that begins on March 11, and another that will begin in June. If you're not returning to school next fall, this program is a better fit for you than the Summer program since you have the opportunity to advance to the next level in the fall and continue your job with Tree Trust. If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, please view the learn more and fill out an application. Employment is not guaranteed.

Crew Leader for the Summer Youth Employment Program

If you enjoy working in the outdoors and have a passion for youth development, consider applying to be a crew leader with the Summer Youth Employment Program this year. You must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED and two years of work experience. Learn more about the requirements of the job here and apply if it looks like a good fit for you.

YACC is Recruiting Participants

Transform lives, transform landscapes, transform you! Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) program is currently recruiting participants for its next 3-month session which starts on March 11, 2013. 

YACC is an employment training program that is based in landscaping and construction work. More specifically, YACC helps to improve the environment and the community by maintaining and developing green spaces while helping  participants to build transferable job skills. We help you to reach future employment and educational goals while you earn a paycheck!

The work schedule is, Monday – Thurday (8am to 4pm) and Friday (8am to 3pm). Starting pay is $7.25 per hour with room for advancement.

To be eligible, you must:

• live in Hennepin County
• be low-income or at-risk (if there is any question as to what this means, please contact keithw@treetrust.org)
• be between the ages of 17 and 21
• be ready and able to pass a standard drug test
• have proper work ID (i.e. school ID or State Issued ID and either a Social Security Card or Birth Certificate, etc.)

If this position sounds like a fit for you, please fill out a YACC application and return it to Tree Trust at 2231 Edgewood Ave. S. St. Louis Park, MN 55426, fax it to 952-767-3650, or email keithw@treetrust.org. If you need help filling out the application, contact Keith at 952-767-3917 or keithw@treetrust.org.

The next available start date is fast approaching and we are excited to connect with enthusiastic applicants, so apply as soon as possible or share this with anyone you know who may be interested!

Additionally, if you would like more information about our program, see our website, email Keith, or contact Keith via Facebook. 

Let it snow...

YACC participant shoveling snow

Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) spent much of the week shoveling snow from last weekend's snow storm. YACC participants provide snow removal for Hennepin County Libraries, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, and foreclosed properties in the metro.

Over the past week YACC crews, along with other Tree Trust employment programs,  cleared snow from 205 properties and 9 staircases along the Midtown Greenway.

Yesterday advanced participants took a break from snow removal to attend the Economics for Success training, for which the curriculum is provided by partner Junior Achievement. Today entry-level participants will be in training on Construction Math and Measuring.

Participate in Give to the Max Day!

Give to the Max Day is on Thursday, November 15. Consider making a contribution to support Tree Trust's employment training, community forestry, and environmental education programs this year.

Give to the Max is a great way to see the impact that your gift can have when it's joined with the gifts made by thousands of other people on the same day. Learn more about Give to the Max Day and make a contribution to Tree Trust or another great nonprofit on November 15. 

End of Summer at Tree Trust

Though the summer isn't technically over yet, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of the season for most Minnesotans. At Tree Trust, our summer season ends in August with the completion of the Summer Youth Employment Program, the summer cohort of the Young Adult Conservation Corps, and the YouthBuild advanced crew. All of the youth employment training programs work with youth in the summer months, and some work with youth year-round.

Summer is a busy time of year for our youth programs. Youth who are not in school for the summer have more time on their hands and greater need of guidance and positive activities than they do during the school year. Every summer for the past 36 years, Tree Trust has been here to provide youth with work experience, educational enrichment, and a paycheck for their summer work experience. 

So while most Minnesotans have been out enjoying the summer, Tree Trust staff have been here helping our participants find positive direction. Now that summer is closing and many of our youth participants have returned to school, we take a little time to catch our breath before we hit the ground running with fall forestry events, new crews of YouthBuild and Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) youth, and just generally preparing for the upcoming 2013 year.

By October, we’ll have nearly 50 youth participating with YouthBuild and YACC crews and Community Forestry has a busy autumn with Green Futures and Learning with Trees plantings. Thanks to all who have provided funding for Green Futures plantings this year – and especially to our anonymous donor who matches all of these contributions. 

Public plantings will be held in parks in Eden Prairie and Fridley in early October. Learning with Trees projects at schools in Orono and Brooklyn Park are being funded by CenterPoint Energy and Beim Foundation. We will also work with Wells Fargo and their volunteer team and a generous anonymous donor to plant more trees in selected parts of tornado-damaged North Minneapolis.

