RECOMMENDATION
2.
Foster urban forestry and natural resources stewardship and volunteerism.
RATIONALE In these economically challenging times, with limited job capacity in all sectors, it is particularly important to support and broaden volunteer and stewardship efforts. Through developing a volunteer corps, such efforts can help sustain and expand urban forests and other urban natural resources. Efforts to foster meaningful existing and develop new volunteer service opportunities – particularly among NGOs – enable communities to recognize the connection between neighborhoods and their green infrastructure. These efforts can lead to changed behaviors, positive perceptions and better treatment of urban forests and their greater ecosystems.
EXAMPLES TreeKeepers, celebrating its 20th year and over 1,000 trained volunteers, cares for Chicago’s street and park trees. Run by Openlands, a regional non-profit, TreeKeepers trains interested citizens in tree physiology, proper basic pruning and mulching techniques and tree planting. TreeKeepers volunteer in myriad ways, offering thousands of hours annually to care for Chicago’s urban forest.
New York, NY. Photo courtesy of New York Restoration Project (NYRP)
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Green Seattle Partnership (GSP) is a unique public-private venture initiated in 2004 by the City of Seattle and the Cascade Land Conservancy to restore 2,500 acres of forested parklands by 2025. GSP’s success depends in part on trained volunteers called Forest Stewards that are dedicated to planning restoration and engaging other volunteers through events in their parks. Between 2005 and 2010, 81,176 individual volunteers provided 415,162 volunteer hours.