Greening Of Detroit

GROWING TOMORROW'S DETROIT...TOGETHER.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - CREATED IN 2009, THROUGH PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE GREENING'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE UNEMPLOYED DETROITERS WITH VALUABLE JOB TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION IN THE GREEN INDUSTRY. PARTICIPANTS IN THE GREENING'S ADULT WORKFORCE PROGRAM ARE TRAINED FOR JOBS IN LANDSCAPING, FORESTRY, AND AGRICULTURE. THE FOCUS AREAS WITHIN THE GREENING'S PROGRAM INCLUDE: FIRST AID AND SAFETY, LANDSCAPE PLAN READING AND ESTIMATING, TURF INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE, PLANTS AND PLANTINGS, TREE/SHRUB MAINTENANCE, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT AND SAFETY (TAUGHT BY OSHA-CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS) AND CHAUFFEUR'S LICENSE TRAINING. IN 2014 THE PROGRAM ADDED A NEW CERTIFICATION IN THE FIELD OF TREE ARTESIAN. THIS CERTIFICATION FOCUSES ON URBAN FORESTRY, TREE REMOVAL, AND STUMP GRINDING. THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO CERTIFIED AS A FEDERAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. IN 2021, THE GREENING OF DETROIT'S DETROIT CONSERVATION CORPS, CONTINUES TO MOVE ITS MISSION ALONG WITH TRAINING 2,400 DETROIT RESIDENTS, WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. THE DETROIT CONSERVATION CORPS (DCC) WAS FORMED WITH A FIVE-YEAR A GOAL TO TRAIN AT LEAST 2,400 UNEMPLOYED DETROITERS THROUGH THE GREENING OF DETROIT'S ENTRY LEVEL LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY PROGRAM; AND PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT WITHIN A LOCAL CONSERVATION CORPS. THE CORPS OPERATES AS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDSCAPE RENOVATION PROJECTS. IN 2021, 68 DETROIT RESIDENTS GRADUATED FROM THE DCC PROGRAMMING AND 92% WERE PLACED INTO JOBS. JOB PLACEMENT INCLUDED DAVEY TREE, CITY OF DETROIT GENERAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, PAYNES LANDSCAPING, TEDDY'S LANDSCAPING AND ON THE GREENING OF DETROIT'S PLANTING CREWS. DCC IS A FEDERALLY ACCREDITED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: GRADUATES RECEIVE MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS IN FIRST AID, CPR, MIOSHA, CUSTOMER SERVICE, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION. DCC IS A COLLABORATIVE SERVICE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, INCLUDING SOCIAL SERVICE ASSISTANCE, RESUME WRITING, AND THE JOB INTERVIEW SKILLS THROUGH ITS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, SCARLETT COMMUNICATIONS, AND IMPOSSIBLY IMPOSSIBLE. TO DATE 1,080 ADULT TRAINEES HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE GREENING'S COHORT SESSIONS WITH CERTIFICATES. CONSISTENTLY, WE ACHIEVE OVERALL 92% JOB PLACEMENT RATE IN GREEN CAREERS. THE GREENING OF DETROIT HAS PLANTED MORE THAN 133,000 TREES THROUGHOUT THE CITY SINCE 1989. AS OUR SCOPE OF WORK GREW, THE ORGANIZATION CREATED A SUMMER YOUTH WORKFORCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST IN THE WATERING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TREES. THE GREEN CORPS PROGRAM HAS COLLECTIVELY EMPLOYED MORE THAN 1650 DETROIT YOUTH SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1998. BY MAINTAINING THOUSANDS OF TREES IN OVER 130 PLANTING SITES ACROSS THE CITY, CORPS MEMBERS ARE INVESTING THEIR ENERGY AND TIME IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THESE YOUTH ALSO BEAUTIFY PARKS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND PARTICIPATE IN CONSERVATION PROJECTS THAT HAVE MEANINGFUL AND BENEFICIAL IMPACTS FOR DETROIT RESIDENTS. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORK, AND TO NURTURE A SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.IN 2021, 65 GREEN CORPS YOUTH WERE EMPLOYED BY THE GREENING OF DETROIT. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD TO PIVOT AND MODIFY FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEN CORPS PROGRAMMING. A VIRTUAL PROGRAM WAS CREATED THAT DELIVERED THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE THAT STUDENTS LOOK FOR EACH SUMMER. WE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED THAT THE NEED FOR THIS SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WAS CRITICAL NOW MORE THAN EVER. STUDENTS EARNED AN HOURLY WAGE OF $8.90 AN HOUR, AND STUDENTS AGES (18-24) EARNED WAGES OF $12.50 AN HOUR. THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM INCLUDED EXPOSING OPPORTUNITIES IN GREEN COLLAR JOBS, COLLEGE READINESS, WORK READINESS, SAT PREPARATORY SESSIONS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, LEADERSHIP BUILDING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND TEAM BUILDING.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE - TREE PLANTING IS ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING A THRIVING, HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN COMMUNITY. OVER THE PAST 33 YEARS, THE GREENING WORKED WITH ITS CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PLANT MORE THAN 135,000 NEW TREES CITYWIDE. IN 2021, THE GREENING, HOSTED 32 TREE PLANTING EVENTS THROUGHOUT DETROIT, HIGHLAND PARK, AND HAMTRAMCK, RESULTING IN THE INSTALLATION OF OVER 2,181 TREES, 135 SHRUBS, 200 PERENNIALS, INCLUDING 650 TREES DISTRIBUTED FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY. THIS WORK WAS SUPPORTED BY 1,469 VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING 46 NEW AND RETURNED CITIZEN FORESTERS WHO LED VOLUNTEER GROUPS DURING COMMUNITY PLANTING EVENTS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT MAINTENANCE AT THE MEYERS TREE NURSERY AND LAFAYETTE GREENS.THE GREENING ADDED 626 NEW TREES AT MEYERS TREE NURSERY, SUPPORTED BY 14 PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE EVENTS. WE HOSTED TWO PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES AND WELCOMED OVER 50 NEW VISITORS, WHO LEARNED ABOUT TREE ID, GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHAT IT TAKES TO GROW TREES IN DETROIT. OVER 3500 TREES ARE UNDER PRODUCTION, IRRIGATED WITH RECYCLED WATER FROM OUR CONSTRUCTED STORMWATER RESERVOIR, USING TRADITIONAL, POT IN POT, AND GRAVEL BED METHODS.ADDITIONALLY, OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORK INCLUDED A FEE FOR SERVICE PROGRAM (FFS) THAT PROVIDED BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPING. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT FOR 8 GRADUATES OF THE GREENING'S ADULT WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM, THE DETROIT CONSERVATION CORPS (DCC). THE FFS PROGRAM EARNED OVER $648,000 OF REVENUE, SUPPORTING BOTH THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND GREEN JOBS FOR DETROITERS.COMMUNITY OUTREACH HAS BEEN A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO OUR WORK OVER THE LAST THIRTY-THREE YEARS. WE REGULARLY CONNECT WITH OVER 150 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS EACH YEAR, INCLUDING BLOCK CLUBS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, AND NON-PROFITS TO IDENTIFY TREE NEEDS, IN ADDITION TO RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. THE GREENING CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE CREATING AND ADVOCATING FOR HEALTHY GREENSPACE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

GREEN SPACES- LAFAYETTE GREENS.THE GREENING OF DETROIT OPERATE LAFAYETTE GREENS, OUR URBAN GARDEN LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT. THE HIGHLY VISIBLE GREEN SPACE IS A SHOWCASE PROJECT FOR THE GREENING, PROVIDING US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, SPOTLIGHT OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS IN THE CITY. OPEN SINCE 2011, LAFAYETTE GREENS WAS FORMERLY OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE COMPUWARE CORPORATION, WHICH DONATED THE .75-ACRE SITE TO THE GREENING OF DETROIT SIX YEARS AGO (A GIFT VALUED AT THE TIME AT $375,000). LAFAYETTE GREENS IS A PRODUCTIVE URBAN GARDEN, WHICH LAST YEAR GENERATED HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF ORGANIC FRUITS, VEGETABLES, HERBS AND FLOWERS. EVERYTHING HARVESTED GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, EITHER TO THE VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME TO HELP MAINTAIN THE SPACE, OR TO FOOD DISTRIBUTORS LIKE FORT STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SHELTERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. LAFAYETTE GREENS ALSO HOSTS A WEEKLY MARKET DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. CLOSE TO SENIOR HOUSING AND THE ROSA PARKS TRANSIT CENTER, THE FARMERS MARKET AT LAFAYETTE GREENS SUPPLIES CITY RESIDENTS WITH A SOURCE FOR FRESH NUTRITIOUS FOOD. LAFAYETTE GREENS ALSO SERVES AS A TRAINING SPACE FOR YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR GREEN CORPS SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, PROVIDING DETROIT TEENS WITH HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FARMING ASSIGNMENTS THAT FOCUS ON THE CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO DETROIT'S URBAN ENVIRONMENT. YOUTH SUPPORT GROWING AND PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES AT LAFAYETTE GREENS, AND ALSO ASSIST WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND VOLUNTEER EVENTS.TO DATE, LAFAYETTE GREENS HAS ATTRACTED OVER 23,500 VISITORS. AN ADDITIONAL 500-1,000 VISITORS COME BY WAY OF OUR THAT PROVIDE WALKING TOURS FOR GROUPS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS YEAR THEY INCLUDED LAFAYETTE GREENS AS A DESTINATION ON THE TOUR. WE AVERAGE ROUGHLY 100-225 VISITORS PER DAY. FOLKS COME TO VISIT OF ALL AGES AND INCLUDE, SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN VISITING FROM LOCAL DETROIT AND METRO DETROIT SCHOOLS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SENIORS AND LOCAL FARMERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING IN OUR GARDEN BEDS. FINALLY, THE GREENING HAS HELD 23 EVENTS IN LAFAYETTE GREENS. YOGA AT THE LAFAYETTE GREENS KICKED OFF IN JULY AND OFFERS A CALMING BEGINNER'S CLASS EVERY MONDAY. FINALLY, TREE PRUNING 101 TOOK PLACE EARLIER THIS SPRING WITH OUR CITIZEN FORESTERS.