Tree Trust had a busy summer working with over 600 youth, and the break between seasons is short as we shift gears and move into our fall projects starting... now.

Young Adult Conservation Corps is recruiting!

Transform lives, transform landscapes, transform you! Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) program is currently recruiting participants for its next 3-month session which starts on June 12, 2012. 

YACC is an employment training program that is based in landscaping and construction work. More specifically, YACC helps to improve the environment and the community by maintaining and developing greenspaces while helping  participants to build transferable job skills. We help you to reach future employment and educational goals while you earn a paycheck!

The work schedule is, Monday – Thurday (8am to 4pm) and Friday (8am to 3pm). Starting pay is $7.25 per hour with room for advancement.

To be eligible, you must:

• live in Hennepin County
• be low-income or at-risk (if there is any question as to what this means, please contact keithw@treetrust.org)
• be between the ages of 17 and 21
• be ready and able to pass a standard drug test
• have proper work ID (i.e. school ID or State Issued ID and either a Social Security Card or Birth Certificate, etc.)

Unfortunately, this summer we will not have funding for older youth (19-21) who are currently living in Minneapolis (keep us in mind in the future though, because sometimes we are able to support older Minneapolis youth!). We can work with Minneapolis youth ages 17 and 18. We are also accepting suburban Hennepin County residents ages 17-21.

If this position sounds like a fit for you, please fill out a YACC application and return it to Tree Trust at 2231 Edgewood Ave. S. St. Louis Park, MN 55426, fax it to 952-767-3650, or email keithw@treetrust.org. If you need help filling out the application, contact Keith at 952-767-3917 or keithw@treetrust.org.

The next available start date is fast approaching and we are excited to connect with enthusiastic applicants, so apply as soon as possible or share this with anyone you know who may be interested!

Additionally, if you would like more information about our program, see our website, email Keith, or contact Keith via Facebook. 

New Cohorts Starting for YB and YACC

Tree Trust's YouthBuild (YB) and Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) programs started new cohorts on Monday, March 5th. Young people will work hard on crews of five learning landscaping and basic construction skills in these two programs.

YouthBuild

YouthBuild crews attend school and work in alternating weeks. This provides them with an opportunity to work towards completion of their high school diploma while learning employment skills and earning a paycheck. They learn basic construction skills through rehabbing and rebuilding home and apartment buildings, primarily in North Minneapolis. Learn more about YouthBuild here.

Young Adult Conservation Corps

Participants of the Young Adult Conservation Corps program are not in school. They work a 39 hour week, four hours of which are spent in Tree Trust's classroom learning a variety of employment soft skills. Their work consists of basic construction on outdoor projects such as boardwalks, bridges, and retaining walls; property maintenance at foreclosed properties; planting and maintenance of trees; and invasive species removal. Learn more about YACC here.

New YACCers and YouthBuilders have gotten to know one another and Tree Trust program staff this week. Participants will be assigned to crews and crew leaders today. Young people in both programs will learn employment soft skills and hard skills while earning a paycheck. They will improve their employability, improve their skill set, build stronger connections with their peers and their community, and increase their confidence in their own abilities during their time at Tree Trust.

Tree Trust Recruiting for YACC

Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) program is currently recruiting suburban Hennepin County (not Minneapolis) participants for its next 3-month session. YACC is an employment training program that is based in landscaping and construction work. More specifically, YACC helps to improve the environment and the community by maintaining and developing projects and green spaces while helping participants build transferable job skills that will help them reach their future goals.

The work schedule is Monday – Thurday 8am to 4pm, and Friday 8am to 3pm. The pay rate starts at $7.25 per hour with room for advancement. The next session will begin on March 6th and run until early June.  If this position sounds intriguing to you or anyone you know, please fill out an application and return it to Tree Trust at 2231 Edgewood Ave. S, St. Louis Park, MN 55426 or fax it to 952-767-3650, as soon as possible. Eligibility for all applicants is as follows:

• Live in suburban Hennepin County
• Be between the ages  of 18 and 21
• Have some type of barrier to employment (if there is any question as to what this means, please contact keithw@treetrust.org)
• Be ready and able to pass a standard drug test
• Have proper work ID (school ID or State Issued ID and either a Social Security Card or Birth Certificate)

The start date is fast approaching and we are excited to connect with enthusiastic applicants, so please encourage anyone interested to apply!

