Transforming Lives and Landscapes - One Yard at a Time Summer 2024
Tree Trust is celebrating 20 years of Landscape Services! Launched in 2004, Tree Trust Landscape Services is a social enterprise that supports our Career Pathways and Community Forestry initiatives through earned income and project collaboration.
The Landscape Services team includes ISA-certified arborists and construction and lawn/snow care teams. Serving commercial, public, and residential clients, they specialize in snow removal, tree services, lawn care, landscape construction, and accessibility ramps. Guided by our mission, Landscape
Services staff model Tree Trust’s core values — Professional, Integrity, Commitment, Resilient, and Stewardship — on job sites across the Twin Cities metro area.
Planting the Seeds of a Social Enterprise
Landscape Services was the proposed solution to several challenges and opportunities that existed at the time for the organization. In addition to expanding technical capabilities, growing a new customer base, and creating enthusiasm around a new venture, it fulfilled a need for greater financial self-sufficiency. Tree Trust’s former Operations Director, the late Dave Hawes, was the staff leader that championed the vision for the social enterprise and his commitment was a crucial component of its success. With the support of the Tree Trust Board of Directors and other generous donors for start-up capital, a newly formed team was off the ground and running, led by then Program Coordinator and now current Tree Trust CEO & Executive Director, Jared Smith.
In its first year, Landscape Services focused on residential lawn care and snow removal in addition to constructing access ramps for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Over the following two decades, Landscape Services steadily expanded its focus areas, growing into a flourishing landscape contracting business with an impressive array of professional services, staffed by industry professionals.
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One of Landscape Services’ early accessibility ramps.
Guided by Core Values
If you ask our Landscape Services team what truly sets them apart from other tree care and landscaping companies, beyond exceptional customer service and industry-leading quality, their response is unanimous: the mission! Landscape Construction Supervisor Sean Petteway loves to say that he transforms lives and landscapes, one yard at a time. Landscape Services client Sue shared, “I was amazed at the professionalism of the crew. They were very polite and worked very effectively together. They were informative and answered my questions completely.”
Bjorn Hawes, Landscape Services Business Operations Manager, speaks to the resiliency of his team. “This idea of resiliency is so significant to the culture of any workplace. Just the basic ways that we problem solve, push through, [and] do not just quit.” General Manager Jeff Voshell provides an example of working through inclement weather to get a job done: “We were having to use sledgehammers to knock ice off the machine to keep it running … and I don’t recall there being a lot of complaining.”
Community Collaboration
Recently, Landscape Services joined forces with community volunteers and the nonprofit Heart of America to revitalize the outdoor space at La Creche Early Childhood Education Center in North Minneapolis. At the final project reveal, children jumped with joy, leaping from log to log and running to explore each element in their new nature-based play space. Jeff Voshel commented on the satisfaction he felt watching the impact of the transformed space that he helped create: “Every single day since the project has been done, the kids have benefited from it. It was successful and educational and will stand the test of time.”
Begun in 2022, another key project is nearing completion. The City of Roseville contracted with Tree Trust to manage the city’s 1,152 ash trees on public property by removing infested or dead ash trees and replanting a diverse variety of trees. Landscape Services led the removal of ash trees, working with Career Pathways, Community Forestry, and community volunteers to replant a variety of trees along city streets to promote a healthy urban forest.
During the project, Landscape Services donated select ash logs to Roseville Area High School’s Career and Technical Education Program. High school students are learning how to mill logs into usable lumber for class projects.
Arborist Training
At the heart of the Tree Trust mission is teaching and training the next generation of green industry workers. Landscape Services not only invests in its employees through ongoing professional development, but also helped to launch (and still operates) Minnesota’s only Registered Arborist Apprenticeship Program. This three-year program provides paid training and industry-recognized credentials that attract talented individuals to the company and accelerate their career growth.
Dan Schmitter joined the Landscape Services team, seeing tree work as an opportunity to connect with Minnesota in every season. He graduated from the Registered Arborist Apprenticeship Program with his journeyworker credential and earned the ability to train aspiring arborists. Dan is currently a Landscape Services Tree Care Supervisor, using the skills he honed through the apprenticeship to provide professional tree care to clients throughout the metro area. Following in Dan’s footsteps is another apprentice, Ty Howze, who hopes to complete the program and become a credentialed arborist.
