Urban Forestry Research for the TreeForce Education Program

My Internship Special project was about doing industry research to benefit the programs at my nonprofit. I collaborated with the nonprofit The Park People, an organization committed to the completion of tree planting projects, education of urban forestry employees, and creation and maintenance of Denver’s urban canopy. I worked directly under the manager of the TreeForce education program, and the research that I did was for the benefit of that program. On the internship side, I was under the supervision of the Changemakers Internship Program. I am the sole intern of The Park People, and on this project I worked alone and had no peer collaborators.

The project that I worked on has two parts. My task was to complete two separate rounds of industry research into local job opportunities in urban forestry, and translate the entry level expectations of the industry into a presentation about the current industry status, and how we can best prepare our apprentices for it by teaching them all the relevant skills. My findings should help inform the TreeForce program for the upcoming years, making adjustments as necessary to the curriculum to best prepare our apprentices for the modern urban forestry job market.

I have been commuting to The Park People’s headquarters in Denver one day a week to complete field work, receive guidance, or work on my special project. Field work (work and experience not directly related to my project) has taken me all over Denver and even to surrounding cities. I have completed tree health checks, assisted with paperwork, sat in on interviews, and even pitched the TreeForce program at a career fair. To complete my research project, I first had to compile a list of all urban forestry job listings in Colorado that I could find. I used Indeed, Bebee, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Teal, and so many more platforms. My supervisor compiled a list of job titles to search, and I worked my way through it. After finding a listing, I would log information such as the type of job (part-time or full-time), the location, the company, the salary, the description, and most importantly, the qualifications. After I had exhausted my search avenues and compiled a complete list of 40 urban forestry jobs currently hiring near me, I analyzed the data I had collected to compile a complete report of my findings. I then organized what I had into a presentation, and sent it to my collaborators. I received nothing but positive feedback, and I have been told that my data will be used in the TreeForce Program for years to come.

I pursued this internship to expand the outreach of the contributions I’m able to make, and to gain real-world experience working at a nonprofit and on projects that matter. The Park People represent an important movement toward greenification of urban spaces that I personally value, and they share my belief that increased tree cover and greenery in urban spaces not only leads to cleaner air and sustainable soil, but to better quality of life for the residents of our city. They also share my belief that everyone deserves green spaces, and that environmentally underserved communities must be prioritized in efforts for environmental justice. This work contributes to my personal and professional development because it has given me experience working at a nonprofit, which is currently a likely career path for me. It also has given me the insight that the work done in interest groups and nonprofits is some of the most important and rewarding work for society, and that it is something that I love and will continue to be a part of.