Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Growth, Trees, and Transformation
As 2024 ends, we celebrate a year of thriving urban canopies, inspiring success stories, and life-changing opportunities. Guided by our core values—Professional, Integrity, Commitment, Resilient, and Stewardship—Tree Trust staff successfully transformed lives and landscapes in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. From planting trees that will shade our streets for decades to equipping young people with practical job skills, the impact of our mission has been remarkable. Here are some highlights from an unforgettable year!
Community Forestry
Our Community Forestry team attended the Arbor Day Foundation Partners in Community Forestry Conference in Chicago, a national gathering of leaders and innovators in urban forestry. The conference was a highlight of the year for the whole team, providing opportunities for connection and professional growth.
Expanding our gravel bed nursery allowed the space to store many more trees. However, one fruiting pear tree, nurtured in our gravel bed, was most memorable to our team. This pear tree, fruit and all, was planted in a North Minneapolis Green Zone. The next best thing to planting trees on public land, where they are needed most, is distributing them to homeowners to plant on private property.
Our friend in trees, Sydney Schaaf, City Trees Program Coordinator for the Minneapolis Health Department shared, “Tree Trust has such a great reputation with our community members and other cities across the metro. We are so grateful to be partnering with them and couldn’t do this much to increase tree canopy on private property in Minneapolis without them!” Our Community Foresty team showcased their grit and determination by distributing an impressive 880 trees in only four hours at our Minneapolis tree sale.
Tree Trust’s Director of Community Forestry, Karen Zumach, received the prestigious Mark Stennes Award at the 2024 Shade Tree Short Course, recognizing her outstanding contributions to community forestry. This was a highlight for the entire Tree Trust team! Learn more about Karen’s dedication to trees and people, here.
Branches
Our Branches program graduated 71 participants in 2024. Branches significantly improved the City of Saint Paul’s tree canopy, planting over 700 trees this spring and nearly 850 more this fall. During our MEA planting event, when we planted 250 trees in just two days with Saint Paul High School students, Branches participants Malik and Reagan stepped into leadership roles, using their tree planting expertise to lead teams of high school planters.
Participants like Tao and Malik exemplified resilience and commitment as they learned skills to enter the workforce. Reflecting on his experience, Tao shared, “Before I came to Tree Trust, I wanted to be independent, but I didn’t know what it meant. Now, I’ve learned I can do so much more than I thought.” Malik, who struggled with structure at first, embraced teamwork and responsibility, becoming a resolute and supportive teammate.
Branches equips participants with the skills and confidence to pursue meaningful career opportunities, and we are excited for what 2025 holds.
Tree Trust YouthBuild
A highlight for Tree Trust YouthBuild was collaborating with partner school Paladin Career and Technical School to design, construct and install an outdoor classroom on the school grounds. Paladin staff shared, “Having features constructed by youth, especially our students involved in the Tree Trust YouthBuild program, is immensely valuable. It instills a sense of ownership, pride, and accomplishment in our students. This hands-on experience not only equips our students with practical skills and work experience but also strengthens their connection to the school community and themselves.” Read more about this amazing collaboration in our blog post, here.
Some of the most unforgettable moments for our Employment Success Coach team happened when transformation took center stage—literally. Tree Trust YouthBuild participants, dressed in their usual workwear—paint-splattered jeans and work boots—embarked on a field trip to shop for job interview attire.
A remarkable change unfolded as participants stepped into crisp shirts, tailored slacks, and polished shoes. Their reflections in the mirror sparked wide smiles, a hint of awe, and a glow of confidence. Our coaches treasure these moments, watching young people see themselves in a new light—poised, professional, and ready to embrace their future.
Summer Youth Employment Program
Tree Trust’s Summer Youth Employment Program beautified 12 community green spaces through landscape construction and maintenance projects. Participants learned to identify and use hand tools, perfected measuring and cutting skills, and gained discipline and teamwork skills.
One participant shared, “Working with Tree Trust has been the best experience I ever had.”
Highlights included installing two concrete retaining walls and constructing dugouts for a community park. Learn more about the success of our summer programming, here.
Landscape Services
Tree Trust Landscape Services, our social enterprise, celebrated 20 years of business in 2024! This team continues to provide essential financial support for Tree Trust’s programs through earned income, while providing high quality tree care, landscaping, and ramp construction services to the community. Learn more about Tree Trust Landscape Services, here.
Join us in planting trees and growing careers!
Reflecting on the successes of 2024, we’re reminded of how trees and skilled trades have the power to connect communities, transform lives, and inspire change. Your support makes it all possible—thank you for being an essential part of our mission!
Join us in continuing this important work. Donate today!