Additionally, please contact Keith (keithw@treetrust.org) if you have any questions, or check out the Young Adult Conservation Corps page of Tree Trust's website.

 

Impressions of 2011 – Young Adult Conservation Corps

Looking back on the year has made me realize how much the Young Adult Conservation Corps program (YACC) has changed, while keeping and building on the successes of the past. For the first time since 2006, all YACC staff and participants were together in one building. With the new building came a fantastic training room that we use every week to provide job training to our young adults. We welcomed two new crew leaders, Janessa and Nicole, to our staff, and have been fortified by the consistency and quality of our other staff:  Matt, Keith, Elliot, Laura, and Charlie. We made a few internal organizational changes to help with crew leader and participant support, and said farewell to Diana (a YACC supervisor) when she moved to Tree Trust’s Community Forestry Department.

 

Shoveling snow!

We implemented a new morning stretching routine to get the blood pumping, and as a program (staff and participants) did about 75,000 pushups. Early in the year, we battled everything Minnesota had to throw at us shoveling the 5^th snowiest winter on record. We completed many projects for local municipalities, with the crown jewel being an 1100 foot boardwalk at Westwood Hills Nature Center. Our crews mowed lawns at countless foreclosed homes in Minneapolis and weekly at five Hennepin County Libraries, and we helped maintain the Midtown Greenway Corridor. We persevered through the state government shutdown without having to stop any of our work, thanks in part to the diverse contracts we service.

Boardwalk in Progress

For all of the new in 2011, I’m still awed by what YACC does every year. Looking at the property maintained, construction projects completed, and the amount of tree work accomplished, I am astonished by the raw numbers. For example, the Westwood Hills boardwalk required our crews to move over 1 MILLION pounds of lumber…by hand…through the mud…at least ¼ mile one way!

YACC’s involvement with buckthorn eradication efforts on Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority property left a section of trail from Minnetonka to Chaska buckthorn free. To visualize the 2011 buckthorn removal quantity, imagine an area that has 60-75 football fields all together. Now go cut it down one buckthorn tree at a time, then haul each tree up a hill!

As amazing as these achievements are, what’s more amazing is that our young adult crews do this type of work day after day after day, learning new skills along the way, and realizing that to finish any project they have to work as a team to get the job done. Our staff is amazing, and the positive changes we see in the youth during their short stop here would not be possible without their dedication. To all who helped, participated, supported, and funded YACC in 2011, thank you. 

–Anders Oredson, Project Developer & Training Manager

Tree Trust removing buckthorn instead of snow

Buckthorn is an invasive species that was introduced to Minnesota in the mid-1800's. It was used as hedging material initially, but it was found to be very invasive. The incredibly mild winter that we have had so far has lessened the need for snow removal and allowed us to continue with one of our standard non-winter activities instead: buckthorn removal. So far this winter Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) Program and Landscape Services (LS) Department have put in a lot more time removing buckthorn than snow.

Thanks to Aaron Freng, Landscape Services' Project Foreman, for the following description of YACC's and LS's buckthorn removal:

YACC and LS are at it again--busting buckthorn in suburban Hennepin County along the HCRRA’s [Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority] Hopkins to Chaska and Dakota Trails! While some years we offer snow removal and ice management services…this year we are out defeating buckthorn. Our crews led by Elliot, Charles, Nicole, Laura, Janessa, Matt, and Sam have cut and chipped nearly two hundred cubic yards of buckthorn. These fierce men and women go at it every day with one of the most horrific and obnoxious non-native and invasive species that our state has in its soils!

The crew leaders and crew members are out cutting, dragging, and chipping into 1-ton dump trucks and hauling the chips in for bio-mass recycling at SKB Environmental in Minneapolis. The 200 yards of chips that our team has processed in the last month would actually fill two full size semi-trucks with wood chips!

Since 2011 was a year of weather extremes, finishing out December 2011 removing buckthorn instead of snow should come as no surprise. However, this is still Minnesota so we know the snow will come eventually and we'll all be pulling out the shovels. Until then... buckthorn be gone!