Growing a Sustainable Legacy
As we celebrate 20 years of Landscape Services, we look back with gratitude and to the future with excitement. We honor the legacy of Tree Trust’s former Operations Director, Dave Hawes, who dedicated his career to transforming lives and landscapes and helped launch Landscape Services. Dave inspired many, including Jared Smith, who is currently leading Tree Trust towards a greener, more sustainable future. Landscape Services continues growing with Dave’s son, Bjorn Hawes, at the helm.
Entering its third decade, Landscape Services is an innovative idea that has delivered on the original objectives and surpassed expectations. As a flourishing social enterprise, it is integral to
the ongoing fulfillment of Tree Trust’s mission, and we expect it will continue to have transformative impact on the lives and landscapes of our community in the years ahead.
Tree Care Technician and Arborist Apprentice Ty Howze (top) Tree Care Supervisor Dan Schmitter (below)
Skilled Trade Training
Are toolbelts the new fanny packs? Perhaps not; however, skilled trades are trending with young people. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal classifies Gen Z as the “Toolbelt Generation.” In the ultimate question of fashion versus function, toolbelts win hands-down in both categories. Trade skills are timeless. With hard work and dedication, trade skills training leads to successful careers.
Generation Z (Gen Z) is the generation of people born between 1997 and 2012, currently between the ages of 12 and 27. Tree Trust’s Career Pathways programming proudly serves this generation through three distinct paid trade skills training programs.
Toolbelt Generation – YouthBuild
Tree Trust YouthBuild is our most construction-forward Career Pathways program. At a recent graduation ceremony, Senior Trainer and mentor John Carver congratulated the participants for their achievements. “You are all carpenters now. You can take these skills directly into a trade school program or pursue a career of your choice.” This year’s graduates honed their construction and tree care skills through an impressive list of projects.
• Home construction at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity homes, and even a tiny home in the Tree Trust shop: flooring, finishing work (hinges, knobs, sanding, painting), installing appliances and staircase rails, priming, materials disposal, caulking, and drywall patching
• Adirondack chair, bench, and picnic table construction
• Plumbing: toilet installation and repair
• Tree Care: invasive species removal, tree/plant identification, and tree felling
Tree Trust YouthBuild serves young people ages 16-21. Youth commit to earning their high school diploma while alternating between one week in school and one week at Tree Trust. In addition to earning industry-recognized credentials, they practice team building, communication, and even volunteer in the community.
“Tree Trust YouthBuild gave me the confidence to find my voice and the support to develop as a leader.” - Darius, Tree Trust YouthBuild Graduate
Aspiring Arborists – Branches
Another toolbelt trade, arboriculture is the art of properly identifying, caring for, and managing trees, shrubs, and woody plants. Tree Trust’s Branches program provides paid, hands-on training for young adults interested in exploring the tree care career path. Participants plant and care for the trees in our community, learning from ISA-certified arborists. Branches graduate Susie says, “I have found it extremely beneficial in the way we learn and apply our skills from our day at the office to going into the field. I have always known that I wanted to be a part of the green industry and being a part of Branches has opened my eyes to the wide array of possibilities and made them attainable for me.” Trade skills training helps aspiring arborists explore the opportunities of the trade without incurring the expense of a traditional four-year degree.
Branches is our pre-apprenticeship training program serving young adults ages 18-28.
Trade Skill Discovery – SYEP
Our oldest program (implemented in 1977) serves our youngest participants. For many youth our Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides their first job experience. Young people learn basic skills using hand tools like hammers and saws, while working in teams completing landscape and construction projects. This approach allows participants the opportunity to flex their skills while beautifying their communities. Many of our summer projects, like our classic Tree Trust timber staircases, continue to transform landscapes in underserved communities today! One participant commented, “The job was fun, and I got to learn how to use tools and I got to build a retaining wall. I got to see nature every day I worked. All those things are great.”
Tree Trust’s Summer Youth Employment Program serves youth ages 14-21.
We know firsthand the power of skilled trade training to transform lives and landscapes. Even though trends are finite, Tree Trust proudly supports the toolbelt generation! Paid skilled trade training is an important part of the mission we have held steadfast since 1976!
SYEP youth working at Westwood Hills Nature Center.
