Community Forestry Associate (San Fernando Valley)

TreePeople seeks a Community Forestry Associate in Los Angeles, CA, to engage residents in environmental action through tree planting and maintenance. Responsibilities include organizing community events, managing volunteers, transporting trees, and maintaining data on tree plantings. The role requires hands-on work and a valid California driver's license. Ideal candidates should be passionate about climate resilience and community engagement in Southern California.
About the position

TreePeople is an environmental nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, engaging, and supporting individuals in taking personal responsibility for the environment. With a mission to create safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable communities, TreePeople has been a leading force in California's environmental movement for over 50 years. The organization mobilizes individuals, private businesses, and government agencies to work collaboratively in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. As part of this mission, TreePeople is seeking a Community Forestry Associate to join their team. This role is integral to the Community Forestry program, which aims to engage and inspire residents to take environmental action within their communities. The Community Forestry Associate will be involved in various project aspects, including tree planting, maintenance, volunteer coordination, community engagement, and data collection in the Northeast Valley and surrounding areas. The Community Forestry Associate will support the organization of community tree planting and care events, working closely with local volunteers. This position requires hands-on involvement in planting and maintaining 15-gallon street trees throughout the work week. The Associate will assist with community workshops, volunteer-led events, and manage the inventory of tools and trucks used for these activities. A valid California driver's license is necessary, as the role involves driving a truck to transport trees and water them as needed. The Associate will also be responsible for maintaining communication with community volunteers to ensure the sustainability of tree stewardship in their neighborhoods. In addition to these responsibilities, the Community Forestry Associate will utilize TreePeople's web-based inventory to maintain tree data and gather, monitor, and track data related to tree plantings using GPS and site maps. This data is crucial for compliance with funding reporting and for the successful implementation of tree maintenance plans. The Associate will also represent TreePeople at community meetings and events, furthering the organization's outreach and engagement efforts. This position is ideal for individuals passionate about local climate resilience and environmental issues, particularly those affecting communities in Southern California.

Responsibilities
• Support the organization of community tree planting and tree care events with local volunteers.
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• Plant and maintain 15-gallon street trees throughout the work week.
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• Assist with community workshops and volunteer-led events, attend site visits, and help manage and maintain TreePeople tool inventory and trucks.
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• Drive a truck to transport trees and water trees throughout the work week.
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• Support the participation of volunteers in urban tree planting and care events.
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• Utilize and maintain tree data through TreePeople's web-based inventory.
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• 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.
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• Participate and represent TreePeople at meetings and community events as needed.
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• Maintain communication with community volunteers to carry out necessary tree maintenance until the community is self-sustaining in the stewardship of their trees.
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• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements
• Strong leadership, team-building, and problem-solving skills.
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• Highly organized, strong work ethic, friendly, smart, proactive and a quick learner.
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• Interested in local climate resilience and environmental issues impacting communities throughout Southern California.
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• Spanish fluency is preferred.
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• Valid CA Driver's license and clean driving record desired to perform job-related essential functions.
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• Available to work a flexible schedule that will include weekends.
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• Current residency in the San Fernando Valley is preferred.

Nice-to-haves

Benefits
• $20.00 per hour salary