Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded competitively to cities, other public agencies and nonprofit organizations that partner with public agencies.  Grant guidelines allow for trees to be planted in parks and public open spaces as well as in parkways along residential and commercial streets.

The application deadline has been set for May 31^st for applicants to develop comprehensive replanting programs.  Grants should be awarded this summer allowing for tree planting as early as this fall or winter.  Priority will be given to the grant proposals demonstrating the greatest need.

Applications can be downloaded from the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District website here, or call (213) 738-2981.

Corpsmembers relax after a bountiful day cleaning up the Tule River corridor.

The SCC is composed of disadvantaged youth, ages 18-24. Most of these young people cannot compete in the job market. Some have not finished high school. Others have criminal records. CSET and the SCC provide these young adults with job training and placement, as well as assistance to corps members for earning their high school diplomas. They have provided over 4,000 young adults with job training and educational opportunities over the past 20 years.

Some of the SCC’s original projects included trail maintenance and development in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Their work in some of the nation’s most impressive forests naturally progressed into opportunities to bring the forest to the urban areas CSET served. SCC’s first urban forestry projects were in partnership with the Urban Tree Foundation.

The two organizations still work hand-inhand to plant trees today. The majority of these projects focus on unused riparian strips where native oaks and understory plants are placed along new hiking trails cut by SCC members. These trails provide a green escape in an area that would otherwise remain unused, and offer residents and visitors alike a glimpse into what the benefits of a strong environmental education program can mean for the region’s and its at-risk youth.

While many community members enjoy the beauty of these areas, many don’t realize the additional benefits CSET provides the community through its urban forestry program. The green trails capture storm water, increase wildlife habitat, and improve air quality in a region consistently ranked as one of the worst in the nation for smog and ozone pollution.

CSET continues its efforts to increase visibility on the tangible benefits of its project through a variety of tools and resources. One such resource is the federal grant secured by CEST in 2010 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These funds which are administered by California ReLeaf are supporting a multi-faceted project in which members of the SCC will be working to restore a native Valley Oak riparian forest along a creek that is currently devoid of vegetation while also improving Visalia’s urban forestry streetscape. The project brings the added benefit of significant job creation to a county with a 12% unemployment rate as of October, 2011.

“I had a revelation that, even though the people in these communities only live 45 minutes from some of the best national parks in the country, many of them can’t afford to make the short trip to see the parks. The urban forest brings nature to people where they are,” says Higgins.

He hasn’t only witnessed how urban forestry can change communities, but also how it can change individuals. When asked for examples of what SCC does for Corps members, Nathan is quick to respond with stories of three young men whose lives he’s seen transformed.

The three stories all start the same way – a young man who joined the SCC with little opportunity to better his life. One started as a crew member and has been promoted to crew supervisor, leading other young men and women to better their lives just as he has. Another is now working with the City of Visalia Park and Recreation Department as an intern doing park maintenance. His internship will hopefully turn into a paid position as funding becomes available.

Urban Forestry corpsmembers ‘greening’ our urban spaces.These young Valley Oaks will live for hundreds of years and provide shade and beauty for generations.

The most compelling of the three stories though is that of Jacob Ramos. At 16-years old, he was found guilty of a felony charge. Afterhis conviction and time served, he found it nearly impossible to find a job. At CSET, he earned his high school diploma and proved himself as one of the most dedicated workers in the SCC. This year, CSET opened a for-profit subsidiary that does weatherization work. Because of his extensive training completed with the Corps, Jacob now has a job there.

Each year, CSET plants over 1,000 trees, creates accessible hiking trails, and employs 100-150

young people. More than that, it has gone above and beyond its mission to strengthen youth, families, and communities in Tulare County. CSET and the SCC are a reminder of what can be accomplished for our environment and future generations through partnership and perseverance.

The workshop is open to anyone who is interested in the planting and maintenance of trees in urban landscapes.  The workshop will be taught in an easy to follow format by local and state experts in tree care.   Members of the public, whether novices or those who have some experience at tree care will benefit, as well as more experienced tree care professionals looking for a refresher.  Six community service credits are available for participating students and five continuing education units are available for professionals.  Pruning public shade trees will be emphasized, with additional fruit tree pruning discussion.

Workshop leaders Dan Condon, Bill Spiewak, Norm Beard, George Jimenez and Ken Knight will demonstrate techniques that professionals use to care for young public trees.  Participants will get actual experience in pruning young trees on the San Marcos High School campus, with all work being done from the ground and no tree climbing involved.  A short open book exam and field practice at the end will demonstrate proficiency and ability to assist in future public young tree pruning projects in your area. There will be ample opportunities to discuss your specific questions with the speakers.

For more information and to download the registration form, please visit Goleta Valley Beautiful at www.goletavalleybeautiful.org

FOR/HORT 350 Urban Forestry – Winter Quarter 2012

This introductory urban forestry course is ideal for anyone working in urban natural resources, parks and recreation, public works, or planning fields. It covers a wide breadth of urban forestry topics. Prerequisite is any introductory forestry or horticulture course, or prior experience working in an urban natural resource environment. This course is currently only being taught Fall and Winter quarters.

FOR/HORT 455 Urban Forest Planning Policy and Management – Winter Quarter 2012

This advanced urban forestry class is a required course in the new BS in Natural Resources – Urban Forest Landscape Option, and is also suitable for any Forestry, Natural Resources, or Horticulture Student who is planning to work in urban areas. It would also be ideal for people relatively new to the urban forestry profession who would like some in-depth knowledge and experience working on urban forestry issues in a learning environment. Prerequisite is FOR/HORT 350 or experience in urban forestry. This course is currently only being taught Winter quarters.

