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Urban areas are crowded with high-rise buildings, freeways, and little space for nature. However, the last 17 years have seen a significant increase in urbanization. Onondaga Earth CorpsBy planting trees, he has attempted to improve the concrete environment in cities.
According to Kate Littlefield, a SUNY ESF graduate and program specialist who has been working at OEC since September, the green industry is generally underrepresented.
OEC has been helping young adults from Syracuse to make a positive difference in their communities since 2005. In 2021, the program hired 58 youth members.
Littlefield stated that there was a city nonprofit that hires a lot from underserved areas. We were hiring people in Syracuse for the work in their communities. Instead of hiring a contractor, the city hired us. This is a closed-loop system.
OEC welcomes young people as either members of the youth program (for members aged 16-18) or the young adult program (for members aged 19-25). Both programs offer an earn-to-learn system. This means that all members are paid hourly wages and can learn skills such as leadership, landscaping, and outreach.
According to a form on OEC’s website, members generally work on a season basis, working in the spring or fall, or both. They are encouraged and encouraged to return for multiple years and eventually assume leadership roles.
Megan Gorss is an OEC administrative assistant and a SUNY ESF graduate. She said that crew members have a job here. They get paid. It is a normal job. However, it is a priority for the staff and the organization to provide services to crew members to connect them with other organizations so they can continue to be successful in their lives.
Gorss stated that these services have been offered in the past to help members find employment with other environmental organizations, assist members with college applications, and even work to get a driver’s license for members who are looking for work.
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OEC recently hired an OEC personal development coordinator to help members succeed beyond their work. This is a full-time position held by a former youth member.
Once hired, members join teams to perform important local environmental services like tree planting, tree pruning, tree mulching, tree weeding, tree mulching, tree planting, and tree trimming. Littlefield explained that most of their work is done in areas of Syracuse, where urban forestry has been severely neglected due to redlining or other municipal issues.
They claimed that it is warmer in these formerly low-income communities and communities with color, and that there are higher rates and severity of asthma because of the presence of more contaminants in the atmosphere. There is also more flooding from a lack green infrastructure.
All of these are major environmental justice issues that OEC actively works with the city and other organizations to combat. Littlefield stated that this is one of the most important things.
Gorss stated that the goal of the city’s Urban Forest Master Plan, which is a 20-year program to plant and maintain trees in public places, is to increase the percentage of trees in Syracuse. Their only way to achieve that is through a commitment to environmental justice, and equitable distribution of trees in the city.
The OEC also contributes key tree maintenance efforts towards the Urban Forest Master Plan. The OEC maintains a low risk of trees being cut in Syracuse, with 700 trees expected to be removed each year.
Eh Moemo Qui (a crew leader at OEC) said that one thing I am proud of is the pruning. We were able to remove a lot of trees. We had to cut through wires that were growing on some trees. It doesn’t look good after you cut the tree in the middle. However, this is necessary to prevent future problems and prevent the tree growing through the wire.
Although Quis pruning campaign is a small initiative, it is vital to the Urban Forest Master Plan.
The Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs, OEC, and a steering group made up of representatives from other local groups, such as SUNY-ESF, created the plan. The plan describes OEC’s pruning program as vital and estimates that OEC was responsible 65 to 70% of all public tree plantings in Syracuse between 2012-2020. The organization planted 1,471 trees or shrubs in Syracuse and the surrounding areas last year.
OEC plans to strengthen local programs and not expand outside the Syracuse region in 2022. This includes continued work at Schiller Park and the Onondaga Creekwalk as well as the organization’s network of rain gardens, green infrastructure, and other sites.
Littlefield said that although there are many great parks in Syracuse, they have been neglected for so many years. This discourages people from using them. In a way, we are playing catch-up, but they are such great resources and can be found all over the city. People forget that nature can be found in Syracuse. Many people don’t even know about Burnet Park and Schiller Park. They have a lot of cool stuff.
OEC students from Syracuse University and SUNY ESF are able to participate in a variety volunteer and member-based ways. Gorss stated that OEC organizes several volunteer events throughout the year and has a good working relationship with both universities.
ESF professors claim that OEC doesn’t get involved as much. Littlefield said that they believe there is plenty of room for partnerships. Logistically, there are some issues to resolve. However, we frequently hold volunteer events catering to ESF. We are also happy to host it catering to SU.
Published April 25, 2022, 12:44 AM
