Canopy Connections - Fall 2023

CANOPY CONNECTIONS

Fall 2023

Growing Through Partnerships

By Jared Smith, Executive Director & CEO

Welcome to our rebranded “insider” newsletter. There is so much great information to share with our most important stakeholders – information you may not find in our blog or social media posts – that we are expanding and renaming our quarterly newsletter. I hope you’ll find it informative and inspirational. You are partners in our work, and we wouldn’t be here without you.

In August we wrapped up our 46 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). I had the pleasure of visiting many of our SYEP

sites, where I observed the impact of these partnerships in the lives of youth. SYEP participants, aged 14-21, learned practical skills while making our community greener and healthier by completing landscaping and construction projects. At the Red Oak Disc Golf Course in Burnsville, the youth proudly showed me how they had used construction math and building skills to build benches for disc golf players to rest while moving through the game. The crew also mulched the landings and performed vegetation management along the trails. If you are a disc golfer, check out the course and know your generosity helped enhance the course for many to enjoy.

In addition to the great work our program staff did with the youth, the Tree Trust leadership team spent intentional time and energy planning for the future. The leadership team gathered for two days to review current successes and challenges, lay out a plan for continued growth, and learn new tools and strategies to roll out across the organization.

Thank you for your loyal partnership and support. Read on to hear how your generosity is transforminglivesandlandscapes.

Dakota County Workforce Development staff joined Tree Trust staff and Summer Crew at Red Oak Park in Burnsville.

Summer Youth Employment Program Celebrates Achievements

Tree Trust crew members and their families celebrated the conclusion of the nine-week program with a gathering at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, one of our SYEP sites this year. During the event, former Minneapolis Chief of Police, Medaria Arradondo, encouraged the participants to continue applying the lessons they learned during the summer. Awards were presented to several of the youth. Special awards honoring the values of our founders Donald Willeke and Rolf Svendsen were among those presented.

Read on to learn about the two exceptional young people who won these awards.

Donald C. Willeke Founder’s Award for Outstanding Personal Growth

Justin V. received the Donald C. Willeke Founder’s Award for Outstanding Personal Growth. Justin worked at Swede Hollow Park in Saint Paul this summer. A unique green space with a rich history, Swede Hollow is enjoyed by residents and visitors looking for a green escape in an urban setting. The city approved a Master Plan for improving the park in September 2019, and it has been a project site for Tree Trust for the past few years. Justin’s crew created walking paths by clearing overgrown vegetation, constructing retaining walls, and spreading mulch to prevent erosion.

During the first few weeks of the summer, Justin worked to adapt his behavior and communicate effectively in a new environment. He felt anxious about being accepted by his fellow crew members and almost quit the first week. But Justin persevered.

He was always curious to understand the “why?” when he received constructive feedback and asked his crew leader how he could take initiative when he faced challenges. This led to fruitful discussions about ways to grow and learn new skills. As the summer progressed, Justin made friends with his peers and honed new communication skills. He became a positive, encouraging presence on the crew, motivating others to put forth their best effort. His employment coach recognized his new confidence and helped Justin find his next steps: attending Inver Hills Community College. Justin demonstrated tremendous resilience and dedication to growth in the face of challenge, and we are excited to see what he accomplishes in the future.

G. Rolf Svendsen Founder’s Award for Outstanding Leadership

Kaleb V. received the G. Rolf Svendsen Founder’s Award for Outstanding Leadership. Kaleb worked at the East Side Boys & Girls Club in Saint Paul this summer. Tree Trust has a unique partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, and several club members, including Kaleb, have worked on Tree Trust crews. Beyond a plan to reconstruct a timber retaining wall, this partner's flexibility gave the youth a voice in selecting additional projects. Feeling empowered, Kaleb and his crewmates spoke up about a need in their community: a new fenced garden space for the club.

Motivated by this ambitious goal, Kaleb stepped into the roles of leader and mentor many times throughout the summer. When explaining a task, Kaleb would give the instructions and provide hands-on help to anyone needing it. His positive attitude was contagious, and his crew followed with a work-hard, play-hard mindset. His enthusiasm could be seen by little dance breaks. Scan the QR code below for a video of Kaleb in action!

Kaleb’s leadership skills were evident beyond his Tree Trust experience when he engaged with his community at the Boys & Girls Club. Among other things, he is anxious to start a gardening group for younger members of the club to fill the garden that his SYEP crew installed. Kaleb is an incredibly talented worker, as well as being kind, passionate, and patient.

Join Us at an Upcoming Community Engagement Event

Tree Trust has long relied on volunteers to help plant trees throughout the region. But we wanted to find a way for our entire community to be involved with our mission of transforming lives and landscapes. So, this summer, we launched a new quarterly Community Engagement program.

In August, we hosted our “Walking Tour de Trees,” a celebration of urban forestry in Saint Paul’s Horton Park Arboretum! The group enjoyed an informational tree walk led by Tree Trust staff, who shared stories and identification tips about our native Minnesota trees.

In October, we escaped the hustle and bustle of daily life and embraced the tranquility of the forest for a rejuvenating Forest Therapy Walk. A certified guide led us on a journey of self-discovery, guiding us through various mindfulness exercises and sensory activities. The forest's sights, sounds, and scents awakened our senses and provided a much-needed respite for our minds, bodies, and souls.

Events will be planned quarterly and posted on our website (treetrust.org/events) and our social media pages. We hope to see you there!

Tree Trust Mentors Bexar Branches Alliance

Tree Trust is a member of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees), a network of over 200 member and program partner organizations across North America dedicated to urban and community tree planting, care, conservation, and education. Through a partnership with the US Forest Service, ACTrees connects network members to visit and learn from each other to better steward the tree canopy where they live and work.

In August, we hosted Jaci Randel, Executive Director of Bexar Branches Alliance, a non-profit based in San Antonio, Texas, whose mission is to expand and preserve the tree canopy of the Greater San Antonio Region, as part of this Mentor Exchange. Jaci could have connected with hundreds of other organizations, but she chose Tree Trust due to our long history of youth employment training and our focus on green industry pathways.

Established in 2021, Bexar Branches Alliance has spent most of the first year and a half networking, listening, and learning about the current state of their urban forest and their communities' goals around their interaction with trees. One of the gaps they hope to address is the arboriculture workforce shortage they are experiencing. Currently, there are no environmental industry workforce development programs in the San Antonio region, so Jaci has introduced American Forest’s PreEmployment Arboriculture Program to Bexar County officials and the City of San Antonio Workforce Development team.

While here, Jaci spent time with our Director of Community Forestry touring Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park and various tree planting locations. She also met with other staff members to learn about their roles and best practices. She even attended our SYEP End of Summer Celebration to see the culmination of one of our signature workforce development programs.

We are so lucky to share our experiences, challenges, and goals for a greener future with a new organization like Bexar Branches Alliance.