STRATEGIES
A large portion of Trees Virginia's strategy involves direct participation in communities (Virginia Urban Forest Council, 2023). Through the use of public events and tree stewards, the organization helps plant trees and provide tree care services for community members who need them. Aside from direct impacts through stewards and projects, Trees Virginia also works towards its goals through stakeholder roundtables, workshops, and scholarships. Tree Virginia organizes a one-day quarterly meeting with arborists, engineers, interested community members, and other professionals to communicate strategies and ideas to improve urban forestry. These roundtables also work to discuss issues within the community. Workshops are also organized yearly within the state. This meeting, made up normally of local municipality representatives and private partners, works to establish new best-management practices in the industry and exchange issues and ideas, similar to the roundtable. Furthermore, Trees Virginia offers scholarships to assist students who are studying urban forestry. Thereby, helping to improve the future of industry professionals.
Current results from the organization show that there is a decline in tree steward groups as a whole, but the amount of volunteer service hours has increased, suggesting an increase in public awareness and activism in general (Virginia Urban Forest Council, 2023). Trees Virginia also is currently working on roundtables and workshops, while providing practical assistance through wood service providers and distributing newsletters. Additionally, the organization provides grants to enhance the efforts of sustainability initiatives.
Virginia’s Urban Forest Council - Trees Virginia non-profit organization. Trees Virginia. (2023). https://www.treesvirginia.org/