Silicon Valley Climate Corps Planting Specialist

The Silicon Valley Climate Corps Planting Specialist at Our City Forest is a full-time AmeriCorps role focused on enhancing the urban forest through tree planting, care, and community outreach. The position runs from September 2024 to August 2025 and requires a 40-hour work week, primarily from Tuesday to Saturday. Responsibilities include propagating plants, conducting community workshops, and engaging with residents about urban forestry practices.
About the position

The Silicon Valley Climate Corps Planting Specialist position at Our City Forest is a full-time AmeriCorps role that spans from September 18th, 2024, to August 16th, 2025. This position is designed for individuals who are passionate about environmental stewardship and community engagement. As a Planting Specialist, you will be part of a dedicated team focused on enhancing the urban forest in Silicon Valley through various initiatives, including tree planting, tree care, and community outreach. The role requires a commitment of 40 hours per week, primarily from Tuesday to Saturday, with a work schedule from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Team members will receive comprehensive training at the beginning of their service term, equipping them with the skills necessary to maintain a healthy urban ecosystem. Each member will be assigned to a primary team, such as Community Tree Planting, Tree Care, Lawn Busters, or Community Nursery, but will also support other teams as needed. Responsibilities include conducting outreach to educate residents and businesses about urban forestry practices, providing excellent customer service, and actively seeking opportunities for greening projects. The position emphasizes teamwork, community involvement, and the importance of environmental education. Specific responsibilities vary by team. For instance, the Nursery Team focuses on propagating and cultivating plants, while the Planting Team engages in fieldwork to plant trees in various community locations. The Tree Care Team is responsible for caring for newly planted trees, and the Lawn Busters Team works on lawn conversion projects. Each team member will also be involved in recruiting and training volunteers, organizing community workshops, and maintaining records of volunteer hours and events. This role is ideal for individuals looking to make a tangible impact in their community while gaining valuable experience in environmental science and community organizing.

Responsibilities
• Propagate and cultivate shrubs, grasses, and trees
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• Transplant various sizes of trees, shrubs, and grasses
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• Learn and execute best watering techniques for the nursery plants
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• Learn and implement best pruning and care techniques for young trees and shrubs in containers
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• Remove invasive species and implement best nursery care practices assigned by Nursery Manager
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• Plan weekly workday projects and lead volunteer groups three days a week
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• Provide friendly customer service to community visitors during weekly open hours, answering questions about trees and shrubs
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• Maintain tree and shrub inventory system
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• Recruit, train, and correspond with volunteers of all ages and abilities
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• Database volunteer hours and events
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• Assist team with special community events
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• Organize free community workshops
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• Work outside with team and volunteers at least once a week, planting trees in neighborhoods, schools, and parks
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• Participate in fieldwork necessary for project preparation, and project day execution
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• Assist residents with tree planting and maintenance needs; provide excellent and professional customer service to accommodate their requests
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• Educate residents on best water-wise landscaping and planting practices
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• Organize planting projects, call and email qualified residents, go on-site visits, work with city permit office
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• Correspond and schedule appointments with community members about their planting; plan logistics and enter data for each tree planting project
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• Conduct classroom and/or community presentations and/or represent Our City Forest at various events
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• Conduct grassroots community outreach and organizing such as neighborhood door-knocking and calling schools and churches to advertise services
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• Recruit, train, and correspond with volunteers of all ages and abilities
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• Database volunteer hours and events
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• Work outside caring for newly planted trees
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• Schedule tree assessments for newly planted trees
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• Create landscape designs for lawn conversion projects
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• Educate residents on best water-wise landscaping and planting practices
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• Organize planting projects, call and email qualified residents, go on-site visits, work with city permit office

Requirements
• U.S. Citizen or legal resident
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• High school diploma or equivalent
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• Minimum age: 18
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• Interest in affecting change through community organizing
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• Ability to work well with diverse groups of people
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• Must be available to work full time, 7:30 am - 4 pm, Tuesday - Saturday
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• Must be able to commit through the end of the service term
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• Agree to complete a fingerprint-based (livescan) background check and Truescreen (name verification) background check

Nice-to-haves
• Valid driver's license
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• Strong written & oral communication skills
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• Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin speakers interested in reaching out to the communities of San José
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• Local, Bay Area residents are preferred, but all are welcome to apply
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• Familiar with ornamental and native tree and shrub species identification
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• Knowledge or experience working with irrigation
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• Experience with landscape design and/or landscaping
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• FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe CS, Sketch Up software knowledge
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• Graphic design, app development, programming, or website maintenance experience

Benefits
• Health insurance