Employment roundtable led by Congressman Ellison

Tree Trust will hold a youth job training roundtable on Friday, October 21 which will be led by Congressman Keith Ellison. Ellison represents the 5th district of Minnesota, which includes Minneapolis and 11 surrounding cities.

Tree Trust's Vice President of Programming Norm Champ will serve as host for the event, which will run from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM. The roundtable will be attended by a number of organizations that provide employment services, including HIRED, Resource, Inc., YouthLink,  Project for Pride in Living, and others. The event has a closed attendance policy and all attendees were required to RSVP.

The roundtable's agenda includes discussion of the Put America to Work Act and the Emergency Jobs Act Now. Participating employment organizations are on the front lines of the employment crisis, and Ellison is interested in feedback regarding the challenges that they are facing in placing low-, middle-, and high-skilled labor in the current economy.

There will also be discussion of racial disparities in unemployment rates, which is currently particularly relevant for the Twin Cities. The Economic Policy Institute recently released a study showing that the Minneapolis metropolitan area has the largest disparity in employment based on race among the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas. The area's black population is nearly three times more likely to be unemployed than the white population.

The fragility of the economy will also be addressed, as well as nationwide data on challenges to employment.

Trees planted in N. Mpls & around the metro

It has been a busy fall for Tree Trust's Community Forestry Department. On October 2nd and 3rd staff and 22 volunteers distributed 207 trees to homeowners in North Minneapolis who lost trees in the May 22, 2011 tornado. This distribution was a part of our North Minneapolis Reforest Project (NMRF), which was supported by grants from State Farm Insurance, the Xcel Energy Foundation, and an in-kind donation from Bachman's Nursery.

Tree varieties included Prairiefire Crabapple, Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, Northern Hackberry, and Royal Star Magnolia.

Our Young Adult Conservation Corps program was also involved in the North Minneapolis Reforest Project. On October 11th they planted trees for individuals who participated in NMRF but were unable to plant their own trees.

On October 6th, Tree Trust's Community Forestry Manager, Karen Zumach, was awarded the President's Award from the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture (MSA) for her many contributions to community forestry in the Twin Cities. Tree Trust also received the Practitioner's Award of Excellence from MSA for its innovative planting projects with the City of St Louis Park.

Tree Trust had a Green Futures tree planting at Marsh Lake Park in Bloomington on October 8th. We had beautiful weather and were able to involve 33 volunteers in the planting of 44 trees. Varieties included Boulevard Linden, Valley Forge Elm, Swamp White Oak, Prairiefire Crabapple, Autumn Blaze Maple, and Quaking Aspen.

We have one more Green Futures planting this fall on Saturday, October 15th at Musser Park in Sunfish Lake. Sign up to volunteer here, or contact Felecia Schmidt at felecias@treetrust.org or 952-767-3884 for more information.

Tree Trust's last Community Forestry event of the fall will be a Learning with Trees planting on October 17th at Hilltop Primary School in Minnetrista. The Learning with Trees program helps schools around the state build outdoor learning areas on school grounds that include trees, shrubs, and benches. Groups of students are led by Tree Trust staff and volunteers, and every student has the opportunity to be involved in planting a tree.

For more information about our Community Forestry programs, contact Diana Preisen at dianap@treetrust.org or 612-590-1421.

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.