Tree Trust in North Minneapolis

On May 22nd, 2011, a tornado ripped through North Minneapolis taking two lives, injuring many, causing damage to homes and buildings, and tearing out trees. Since then, a variety of Tree Trust programs have worked in North Minneapolis to aid in tornado recovery. 

YouthBuild

In the immediate aftermath of the tornado, YouthBuild participants and staff members who lived in North Minneapolis were out in their community cleaning up debris and helping neighbors. These individuals live in North Minneapolis, and they also spend their days working there.

Our YouthBuild program rehabs and rebuilds homes and apartment buildings, primarily in North Minneapolis. This program typically only runs during the school year, but this summer, thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Helps - North Minneapolis Recovery Fund, YouthBuild was able to have a crew working in the tornado-affected area.

This program works with youth who are in school, but are at risk of not succeeding in education or employment. They learn construction skills and employment soft skills in their work rehabbing and rebuilding houses and apartment buildings. Since the tornado, participants have worked on tornado-damaged residences as well as rehabbed other buildings to increase the number of rentals available to those without housing as a result of the tornado.

North Minneapolis Reforest Project

Thousands of trees were lost in the tornado and our Community Forestry Department is doing its part to reforest North Minneapolis.

In the fall of 2011, thanks to a grant from State Farm Insurance, Tree Trust staff and volunteers distributed 202 trees to North Minneapolis residents to plant on private property. There were also five trees given to Nellie Stone Johnson Community School to plant on their grounds.

A number of North Minneapolis residents were unable to plant their own trees. We did not want that to stop them from participating in the program, so our Young Adult Conservation Corps, under the guidance of our Community Forestry Specialist, planted some trees for residents who could not plant them on their own.

Tree Trust has had a presence in North Minneapolis for many years. Our programs serve many disadvantaged youth and adults in that community and around the metro. Our Youth Conservation Corps, YouthBuild, and Young Adult Conservation Corps have completed many landscaping, construction, and home rehabbing projects in North Minneapolis. Community Forestry has brought our Learning with Trees program to a number schools in North Minneapolis neighborhoods over the years. Tornado recovery efforts are an extension of the services that Tree Trust already provides.

Winter Program Highlights

To an outsider, it appears that the slowest time of year at Tree Trust is the winter. Our Community Forestry department holds planting events in the spring and fall in order to work in ideal weather conditions for young trees, and our Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) works with participants in the summer since they are in school for the rest of the year. 

We may not have as many program participants and volunteers in the winter, but that does not mean that winter is slow for our staff. Those programs involve a lot of planning and evaluation throughout the rest of the year in order to improve them and provide participants and volunteers with the best possible experience.

Additionally, Tree Trust has many other programs that involve participants year-round. Highlights from some of those programs follow:

Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC)

• YACC's graduation ceremony was held on December 2nd; 13 young adults graduated from the program
• A new YACC cohort began on December 6th and will involve 16 young adults in on-the-job training in landscape and construction, as well as employment soft skills
• A new crew leader has also been hired, but has not yet begun work with Tree Trust

Youth Development Services (YDS)

• YDS has a new case manager; Sally Murphy started on November 14th
• Sally will be working with youth in Eden Prairie and Brooklyn Center High Schools to help youth with education, employment, and life skills

YouthBuild

• YouthBuild youth participants have been busy restoring and rehabbing homes and apartment buildings in North Minneapolis
• Participants are currently working to replace the roof of a home that was affected by the May 22nd tornado

All of our programs provide meaningful experiences for youth and adults, whether they are program participants or volunteers. No matter the season, there is never a dull day at Tree Trust. If you would like further information about any of our programs, please visit our website. For regular updates, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Young Adult Conservation Corps recruiting participants

Tree Trust’s Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) program is recruiting participants for its next session. The program is designed for low-income young adults, ages 18-21, and the upcoming session begins December 6th and lasts three months.

YACC crew building a boardwalk at Westwood Hills Nature Center

Participants are paid minimum wage to start. Their work consists of landscaping and construction work including parks improvement projects, year-round maintenance services along the Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority trail system, planting trees and shrubs, and mowing lawns and shoveling snow at foreclosed properties.

Additionally, there is an educational component to the program; participants spend four hours of their 39-hour work week in Tree Trust's classroom. They learn about topics such as: tool safety and operation, employment readiness (resumes, interview skills, etc.), and money management. They are also certified in First Aid and OSHA 10-hour safety.
 

