Our City Forest (OCF) Service team members are sponsored in part by the National Service organization, AmeriCorps. OCF Service Team Members will be part of one of the following teams: Community Planting, Nursery, Community Outreach and Education, or Lawn Busters. All members will:
Be trained on best practices of maintaining a green and healthy urban forest in the Silicon Valley,
strive to maximize volunteer participation in their individual programs, acting as trainers, coaches, & coordinators
conduct outreach efforts to residents and businesses to garner investment and stewardship pertaining to our mission,
provide friendly, professional customer service,
actively seek opportunities for greening projects,
organize and implement projects,
Proportion of field to office work varies with program assignment. Depending on the team, some members may:
Cultivate drought-tolerant plants and trees at our nursery,
plant and care for trees and shrubs in neighborhoods, schools and parks,
be trained in basic landscape design,
educate residents on best water-wise landscaping practices,
complete office tasks such as email correspondence, scheduling appointments, planning logistics, and detailed data entry,
participate in field work necessary for project preparation, and project day execution,
conduct classroom and community presentations, or
represent Our City Forest at various community outreach events.
Service Activities
Nursery Team responsibilities and tasks
(75-95% field, 5-25% office; approx. 10 members)
Propagate and cultivate shrubs, grasses, and trees
Transplant various sizes of trees, shrubs and grasses
Learn and execute best watering techniques for the nursery plants
Learn and execute best pruning and care techniques for young trees and shrubs in containers
Remove invasive species and execute best nursery care practices assigned by Nursery Manager
Plan weekly work day projects and lead volunteer groups 3 days a week
Provide customer service to visitors during weekly open hours
Process transactions for tree and plant sales and provide planting and care instructions when needed
Maintain tree and shrub inventory system
Recruit, train, and correspond with volunteers of all ages and abilities
Database volunteer hours and events
Plan and organize two annual plant sales
Organize community workshops throughout the year
Community Forestry Team responsibilities and tasks (50-85% field, 15-50% office; approx. 30 members
Participate in field work necessary for project preparation, and project day execution for the following sub-teams:
Planting: Work outside with team and volunteers at least once a week planting trees in neighborhoods, schools and parks
Tree Care: Work outside watering and maintaining newly planted trees
Lawn Busters: Work outside with team on lawn conversion projects, which include trenching, sheet mulching, irrigation and plant installation
Educate residents on best water-wise landscaping and planting practices
Complete office tasks such as phone and email correspondence, scheduling appointments, planning logistics, and detailed data entry
Assist residents with tree planting and maintenance needs; provide excellent and professional customer service to accommodate their requests
Conduct classroom and/or community presentations and/or represent Our City Forest at various events
Conduct grassroots community outreach and organizing such as neighborhood door-knocking and calling schools and churches to advertize services
Recruit, train, and correspond with volunteers of all ages and abilities
Database volunteer hours and events
Communications & Outreach Team responsibilities and tasks (15-25% field, 75-85% office; approx. 5 members)
Oversee volunteer program and support each team’s volunteer coordinator
Create and maintain relationships with dedicated volunteers called Tree Amigos
Recruit new Tree Amigos and plan educational training course
Sign up, manage tracker, and attend community outreach events
Oversee outreach materials stocks and needs
Design flyers and brochures depending on program needs
Assist with the management of the Our City Forest website
Strategize and execute outreach techniques for promoting events, recruiting volunteers, and increasing community interest in our programs/services (ie. through flyering, social media, newsletters, and/or community meetings)
Complete office tasks such as phone and email correspondence, scheduling appointments, planning logistics, and detailed data entry
Conduct classroom and community presentations
Represent Our City Forest at various community outreach events and educate the public on OCF’s mission
Plan, implement and assist in various projects depending on each program’s needs
Community Need Addressed
California’s 3rd largest city, San José, is at the center of one of the nation’s most polluted areas, and home to more Superfund sites than any U.S. county. Air and water quality are poor, and after 4 straight years of drought, the availability of water poses another serious threat. Planting and establishing shade trees and water-wise landscapes will assist residents in shifting to an environmentally smart and water-saving culture, and are proven strategies to mitigate pollution and conserve water.
Position Outcomes
9,000 community members receive training, educational materials, technical assistance, trees, or other plants. 650 urban greening projects, including community plantings and turf conversions 3,000 trees/shrubs adopted by residents/schools.
Thousands of residents will have opportunities to engage directly and successfully in these strategies, understand the importance of doing so, and become long-term urban environmental stewards.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Put service time towards completion of an Arborist Certification.
AmeriCorps Member qualify for SNAP (Cal Fresh - food Stamps) and Medicare.
Our City Forest's AmeriCorps Program offers an opportunity to be a apart of a large AmeriCorps team. All of our members serve out of OCF's San Jose office and Community Nursery, creating a solid and supportive community from the beginning: Cross training, Holiday Parties, Monthly Pot-lucks - We offer logistical support for finding housing in San Jose and connect you to other service members in the area for networking.
Education Benefits
Credential or Certification
Arborist Certification
Skills you will gain
Community Outreach and Education, Volunteer Coordination, Public Speaking, Plant/Tree Cultivation, Plant/Tree Planting and Care, Landscaping/Irrigation, Team Building, Time Management, Database Management, Water Conservation Practices, Arborist Practices.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment