What We're Thankful For

Tree Trust has a lot to be thankful for this year and in the spirit of Thanksgiving we would like to reflect on some of the things that make us thankful for being a part of this great organization.

• We had five successful Learning with Trees events this year. Besides the events being fun, it also gives us an opportunity to see budding environmental stewards as children help to improve the landscape at their schools by planting trees!

• With the help of volunteers we recently planted trees in North Minneapolis, Eden Prairie, and Fridley. Volunteer participation allows us to have these events, and also gives people an opportunity to work alongside their neighbors while bettering their community.

• In September we snagged some media attention when we teamed up with Jason Mraz, KS95, and Reverb for a planting event. The publicity was great and only helps to raise awareness of the importance of our work.

• Last but not least on our list of things that we're thankful for this fall, we are thankful for being one of four finalists for the Toro Grant Initiative "Green Spaces Make Better Places," which makes us eligible to win a $7,000 grant. You can help us win that grant by voting here.

Before you go out shopping on Black Friday remember that dedicating a Green Futures tree to someone makes a great Christmas gift! We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.

Tree Trust replaces trees lost in North Minneapolis tornado

Tree Trust replaces trees lost in North Minneapolis tornado

Beginning September 1, we will offer 300 trees to homeowners in North Minneapolis who lost trees on their property during the May 22, 2011 tornado. This project, part of our North Minneapolis Reforest Project, is funded by grants from State Farm Insurance and Xcel Energy Foundation, and an in-kind donation from Bachman’s Nursery. Other project partners include the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Homeowners in the area affected by the tornado will have the opportunity to obtain up to two trees per property. Trees may be purchased for $20 each, or homeowners may attend a free, one-hour workshop on proper tree planting and tree care to have the fees waived. Tree Trust will offer three separate workshops in late September. Those who wish to attend a workshop must indicate this at the time of order.

Four species of trees will be available for order. Varieties available are: Prairiefire crabapple, Autumn Brilliance serviceberry, Northern hackberry and Royal Star Magnolia.

Orders will be accepted online (www.treetrust.org/orderhere) and by mail from September 1 through September 15 at 5:00 p.m. Mailed or hand-delivered orders must be received by 5:00 p.m. on September 15 at Tree Trust (2231 Edgewood Avenue South, St. Louis Park, MN 55426). Starting September 1, paper order forms can be printed from the website or picked up at Farview Park (621 29th Avenue North) and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board headquarters (2117 West River Road) during their normal business hours.

PLEASE NOTE: The ordering website will only be accessible from September 1 through September 15.

Tree pick up will take place on Sunday, October 2 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Monday, October 3 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board headquarters (2117 West River Road). Trees must be claimed during the pick up or the purchaser will forfeit the tree and money paid. If the purchaser is unable to pick up the tree they are encouraged to make arrangements to have someone else pick up their tree on their behalf. There will be NO REFUNDS for trees that die.

Volunteers will be available at the pick-up location to help load tree(s) and a complimentary bag(s) of mulch. Tree Trust will plant a limited number of trees for those unable to plant their tree. These trees will be planted by Tree Trust staff and trained volunteers during a planting day in early October. Those interested in having their trees planted must indicate this at the time of order.

You can help further our efforts to replace more trees in North Minneapolis by volunteering with us and/or making a tax-deductible donation. (Designate your gift to “Trees for City of Minneapolis”).

For questions about the project, contact Diana Preisen, Community Forest Specialist at Tree Trust, dianap@treetrust.org or 612-590-1421.

Minneapolis City Trees distribution details

Here are the details for the Minneapolis property owners who were lucky enough to score one of the 1500 trees for sale through the Minneapolis City Trees sale.

Pick-up times:
Saturday, May 21
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 22
8 a.m. – noon

Monday, May 23
3 – 7 p.m.

Location:
Minneapolis Impound Lot
51 Colfax Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55405

You will forfeit your tree and the money you paid for it, should you not be able to pick up your trees on the dates specified. You can certainly make arrangements for someone else to pick up your tree, should you be unavailable. If you wish to pick out the tree you believe is the best of the bunch, trees are first come first serve; we do not hold trees for individuals.

Trees will be anywhere from 4-8’ tall.  All of these trees are containerized (in a plastic pot). Burlap will be provided for wrapping your tree to protect it on the way home.

For more information on planting your tree, click here. Planting and tree care information as well as species specific information will be provided for you when you pick-up your tree. 

We are still in need of volunteers for this event. You can help re-leaf the city by loading residents' new trees and bags of mulch into their vehicles at our upcoming tree distribution. This is a great event for individuals, families, and small groups. Lifting is required, but partnering up makes it easy. Tree Trust staff will provide a brief training and be present throughout the day to answer any questions. To register to volunteer or to learn more email amandag@treetrust.org or call 952-767-3882.

Happy Earth Day!

Friday, April 22 is Earth Day, a day that inspires and mobilizes people around the world to to protect and preserve the Earth’s natural environment.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Earth Day is every day!” And that’s especially true at Tree Trust.

Every day, for 35 years, we have worked in partnership with youth and adults to improve the local environment and transform their lives. We still do this today, because we believe there is a need — now more than ever — to connect people with one another and the natural world.

As we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we’re proud of our impact on the Twin Cities.

We’ve involved 13,000 volunteers in the planting and distribution of 76,000 trees and 380,000 seedlings, shrubs and plants.

We’ve educated 105,000 students on the importance of protecting and preserving the environment.

We’ve helped 42,000 youth and adults gain job skills and self-confidence while leaving a lasting, positive impact in their own communities.

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day? How about getting involved with us? Volunteer to plant trees this spring or make a donation to support our work.

In observance of Earth Day, we hope you'll come together around our common environmental cause: trees for the Twin Cities. Whether you volunteer, donate, or spread the word, your support makes our community that much greener.

Tree Trust volunteer wins award

Giampaolo Malin was selected as a HandsOn Twin Cities "Be the Change" award winner for his enviromental work in 2010. Because Giampaolo was selected for this award, Tree Trust recieved a $250 donation in his honor. Governor Mark Dayton presented the award to Giampaolo at the Mall of America on Saturday, Feb. 19. Governor Dayton recognized four exemplary volunteers by presenting HandsOn Twin Cities' Be the Change Awards, which honor individuals who have dedicated themselves to bettering their communities.

In 2010 and 2009, Giampaolo gave more of his time to Tree Trust than any other volunteer. He volunteered at nearly every Community Forestry event in 2010, from serving as a Tree Trainer at plantings to attending Weeding Wednesdays. He has an inspiring commitment to the environment and to an overall ethic of civic responsibility, and we at Tree Trust are so grateful for his hard work and dedication.

Read more about Giampaolo.

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.

Green Futures for Inver Grove Heights

On Saturday, October 16, Tree Trust gave 46 community volunteers the tools and training they needed to plant 80 trees in Inver Grove Height’s Rich Valley Athletic Complex as part of Tree Trust’s Green Futures initiative. Mayor George Tourville was present to thank volunteers and educate attendees about Inver Grove Heights’ forestry efforts.

Rich Valley Athletic Complex, a 75-acre park, serves as a major sports complex for Inver Grove Height’s 30,000 residents. Of the park's 700 trees, 100 are ash trees that are threatened by the recent arrival of emerald ash borer to the Twin Cities metro area. This planting pre-forested the park and prevented the loss of shade, wind breaks and other benefits trees bring to the park. Trees planted included Kentucky coffee, hackberry, gingko, red maple and more.

View photos from the planting on Flickr.

Beautifying north Minneapolis

More than 40 volunteers came together to beautify their corner of north Minneapolis on Tuesday and Wednesday Oct. 12 – 13. These volunteers planted more than 430 shrubs and perennials along the new parking lot of St. Anne’s and St. Joseph Hien church. Twenty school children from Bright Water Montessori School also gave a hand by planting wild grasses and watering freshly planted trees and plants.

What was once a row of run-down, crime-infested homes, is now a newly-beautified parking lot that will serve the parishioners of St. Anne’s and St. Joseph Hien for years to come. Thanks to the Pohlad Family Foundation for helping to fund this project.

View more photos from the planting.

Tree Trust and Xcel Energy Foundation improve Burnsville park

On Saturday, Oct. 9, Tree Trust gave 20 community volunteers the tools and training they needed to plant 38 trees in Burnsville’s Rudy Kraemer Nature Preserve. Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz attended the planting to support volunteers and teach them about the Rudy Kraemer Nature Preserve.

Rudy Kraemer Nature Preserve is a 75-acre park that offers a walking trail for Burnsville’s 60,000 residents. It had been a goal of the city’s to line the walking path with trees and thanks to a grant from the Xcel Energy Foundation the goal was finally realized. The grant from the Xcel Energy Foundation was awarded to Tree Trust’s Community Forestry program. Trees planted included Swamp White Oak, disease resistant elm, River Birch, hackberry and Bur Oak.

View photos from this planting on Flickr.

Revitalizing Anoka County’s Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park

On Saturday, September 25, Tree Trust gave 20 community volunteers the tools and training they needed to plant 30 trees in Anoka County’s Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.

Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park is one of Anoka County’s most popular parks, offering year-round recreation activities. Like others throughout Minnesota, this 446-acre park has lost a number of trees over the years to Dutch elm disease.

Thanks to a $5,000 grant from Connexus Energy that was awarded to Tree Trust’s Community Forestry program, the community planting event on September 25 helped replace lost trees and revitalize the park. Trees planted in Anoka County’s Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park included hackberry, bur oak, American basswood, Kentucky coffee and autumn blaze maple.

Learning with Trees

Last Friday, more than 620 students helped to plant 25 trees and shrubs, plant 100 bulbs and beautify the gardens at Meadowbrook Elementary through the Learning with Trees program. CenterPoint Energy funded this planting and its employees took an active role helping Meadowbrook Elementary students improve their natural environment.

“We are proud of our long standing partnership with Tree Trust,” said Doug Peterson, director of marketing for CenterPoint Energy and Tree Trust board member. “We are pleased that Meadowbrook Elementary has a new and beautiful outdoor landscape for students and teachers to enjoy while improving our communities’ natural environment.”

Joelle, a member of the Green Team at Meadowbrook Elementary wrote:
“Tree Trust is such an impressive machine with this program -- what an opportunity to have every single kid in the school having a part in planting a tree.

I heard lots of wonderful comments from students (e.g. the 2nd grader who promised he'd take good care of "Hacky" -- what they named the hackberry tree they planted, the 3rd grader who talked about bringing his parents back to see his tree, etc.), the parents who couldn't believe all wonderful varieties that we planted today. We all learned lots from the knowledgeable Tree Trust staff and volunteers!"

 Thank you to the CenterPoint Energy and Tree Trust volunteers who helped make this happen!

To Plant a Tree

This insightful poem was written by one of our wonderful volunteers, Jim Nelson. He shared this with a group of tree planting volunteers during our special “Plant a Wish” event along the Midtown Greenway on June 2, 2010.

Jim is a Master Gardener, Tree Care Advisor, Tree Inspector, and friend of Tree Trust. With Jim’s permission, we share this with the rest of you.

To Plant a Tree

To plant a tree is to begin a project
that may outlive me and my children.

To plant a tree is to make a small part of the earth
a new and better place.

To plant a tree whose crown may never shade me
is to care for neighbors and others.

To plant a tree is to give color and form
to dreams of a better world for all.

Twin Cities recognized for volunteerism

The Twin Cities has a lot to be proud of. We’re famous for our abundance of lakes. I’m pretty sure no other state makes as mean a hot dish as we do. We were recently named the Best Bike City by Bicycling magazine. And last month Minneapolis and St. Paul were ranked among the top five large cities in the U.S. for volunteering rates!

The most recent Volunteering in America report issued by the Corporation for National & Community Service shows that volunteering is on the rise throughout the nation. This is great news! In 2009 more than 63 million Americans volunteered – that’s an increase of almost 1.6 million over the previous year. Their volunteer service was valued at more than $169 billion, resulting in huge savings for nonprofits.

In 2009, over 500 volunteers joined Tree Trust to plant trees, maintain trails and make our community greener. This year, even more people are getting involved.

Want to join the millions of Americans who give back to their communities? Find out how you can make a difference by volunteering with Tree Trust!

Green Futures spring planting season a success!

On June 5, Tree Trust wrapped up a successful spring of Green Futures plantings. St. Paul received 60 new, properly planted trees in Cherokee Park, where a large percentage of the mature trees are ash and will likely succumb to emerald ash borer - a destructive, wood-boring beetle - in the not-too-distant future. And Minnetrista will reap the benefits of 120 new trees in the City's brand new and no-longer-barren Lisle Park.

This year, our spring Green Futures plantings were especially meaningful for Tree Trust. Our dear friend and CEO, Dave Hawes, passed away in February after a battle with cancer, and the majority of the trees we planted in Minnetrista and St. Paul were donated in his memory. Many of his family were there to help plant the trees; his daughter even shared some memories of her father's life-long commitment to forestry and to Tree Trust. We're proud to have been able to honor him in this special, meaningful way.

Green Futures for Cherokee Park!

50 volunteers got together on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at St. Paul's Cherokee Park to plant 60 trees as part of Tree Trust's Green Futures initiative.

A little light drizzle didn't spoil a thing: families, couples, and individuals worked together to get trees in the ground the right way. These new trees are off to a great start, ready to take the place of the mighty ash trees when they succumb to emerald ash borer.

This event was especially meaningful for Tree Trust because all the trees were planted in memory of our CEO, David Hawes, who passed away in February after a battle with cancer. Dave's family joined other volunteers to plant in honor of his lifelong love of trees and commitment to transforming lives and landscapes during his 30+ years at Tree Trust.

Thanks so much to:

• The volunteers and donors who made this event possible
• Our trusty trainers for teaching everyone how to plant correctly
• The City of St. Paul for applying for a Green Futures grant and working to get more trees in the parks
• Amore Coffee for donating the coffee 
• Mississippi Market for donating a gift card to buy snacks for our volunteers
• Our Landscape Services team for providing event support
• Our Community Forestry Manager, Karen Zumach, for creating the landscape plan and facilitating the event

This is the last Green Futures planting for the spring, but we're currently accepting donations for plantings in the fall. If someone has a birthday coming up, a new baby is coming into the world, a friend is getting married or having an anniversary, or someone close to you just really loves trees, think about making a donation in their honor!

Check out more photos from the event in this Flickr set.

Press Release: Green Futures for Minnetrista's Lisle Park

For immediate release: Green Futures for Minnetrista's Lisle Park

Minnetrista, MN - June 4, 2010 - On Saturday, May 22, 2010, Tree Trust staff gathered over 70 community volunteers to plant 120 trees in Minnetrista's Lisle Park as part of Tree Trust's Green Futures initiative. Severe weather rolled in halfway through the event and curtailed the planting, but Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps finished the job the following Monday.

The planting began with a brief program recognizing the donations to Tree Trust's Green Futures initiative that made the event possible. Many trees were donated in memory of Tree Trust's CEO David Hawes, who passed away in February after a battle with cancer, and his family said a few words about his life-long commitment to Tree Trust and passion for trees.

A workshop followed to teach all volunteers how to plant trees the right way. Trees planted included red maple, Japanese tree lilac, red splendor crabapple, hackberry, basswood, thornless honey locust, black hills spruce and quaking aspen.

After about half the trees were planted, flickers of lightning appeared in the distance and rain started to fall. Many volunteers took shelter in their vehicles to wait out the unsafe weather, but the storm refused to pass. On Monday, a crew of Tree Trust Young Adult Conservation Corps job-trainees worked at the park to plant the remaining trees.

Lisle Park, a 15.5-acre city park on the south side of the Hunters Crest neighborhood, was chosen as a Green Futures planting site through a competitive proposal process. The City of Minnetrista submitted an application to Tree Trust that demonstrated the financial and environmental need for trees in Lisle Park and the City's commitment to ensuring the trees' long-term survival.

This Tree Trust - Green Futures planting was made possible by individual donations, a matching grant from a local family foundation, and a contribution from Cargill, Inc. - BiOH ®polyols division. For additional information or to get involved with Tree Trust's Green Futures, contact Tracie Huhn, Director of Development and Marketing, at tracieh@treetrust.org or 651-644-5800.


Tree Trust is a Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 to provide out-of-work individuals with training and paid jobs reforesting the community. They have since expanded to provide integrated employment training, environmental education and community forestry programs to youth and adults in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.

The City of Minnetrista is located on the western bays of Lake Minnetonka and the agricultural rich plains and idyllic woodlands of southwestern Hennepin County. The name Minnetrista is derived from the Native American word "minne" meaning waters, and "trista" meaning crooked. The 32 square miles is home to 6,234 residents who enjoy the rural residential and lakeside settings. Whether you're just passing through, or spending some time at one of the enchanting area parks, you will be welcomed in Minnetrista!

Plant A Wish and some trees June 2

We hope you'll join us on June 2 at 5:00 PM to plant a wish along with 15-20 native trees on the Midtown Greenway, just east of Hiawatha Ave. and the Martin Olav Sabo bridge (near the intersection of Minnehaha Ave. & E. 29th St.). While we're planting, the lovely folks from Plant A Wish will film us for their nation-wide tree-planting documentary film project.

We are looking for at least 100 people to join us for this special event. Adults, kids, families and groups are welcome. Everyone is welcome to plant a wish; you'll write your wish on a bit of brown grocery bag and put it in the ground with a tree when it's being planted.

We have a limited number of spots (40-50) available for people who want to actually plant the trees, so please respond quickly if you're hoping to do the dirty work.

And we could especially use the help of our Tree Trainers. If you've taken our Tree Training in the last few years and are available to lead and supervise volunteers at this special event, please let us know.

Please RSVP to tracieh@treetrust.org and let us know if you are interested in planting, wishing or both!*

Check out the press release for this event to learn more about the partnership. You can also check out Plant A Wish on Facebook (and check out Tree Trust, too, while you're at it) and at their website.

*This event will be filmed. Attendees may appear in the documentary and promotional materials.

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.

Welcoming our new Tree Trainers

With the help of two veteran volunteers, Tree Trust staff initiated a new group of 11 volunteers into the ranks of Tree Trainers this past Saturday. These dedicated volunteers learned the ins and outs of proper tree-planting, from digging down to the root flare and waking up the roots to mulching donut-style (not volcano-style). Then they got some hands-on practice leading each other through the process and planting 14 trees along the Midtown Greenway just east of Hiawatha in Minneapolis.

These and other Tree Trainers will be on hand at our planting events throughout the year to supervise volunteers and make sure everything gets in the ground correctly. That means that when you volunteer at one of our plantings, you leave behind a bunch of trees that are off to a great start in life, and you take with you the knowledge to plant trees correctly in the future.

You can learn more about planting trees correctly from our flier, aptly titled "Plant a Tree the Right Way." And we hope you'll join us at one of our events this spring, like our Green Futures planting at Lisle Park in Minnetrista, where we'll be planting 120 trees the right way. See all of our upcoming events and register for something today!

Check out more photos of the event on Flickr.

Celebrate Earth Day's birthday with trees for the Twin Cities

April 22, 2010 will be the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, started in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as a grassroots movement to raise awareness about the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been working on separate environmental issues - from pollution and oil spills to the extinction of wildlife - came together around a common cause and began the modern environmental movement.

In celebration of Earth Day's birthday, we hope you'll come together around our common environmental cause: trees for the Twin Cities. Whether you volunteer, donate, or spread the word, your support makes our community that much greener.

Here's what we're doing to help the environment this spring, along with tips for how you can help.