You can find more information about the program here. If you have additional questions or need more information, please contact Keith Wyne at keithw@treetrust.org or 612-590-3655.

The start date is fast approaching and Tree Trust is excited to connect with enthusiastic applicants.

Youth graduate from job program

Graduates gather with Terry Egge of the Pohlad Family Foundation,
one of the Young Adult Conservation Corp program's funders.

At a youth recognition ceremony last Friday, 11 young adults were presented with certificates of achievement in honor of their personal growth and successful completion of Tree Trust’s Young Adult Conservation Corps program.

Open to youth ages 17 to 21, the Young Adult Conservation Corps program offers paid training and jobs to those who would otherwise have trouble finding work in this difficult economy. For many, this program is their first chance at experiencing success and provides a unique opportunity to reshape their lives.

This summer participants braved extreme heat and rainy days while working in teams to improve local parks, recreation areas and neighborhoods. Projects included building a large boardwalk in Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park, and performing lawn maintenance on foreclosed properties in Minneapolis, among many others.

In addition to gaining employment and life skills, participants completed OSHA’s 10-hour safety training, a certification they can take with them to their next job.

When asked about important things they are taking away from their participation in the program, one graduate said, “I learned to step up to the plate when I see something that’s not done.” Others listed better communication skills, a more positive attitude, self-confidence and patience among the things they gained from the program.

While most graduates returned to school this week or started longer-term jobs, several will continue for another three months in an advanced level of the program.

To apply for the program or learn more, contact Keith at 612-590-3655 or keithw@treetrust.org.

State shutdown affects Tree Trust

Youth Conservation Corps
More than 600 youth were scheduled to start their summer jobs with Tree Trust’s Youth Conservation Corps program in June. These youth expected to participate in a nine-week program that would provide them with job skills, wages, and an opportunity to earn high school credits.

However, this plan was interrupted when an agreement on the Minnesota state budget was not reached.

Funding from the state and federal government accounts for approximately 85 percent of what is needed to operate the Youth Conservation Corps program. The lack of an approved state budget, subsequent funding agreements, and the shutdown of several state offices forced Tree Trust to make some difficult decisions.

We have gone to great lengths to minimize expenses and stretch available funding in order to provide a valuable summer work experience for as many youth as possible, and to ensure the completion of critical projects for our partners.

The state government shutdown has negatively impacted 500 of our youth participants who reside in the City of Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin, Dakota and Washington Counties. Here is how youth from specific areas have been affected:

• In Hennepin County, 317 youth began working before June 29, but most of their jobs were suspended by July 8. An additional 38 youth were scheduled to begin in June, but their jobs were delayed. If a state budget and adequate funding is not approved by July 27, these positions will not resume this summer. (84 of the Hennepin County youth who began working will continue through the summer, unaffected by the shutdown.)
•  In Dakota County, 23 youth began working the week of June 20, but were suspended on June 27. An additional 108 jobs were scheduled to begin June 27, but were delayed. A state budget and adequate funding must be reached by July 20 for Dakota County youth to participate this summer.
• In Washington County, 48 youth began working the week of June 27, but will be suspended on July 15. If a state budget and adequate funding is not approved by July 27, these youth will not resume working for the duration of the summer.
• In Minneapolis, 48 youth began working the week of June 20. If a state budget and adequate funding is not approved by July 15, these positions will be discontinued on July 29 for the remainder of the summer.
• At this time, the jobs for 32 St. Paul youth who began working in June have not been affected.

Tree Trust is hopeful the state budget will be resolved soon, and we are communicating with key partners, funders and officials to stay abreast of the situation. Affected youth and their parents have been notified, and we will contact them if a budget is approved and funding becomes available in time to resume programming.

Additional Tree Trust Programs
Like many nonprofits, the state shutdown has temporarily suspended the operation of some of our critical partners, and interrupted access to some government funds that have already been committed to our organization.

Tree Trust has been developing plans to minimize the impact on our operations if the state fails to reach a budget agreement in the coming months.

We remain committed to the individuals and communities we serve, and will continue to creatively and strategically guide the organization through this difficult time.

We could not make this commitment without the dedicated volunteers and donors who help to support our work. We ask that you continue to support Tree Trust in any way you can.

Tree Trust's 2010 results

In 2010, we directly served 4,816 people through our programs. 67% of those served were under age 18, 56% were female, and 64% of participants in our employment training and case management programs represent ethnic minorities.

