Please visit our new website and blog!

Be sure to check out TreeTrust's recently redesigned website at www.TreeTrust.org! The new website features tons of helpful information about our job opportunities, who we partner with, what kind of work we do, and how you can get more involved.

The Tree Trust blog will continue to be updated frequently on the new website. Check it out today, and bookmark it for the future!

Shutdown ends. Summer program resumes.

Three critical things happened this week: a state budget was approved, the government shutdown ended, and we were notified of funding awards for our summer Youth Conservation Corps program. As a result, we have been able to resume most of the summer programming that had been suspended or delayed during the government budget crisis.

We are pleased to have the majority of our youth participants back to work. However we are disappointed by the negative effects of the state budget impasse on the youth we serve. For the hundreds of young people whose jobs were temporarily suspended or cancelled entirely, they lost wages, the opportunity to have a work and character-building experience, and a chance to engage in something positive in their own communities.

We invite you to stop by the remaining work sites at Twin Cities parks and tell our summer crews what their hard work means to your community. For a list of current locations, please contact Tracie at 952.767.3881 or tracieh@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.

State budget crisis delays summer program

On June 20, more than 450 youth started their summer jobs with Tree Trust’s Youth Conservation Corps program. However, the lack of an approved state budget and subsequent funding for this program caused the suspension of 270 jobs and the delay of 135 additional youth jobs that were scheduled to start within the next two weeks.

Those affected reside in suburban Hennepin and Dakota Counties.

At this time Tree Trust cannot predict when these youth will begin or resume work, since positions are dependent upon the state’s budget. Funding from state and federal government accounts for more than 85 percent of what is needed to operate the Youth Conservation Corps program.

Tree Trust is hopeful the state budget will be resolved soon, and that the program will run at the level intended for the 2011 summer. Tree Trust is committed to the youth and communities served by this program, and is communicating with key partners, funders and officials to stay abreast of the situation.

Affected youth and their parents have been notified, and will be contacted about their participation in the program as soon as the state’s budget crisis is resolved and Tree Trust receives word of funding for this program.

Please contact Felecia at 952.767.3884 or Paula at 952.767.3883 with questions.

Jobs for teens

This year Tree Trust received over 2,200 applications from qualified, eligible young people for the 900 jobs available through our Youth Conservation Corps summer employment training program. A tough economy has led to a consistent increase in requests for this program in recent years.

Northwest Community Television (Channel 12) was pretty impressed with how Tree Trust has remained a consistent source of paid job training for Twin Cities youth for nearly 35 years, and they recently visited one of our crews, located at French Regional Park in Plymouth, to learn more about us.

Check out the story that aired on July 20, 2010 on their Local News/Community Corner.

Youth hard at work in May Township, MN

Last month we announced the start of our 2010 summer Youth Conservation Corps program. Nearly 900 youth are hard at work in the Twin Cities. Many of them are working outside - rain or shine - to improve the parks and recreation areas we love to visit when Mother Nature permits.

And local media are taking notice! Check out what the Stillwater Gazette - St. Croix Valley Local News had to say on June 21 and again on June 29 about our crew in Square Lake Regional Park , located in May Township, MN (Washington County). These young people are really making a difference!

Season Two: Twin Cities urban forest versus the Emerald Ash Borer

Tree Trust's very own Community Forestry Manager, Karen Zumach, wrote a great article for The Twin Cities Daily Planet about emerald ash borer in the Twin Cities. She offers some great tips for what we can do to prevent the spread of this invasive insect (hint: one tip involves firewood and, you know, not moving it!). Read the article to learn more.

Despite our best efforts to contain the pest, the fact remains that trees will be lost. You can help us reduce the impact of EAB by planting tomorrow's trees today. Check out our Green Futures page to learn more.

Golden Valley CityNews - Tree Trust projects help both youth and community

The City of Golden Valley's newsletter highlights a Tree Trust Youth Conservation Corps crew building a retaining wall in their city and details the history of our 30-year relationship.

Read the newsletter (we're on page 13).

Star Tribune - Building them up on the job

The Star Tribune features a Youth Conservation Corps crew working at Groveland Park in Inver Grove Heights and explains how the federal stimulus funds are helping us reach more youth.

Read the story.

Eden Prairie Sun-Current - Tree Trust crew at work on Eden Prairie retaining wall

The Eden Prairie Sun-Current checks in on a Youth Conservation Corps crew building a retaining wall in Eden Prairie.

Read the story.

Stillwater Gazette - Tree Trust landscaping program employs low-income, special needs and at-risk youth

The Stillwater Gazette features a Youth Conservation Corps crew working at Big Marine Regional Park in Marine on St. Croix.

Read the story.

Kids do some dirty work

The Mankato Free Press reports on an all-school planting day at Washington Elementary in May 2009.

Read the story.