FOR/HORT 447 Arboriculture – Spring Quarter 2012

This is a technical class exploring the principles and practices of arboriculture. Prerequisite is an intro Forestry or Horticulture class, and a plant or tree ID class. This course is currently only being taught Spring quarters.

For details, visit http://ecampus.oregonstate.edu.

The total sum of grant awards is $125,000, which will be distributed in grants of up to $5,000 each to awardees. Applications are due January 31, 2012. Click these links to download further information about the grant and the grant application. Inquiries may be directed to Programs@ACTrees.org.

An informational webcast on December 15 at 1pm EST will feature additional background and details about the grants, as well as time for Q&A. Register for the webcast here.

The goal of the Urban Waters Small Grants program is to fund research, studies, training, and demonstration projects that will advance the restoration of urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities such as public health, social and economic opportunities, general livability and environmental justice for residents. Examples of projects eligible for funding include:

• Education and training for water quality improvement or green infrastructure jobs

• Public education about ways to reduce water pollution

• Local water quality monitoring programs

• Engaging diverse stakeholders to develop local watershed plans

• Innovative projects that promote local water quality and community revitalization goals

Information about Urban Waters Small Grants including the Request for Proposal (RFP) and registration links for the webinars is available at http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding. EPA expects to award the grants in Summer 2012.

Note to Applicants: In accordance with EPA’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), EPA staff will not meet with individual applicants to discuss draft proposals, provide informal comments on draft proposals, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria. Applicants are responsible for the contents of their proposals. However, consistent with the provisions in the announcement, EPA will respond to questions from individual applicants regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the proposal, and requests for clarification about the announcement. Questions must be submitted in writing via e-mail to urbanwaters@epa.gov and must be received by the Agency Contact, Ji-Sun Yi, by January 16, 2012 and written responses will be posted on EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding.

Dates to Remember:

• Deadline for submitting proposals: January 23, 2012.

• Two webinars about this funding opportunity: December 14, 2011 and January 5, 2012.

• Deadline for submitting questions: January 16, 2012

Related Links:

• For more information on EPA’s Urban Waters program, visit http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters.

• EPA’s Urban Waters program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 11 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways. For more information on the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, visit http://urbanwaters.gov.

“With over 80 percent of Americans living in metropolitan areas, the Forest Service is expanding our work in places like New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.  America has 100 million acres of urban forests, and through our Urban and Community Forestry program, we are providing assistance to 8,550 communities, home to more than half of our entire population.  Our goal is a continuous network of healthy forested landscapes, from remote wilderness areas to shady urban neighborhoods, parks, and greenways.

One restoration partnership for urban areas is the Urban Waters Federal Partnership.  The White House officially launched the partnership last June in Baltimore. It includes 11 different federal agencies, and it is designed to restore the health of urban watersheds, most of them at least partly forested. Seven pilot sites have been selected, and the Forest Service is taking the lead on three of them—in Baltimore, where the headwaters of the Patapsco River and the Jones Falls are in rural landscapes to the north and west; in Denver, where we are working with Denver Water to restore forested landscapes damaged by the Hayman Fire in 2002; and in northwestern Indiana, part of the greater Chicago area, where we are working through Chicago Wilderness.”

Read the complete speech here.

This Tree City USA is endowed with a large population of trees composed of magnificent native and non-native trees on public and private properties, and trees are one of the cities greatest natural resources.  A community of approximately 64,000 residents, Palo Alto is a global center of technology and innovation where many world class businesses have established corporate headquarters.  The ideal candidate for Urban Forester will be an assertive and pro-active professional arborist that will embrace the significant amount of civic engagement that takes place frequently in the City of Palo Altoand surrounds the topic of trees.  The Urban Forester will have strong communication skills, both verbally and in writing, and have a unique combination of people skills and technical expertise.  The annual salary for the Urban Forester will be dependent upon qualifications and certifications.  The City also offers a comprehensive benefit package including CalPERS Retirement 2% @ 60 with single highest year.  The City may consider a moving/relocation package for the selected candidate.  Requires seven (7) years of directly related experience, including two (2) years of prior supervisory experience.  A Bachelor’s degree in Arboricultural Sciences, Urban Forestry, or a closely related field.  Candidates must possess an active Arborist Certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture. 

Apply by Friday, December 30, 2011. For a detailed brochure or confidential inquiries contact Ms. Heather Renschler at (916) 630-4900.  Electronic submittals should be sent via email to apply@ralphandersen.com.

The Hollywood/LA Beautification Team (HBT), Koreatown Youth & Community Center (KYCC), Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC), Northeast Trees (NET) are co-hosting a local tree planting event to celebrate the multiple job creation and community health benefits that have been realized through projects completed by the four non-profit groups.  The projects  are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The tree plantings will be conducted by students, volunteers and organizational staff.  Numerous elected officials have been invited to attend and participate.   The event will take place at the Foshay Learning Center, located at Western Ave and Exposition Blvd. on Monday December 5th at 9am.

The goals of the American Recovery and Reinvest Act were to create new jobs, save existing ones, spur economic activity, and invest in long-term growth.  Combined, these four groups received over $1.6 million in ARRA grants administered by California ReLeaf in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.  These grants have supported more than 34,000 employment hours contributed to the LA work force by teaching green job skills to at-risk youth and cleaning the county’s air and water through the planting, care and maintenance of over 21,000 trees since April, 2010.  The Foshay Learning Center tree-planting embodies all of the goals of the ARRA and further demonstrates the need to sustain these efforts after the ARRA projects have been completed.