This past year we engaged 432 citizens who volunteered 1,454 hours with our Community Forestry program. These volunteers distributed 1,453 reduced-cost trees to homeowners, and planted 464 trees and 402 shrubs throughout the Twin Cities. An additional 21 ,volunteers provided 99 hours of administrative assistance.

Our Learning with Trees program involved 2,119 students in the creation of outdoor classrooms on the grounds of three Twin Cities elementary schools.

Our Community Support Program matched 816 parents with employment experiences at 169 host sites throughout the metro. 97% of participants who earned wages while participating reported they gained positive work experience and would recommend the program to others.

466 youth received individualized case management services and support through our Youth Development Services program; of these youth, 143 were also placed in internships. 82% of participants who exited the program in 2010 reported they have more confidence in their ability to find and keep a job as a result of being in the program.

Our summer Youth Conservation Corps program employed 889 youth who worked more than 90,000 hours and earned more than $700,000. 94% of participants who responded to surveys reported learning important skills that will help in future jobs.

87 youth completed community improvement projects while participating in our Young Adult Conservation Corps paid job training program. 92% who responded to exit surveys said their future employment opportunities were expanded; 84% said we helped them reach their employment goals.

Our YouthBuild program provided 37 young adults with paid job training and academic enrichment while they rehabbed three Minneapolis homes that will be sold to low-income first-time homebuyers. 100% of exited participants completed OSHA-10 safety training; 94% earned a high school diploma or GED, or returned to school to earn a diploma or GED.

Despite the struggling economy, Landscape Services, our earned-income venture, increased revenue from private sources significantly in 2010, proving to be a sustainable source of income to help to support our programs.

Life after summer

We often refer to the summer as our busy time of year; and no doubt it is a busy time for Tree Trust. But for many Tree Trust programs, fall marks the time when we take a deep breath and get ready for what we’re about to take on during the school year.

Community Forestry
Community Forestry has always been a part of Tree Trust, and over the years we’ve given people easy ways to improve the local environment and become more enlightened about their own ability to make a (green) difference.

This fall the Community Forestry Manager, Karen, is busy facilitating our fall planting events (five this year!), working with three Learning with Trees schools, and gearing up for what we expect will be another busy spring community planting season. “It’s always nice to think about how many people we’ve educated and involved, and the difference it makes for everyone,” says Karen.

Weeding Wednesdays - pull weeds to save trees along the Midtown Greenway

While our Young Adult Conservation Corps crews work hard to mow the grass and water the trees along the Midtown Greenway, we need more hands to dig in and pull the massive weeds that bully the trees by stealing their nutrients and their lunch money.

That's where you come in. You can help us get a handle on the weeds along the Greenway by volunteering to pull them out of the ground on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. We'll be at different locations each Wednesday, so keep an eye on our schedule of upcoming events to find out where you can join us. Or, if you'd rather look at a map than a calendar, you can take a look at our Google map of Weeding Wednesdays.

When you find a Weeding Wednesday you'd like to join, just email jessicas@treetrust.org or call Jessica at 651-644-5800 to sign up.

Building projects for a better outdoors

To find Tree Trust at work in your community, just step out of the house. Take a walk in the park to see a crew of eight youth constructing a much-needed staircase. Visit your local library to see one of our job trainees stocking shelves. Take a ride in Minneapolis to see a crew building a house for a low-income family.

Tree Trust’s employment training programs blend lives and landscapes together, and the concoction we create benefits the entire community in so many ways.

Young people overcome obstacles in their lives, experience success and develop pride in their abilities. Local businesses, nonprofits and community-serving agencies get to draw from an experienced workforce of young people who already know the basics, from the importance of getting to work on time to the value of a strong work ethic. And our parks and recreation areas get a facelift with real environmental benefits.

Celebrating Young Adult Conservation Corps Graduates

"I don't even know how to plant a tree," said Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein to a group of Tree Trust Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) graduates. "These are going to be skills you guys are using for the rest of your life."

On Friday, August 14, Tree Trust celebrated the graduation of 10 YACC participants with a ceremony and picnic at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis. Hennepin County Commissioners Mark Stenglein and Peter McLaughlin as well as Tree Trust staff showed their support for the graduates' accomplishments and enjoyed lunch compliments of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers.