Citizen Foresters
Citizen Foresters are our trained volunteers who coordinate teams of volunteers on planting days, educate the public on the importance of the urban tree canopy, advocate for trees, inspect trees during the summer, and provide a volunteer base for plantings and outreach events.
Our Urban Forestry efforts wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated group of community members willing to become Citizen Foresters. Citizen Foresters are our trained volunteers who coordinate teams of volunteers on planting days, educate the public on the importance of the urban tree canopy, advocate for trees, inspect trees during the summer, and provide a volunteer base for plantings and outreach events. Citizen Foresters are an integral part of ensuring we can effectively increase the tree canopy!
Louisville Grows works with neighborhoods primarily in Louisville’s urban core to reforest and maintain the urban tree canopy. We don’t just plant trees, but we also inspect these trees for three years because we’re dedicated to making sure new canopy trees survive and succeed! Our Urban Forestry efforts wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated group of Citizen Foresters to coordinate volunteers on planting day, educate the public, advocate for trees, inspect trees during the summer, and provide a volunteer base for planting and outreach events.
Citizen Forester 101 training is offered approximately four times a year in the spring and fall to correspond with our tree plantings. The goal of the Citizen Forester training is to empower people who care about the environment with the tools and knowledge to make a meaningful impact by planting and ensuring the long-term viability of trees. The one day course is led by community members and arborists.
Participants learn how to properly plant, care for and inspect trees, engage residents through canvassing to become “treecipients,” and manage volunteer groups at planting and inspection events. Basic tree anatomy and physiology, environmental stewardship, tree identification and selection is also introduced. The training is offered to individuals of all abilities, from 12 years old and up.
Citizen Forester duties:
Attend Citizen Forester 101 Training.
Sign up for tree plantings every year.
Supervise and train an assigned crew of volunteers to properly plant trees at planting events.
Prioritize safety by giving tool demonstrations and ensuring volunteers adhere to proper planting techniques.
Foster environmental stewardship and environmental education.
Assist in tree inspections during the summer.
Join the team of over 300 Citizen Foresters! To become a tree “rock star” with Louisville Grows, please contact Lisa at programs@louisvillegrows.org or 502.905.4342. Scholarships are available. This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills, network with urban environmentalists and gain technical tree planting and stewardship experience while restoring and caring for the tree canopy and improving the urban environment in Louisville.