Volunteer Appreciation
Minnesota United FC Planting
It’s not every day you get to plant trees with a loon. At Valley Park in Hopkins, Minnesota, volunteers excitedly posed for photos with Minnesota United FC’s loon mascot.
Professional soccer club Minnesota United delivered the home team enthusiasm to our tree planting event, co-sponsored by Minnesota Lottery. Both organizations support giving back to the community through green initiatives.
Gathering under the Tree Trust tent we pivoted our excitement to stewardship.
Minnesota United’s Director of Community Relations, Cori Meixner, shared, “Minnesota United has a pillar that is greener goals, and we want to do our part to give back to our environmental community. We have one world and should do our part in taking care of it.”
Celebrating the spirit of volunteerism, Minnesota Lottery Executive Director Adam Brock commented that, “Our mission is to raise money for things that are fantastic in Minnesota.”
Volunteers learned how to plant a tree the Tree Trust way, a valuable forever skill they put into practice immediately. After the tree planting demonstration, everyone formed two-to-three–person planting teams, grabbed a wheelbarrow of supplies, and got to work planting 39 trees.
The laughter and happy conversations of volunteers echoed across the park. Tree after tree, volunteers worked hard to plant each tree the Tree Trust way. Thanks to this successful collaboration, we planted twelve different species of trees in Valley Park, including
MN United FC and MN Lottery volunteers.
American elm, bur oak, crabapple, hackberry, heritage oak, honey locust, Kentucky coffeetree, northern red oak, river birch, swamp white oak, tamarack and white oak.
A True Tree Champ
At elementary school yards across the Twin Cities metro area, there are many trees named after Norm. A frequent volunteer at Tree Trust’s Learning with Trees™ school-wide planting days, Norm Champ is a fan favorite amongst elementary school children. In fact, everyone loves Norm, a celebrated Tree Trust leader. Beginning his career at Tree Trust in 1977, Norm filled many roles including Executive Director. Norm retired in the winter of 2018 after 40 years of service, but he couldn’t stay away. By the fall of the same year, Norm was back as a Tree Trust volunteer.
Norm is lauded for his quick wit, toothy grin, embroidered Tree Trust sweater vest, and fervent dedication to transforming lives and landscapes. It’s safe to say Norm really loves educating people about trees. This spring, the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee (MNSTAC) honored Norm with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Tree Trust is grateful for Norm’s support at tree planting events. Volunteers are the backbone of our mission!
Volunteer Gratitude
With the help of dedicated volunteers like Norm, we hosted 9 tree distributions (3 in one day!), 16 planting events, and provided environmental education through our Learning with Trees™ at five elementary schools—all this spring. Working together, we helped green Minnesota!
From community parks to city boulevards to private properties, Tree Trust’s volunteers planted trees with unwavering dedication. Their hard work ensures that these new trees will thrive into a vibrant, healthy canopy. Our tree distribution volunteers, undeterred by early mornings and often rainy weather, tirelessly unloaded and loaded trees into vehicles of all sizes. This challenging task was met with smiles and a can-do spirit. Thank you all!
Moving into the warmer summer months, we invite volunteers to help with tree care, including watering and weeding. Stay tuned to Tree Trust on social media for important information on tree care posted every Wednesday during the summer months. Please bookmark our volunteer calendar to stay in the know for upcoming summer events!
2024 Spring Highlights
2024 MNSTAC Volunteer of the year, Norm Champ.
Join Us at a Community Engagement Event
Community Tree Care and Cookout
Wednesday, August 21 – 5-7 pm
Keystone Park in St. Louis Park
Help green up the neighborhood by caring for the trees in Keystone Park! Join your community members and local tree experts from Tree Trust to help water, weed, and mulch trees. After the trees are taken care of, we will celebrate with a community cookout!
Volunteer to Plant or Distribute Trees
Join us this fall to help plant or distribute trees in communities throughout the Twin Cities. Check the volunteer calendar on our website for opportunities to volunteer. Events will be posted as plans and locations are confirmed. We hope to see you! Scan the QR code or visit treetrust.org/events to learn more and register.
Plant a Tree
Every fall we partner with municipalities to host tree sales, offering a diverse variety of trees at a significant discount. This encourages area residents to plant more trees in one of the areas they are needed most—on private property in the city. Trees catalyze transformation, benefiting the health of communities and the environment.
The following cities are hosting sales with Tree Trust this fall.
