Community Forestry Associate

TreePeople inspires and supports the people of Southern California to come together to plant and care for trees, harvest the rain, and renew depleted landscapes.

Through our unique model, we listen to, equip, and train volunteers to green our urban spaces and mountains. TreePeople has activated millions of people in planting and caring for millions of trees.

Qualifications, skills, and all relevant experience needed for this role can be found in the full description below.

We restore ecosystems, plant trees, and incorporate nature-based solutions throughout our Southern California streets, mountains, and everywhere in between.

We work with both educators and students to train the next generation of eco-conscious leaders. We steward thousands of acres of land maintaining habitats and protecting land from development.

We develop original, actionable research that drives science-based policy. We train volunteers on the ground to help build a greener Southern California.

TreePeople is seeking individuals interested in community forestry to join our team as a Community Forestry Associate. The Community Forestry program engages, inspires, and supports residents to take environmental action in their communities.

This position will conduct various aspects of the project such as tree planting, tree maintenance, volunteer coordination, community engagement, and data collection within the South and Southeast Los Angeles region and surrounding communities.

Responsibilities :

• Support the organization of community tree planting and tree care events with local volunteers.
• Plant and maintain 15-gallon street trees.
• Assist with community workshops and volunteer-led events, attend site visits, and help manage and maintain TreePeople tool inventory and trucks.
• Drive a truck to transport trees and water trees on a regular basis.
• Support the participation of volunteers in urban tree planting and care events.
• Utilize and maintain tree data through TreePeople’s web-based inventory.
• Gather, monitor and track data of tree plantings through GPS and site maps to comply with funding reporting and to ensure successful implementation of tree maintenance plans.
• Participate and represent TreePeople at meetings and community events as needed.
• Maintain communication with community volunteers to carry out necessary tree maintenance until the community is self-sustaining in the stewardship of their trees.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements :

• Strong leadership, team-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Highly organized, strong work ethic, friendly, smart, proactive and a quick learner.
• Interested in local climate resilience and environmental issues impacting communities throughout Southern California.
• Spanish fluency is preferred.
• Valid CA Driver’s license and clean driving record desired to perform job-related essential functions.
• Available to work a flexible schedule that will include weekends.
• Current residency in South and Southeast Los Angeles preferred.
• Must be able to lift 30 pounds overhead.
• Must be able to load and unload 15-gallon trees from a stakebed truck.
• Must be able to enter and exit a vehicle numerous times a day.
• Must be able to withstand exposure to all kinds of weather while completing work assignments, i.e., rain, heat, sun, cold.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of time.
• Work demands physical energy, twisting, safe heavy lifting ability, and hand-to-eye coordination.
• Use of machines, equipment, and work tools required including, but not limited to, shovels, breaker bars, rakes, brooms, general hand tools, lift gates, water tanks, blowers, augers.

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