This past June, a cohort of five incredible Tree Ambassadors marked the successful completion of City Plants and North East Trees’ transformative “Building Careers & Canopies” program.
Join us in celebrating Nauria James, Jesus Munoz, Marco Ayala, Alondra Contreras, and Jennifer Ruiz! We also extend our congratulations to the three North East Trees fellows from this cohort: Alex Michel, Steven Garcia, and Andrea Ibarra. Your dedication to cultivating a healthier, greener LA is truly inspiring.
You might be wondering, what does a Tree Ambassador actually do? This cohort set out with ambitious goals: to plant 50 trees and distribute 100 yard trees throughout the South Los Angeles region. And did they deliver! Through their collective efforts, they surpassed their targets significantly, planting an impressive 56 trees and facilitating the adoption of 282 yard trees through four engaging community events. They didn’t just meet goals; they created new homes for nearly 300 trees!
But their impact goes far beyond planting. These Ambassadors dedicated 144 hours to intensive arboriculture training and are now certified in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). This comprehensive training equips them with vital skills for hands-on environmental work.
The heart of this program is empowerment. We’re proud to report that 100% of our Tree Ambassadors felt better equipped to advocate for trees after completing the program. It’s about nurturing young adults, and anyone eager to contribute, to become active environmental stewards who plant, distribute, and truly engage their communities.
Nauria James: “I actually enjoy being out with nature. I enjoy the hard labor we do, like when planting the trees and plus I like how it is beneficial to people and how it is beneficial to the community to provide shade.”
Marco Ayala: “ I have a son and I got to learn the impact that trees have toward our environment and how bad the fumes from planes and cars cause our environment to be…”
The ripple effect of their work is immeasurable, and we are committed to seeing this vital initiative continue for generations. We’ve already welcomed our next cohort, starting July 8th, and will share their achievements soon. If you’re passionate about making a difference and interested in joining our program, please reach out! We’ll be recruiting for our next cohort, expected to begin in early October.
Ready to join the program? Applications are now open.