Weeding Wednesdays!

Do you ever use the Midtown Greenway? Do you love trees? Would you like to join us for Weeding Wednesday on the Midtown Greenway?

Tonight is our second Weeding Wednesday of the summer! This weekly event is where volunteers help maintain the health and beauty of the tree plantings along the Greenway bike trail in Minneapolis by pulling weeds that might otherwise compete with our tree friends. Receive instant gratification AND bragging rights in beautifying the most heavily used bike trail in the state!

If you aren't able to make it tonight, not to worry! Throughout the summer, on Wednesday nights, we will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at varying locations along the Greenway in Minneapolis. Gloves, snacks and water will be provided. So come out and enjoy these summer nights beautifying our trails with other Greenway users and tree lovers!

Tonight's event will be located just east of Hiawatha Avenue. Learn more and sign up here.

See you out on the Greenway!

FREE E-cycling Initiative to Benefit Tree Trust

OceanTech, an organization dedicated to providing environmentally responsible electronics recycling, is offering its 3^rd Annual Educators’ E-cycling Initiative from now until November 1, 2012. For every pound of e-waste collected by schools during this time, OceanTech will donate one cent to Tree Trust!

Electronics that are not properly recycled can release damaging chemicals into our environment, harming plants, animals, and people. OceanTech reuses collected items when possible, and works with a variety of recyclers to recycle all possible components following EPA and Hennepin County guidelines.

In addition to the great benefits to the environment that their work already has, OceanTech wants to support our community environment with every pound of electronics that they collect from area schools. Last year OceanTech collected more than 200,000 pounds of used electronics from schools across Minnesota. This year the goal is to bring in 500,000 pounds, which would raise enough for Tree Trust to hold a community planting in the metro area!

OceanTech has specific methods they prefer to have used for preparation and transportation of items. In some cases there may be fees assessed for logistics and loading. Contact Josh Heath at OceanTech with questions or for more information.

Please help us recycle used electronics for FREE and benefit our Twin Cities community in the process!

Summer Youth Employment Program Session Starts

YCC crews building a boardwalk

IP youth at job site

The Summer Youth Employment Program will employ 604 youth, many of whom will begin work on Monday, June 18. Half of youth involved in the program are part of the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and each youth is part of an 8-person crew that works 2-3 days per week. Crews are assigned to one of 19 job sites in Dakota, Hennepin, or Washington Counties, or in Minneapolis and Saint Paul parks. From 8am to 4pm crews work as a team to complete trail maintenance work, construct timber walls and stairs, install pavers, and construct retaining walls, and assorted other environmental improvement projects, all while earning wages.

The other half of youth participating in the program are placed in businesses, nonprofits, schools, libraries, and governmental agencies in Hennepin and Dakota Counties. Through these Individual Placements youth gain skills in retail, customer service, childcare, custodial, administrative, and assorted other types of work.

Not only do youth in both parts of the program gain transferable skills to take with them to future jobs, but the community benefits too. Residents near the job sites see improvements in their parks and recreation areas. Businesses also benefit through the assistance of young people who are eager to work.

Youth employed by the Summer Youth Employment Program are 14-21 years old and must meet eligibility requirements. Learn more about the program here. Applications were due in early April and youth were selected for positions by lottery in May. Over 1,130 applications were received with 53% of youth receiving jobs.

YCC began in 1976 and is Tree Trust's longest-standing program. It continues to serve young people across the Twin Cities to better prepare our youth for future careers.

YouthBuild Graduation

Eighteen members of  Tree Trust’s YouthBuild program graduated Thursday, May 31 after spending nine months furthering their education  and learning the basics of the construction trade. Many participants graduated with honors.

The YouthBuild program provides hands-on construction training to economically disadvantaged students (age 17-21) who are at risk of dropping out of school. Participants of the program attend alternative high schools while working in order to complete their high school diploma or GED.

2012 YouthBuild graduates

Construction skills learned by YouthBuilders include demolition; framing; painting; repairing foundations, garages and roofs; and installing insulation, windows, doors and cabinets. Participants also complete OSHA 10 Hour Construction Safety training. 

In addition to continuing their education and learning construction skills, graduates developed leadership skills and participated in their communities.

Many graduates are going on to further education or employment following their graduation. Some graduates will participate in this summer's advanced crew, which will be a crew of five participants. They begin work on June 18. Partcipants will build on the knowledge and skills they already have by learning more advanced techniques and completing more difficult projects.