Program overview
What is the UMN Tree Steward Community Volunteer Program?
The Tree Steward Community Volunteer Program is a UMN-based program that partners with cities and counties across Minnesota in the development of environmentally-focused residents through education and the promotion of volunteerism. Tree Steward volunteers act as leaders in their community and as a second pair eyes for tree care within their community.
A day of local kick-start education provided by UMN staff gives residents a foundation in basic tree care. Under the supervision of a local city or county staff member, residents then use this knowledge to help care for their community's public urban and community trees.
Who can apply?
Any interested municipality in Minnesota can inquire about becoming a Tree Steward community. Typically, a city/county staff member or representative makes the request to UMN staff.
What do volunteers typically do?
The beauty of the Tree Steward program is that volunteer events and tasks can be tailored directly to what work is most helpful in the community. Common activities include planting trees in parks and public spaces, as well as structural pruning of young shade trees. There are also groups whose volunteers hand out tree care resource information at community events like farmers markets, and others that help manage tree giveaways. The goal is to tailor the program to fit your community's tree care dreams.
Training day details
What does the training cost?
The training is provided free of charge to communities and volunteers thanks to a grant from the USDA Forest Service and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
When does a training take place?
To launch the program, UMN staff provide a one-day, in-person training for volunteers. This training day most commonly takes place in the spring or fall, depending on community goals and UMN staff availability. (Spring dates fill up quickly.)
Who handles registration?
Depends on what a local municipality partner prefers, either UMN staff or the local program leader provide the training day registration page.
Who handles advertising for the training event?
Staff from the local municipality are encouraged to use their community contacts and networks to build excitement for the training event. This emphasis on local advertising efforts ensures that folks in the community hear about this exciting new opportunity. UMN staff can also provide examples of marketing materials upon request.
How many people can attend a training day?
Classes usually have 5-25 people to ensure specialized attention.
What does a training day look like?
UMN staff works with the local community partner to plan a one-day, in-person training in the community (usually 4-6 hours). The training includes an indoor presentation-style portion followed by an outdoor demonstration. People that attend the training are invited to become local certified Tree Steward Volunteers.
What educational content does a training provide?
UMN staff help train volunteers in a variety of tree care topics. These often include properly pruning newly planted and small shade trees, best planting and ongoing maintenance practices, and tree identification. The training is tailorable to what interests the community most.
Where is the training held? What materials and technology are involved in the training?
When selecting an event location, it's best to find one spot that fits the needs of both the indoor and outdoor portions of the training.
For the indoor portion of the training, we ask for a community to find a local space that has tables and chairs, access to a bathroom and electricity, and reasonable parking accommodations. If possible, an onsite screen and projector system is very helpful. However, we also have our own portable projector and screen that we are happy to use. UMN staff bring content-relevant samples, handouts, and others materials. Each attendee is also provided with a hard copy of the Tree Steward Manual.
For the outdoor portion of the training, it's good to select a site within short walking distance of the indoor location. For instance, depending on the content being emphasized in the training, this may be a spot with newly planted and/or young trees or an area where a tree planting is to take place. UMN and local municipal staff partner to provide tools and equipment for use during the outdoor portion of the training day. The municipality is then responsible for providing equipment when volunteers begin field work in their community.
What tools and materials should a community consider providing for ongoing volunteer work?
Depending on priorities, these items may include items like bypass hand pruners, folding pruning saws, shovels, rakes, gloves, eye protection, and high-visibility safety vests.
Are there any food or beverages provided?
UMN staff is happy to provide coffee and tea for the training. The local municipality is encouraged to also bring morning snacks.
Since food is a great connector and usually increases volunteer participation, it can also be nice for the local municipality to provide lunch (depending on budget considerations). If that is the case, we can include a note about dietary preferences and allergies on the registration form. If not the case, participants are asked to bring their own lunch. Or we've also had groups host a potluck!
What kind of paperwork is involved?
We ask the lead municipality contact to fill out a quick application form as we plan the local program launch. At the initial training, we ask potential volunteers to fill out a UMN volunteer waivers. We also highly encourage local municipalities to bring their own waiver for volunteers to sign. (We are happy to provide examples if your community does not already have one created.)
Safety and restrictions
Are there restrictions on what volunteers can do?
Yes, the UMN has safety rules for volunteers. Examples include no use of chainsaws or ladders. Contact the Program Coordinator for a full list of restrictions. The UMN also has a UMN wavier as well as an example of a community-based volunteer waiver.
Are there any age restrictions?
Volunteers under the age of 18 are welcome with the written permission of a legal guardian and approval of participation by the local Lead Tree Steward Contact.
What are volunteers asked to wear and bring to the training?
Since part of the training is outdoors, volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy closed-foot shoes and weather-friendly clothes. It is also good for them to pack a hat, sunscreen, and water bottle.
Ongoing program support and communication
What happens after the training day?
Once training is complete, UMN staff take a step back while the local municipality takes the lead to organize events. 2-3 local opportunities per year are suggested to keep volunteers engaged and able to put their new skills and knowledge into action.
What ongoing information does a Tree Steward Community report back to the UMN?
Communities are asked to report data on program volunteerism efforts. This is done by tracking unique volunteers and hours on a sign-in form (one per event) and sending it to UMN staff by the end of each year or sooner. An example form is provided by UMN staff.
What continued support is provided by UMN staff?
The UMN offers follow-up training to each community every 3 years upon request. This is a great chance to bring in new volunteers and recertify and refresh the knowledge of current volunteers.