The City of Denver is working to expand its green workforce, but a part of that initiative is making sure people have the stomach for it.
Denver7 was there as several groups gathered for a tree climbing event at City Park.
“We're kind of leading them through a recreational climb, just to see where their hearts are at and stomachs are at for this type of work,” Shawnee Fisher, an urban resilience training manager, said. “By the end of today, we’ll see who is really interested in getting up in the trees.”
The event aligns with Denver’s plan to expand its tree canopy into under-served neighborhoods, with a goal to add around 3,000 trees over the next four years. City leaders say they need a workforce to maintain those trees to go with it.
“With climate change being what it is, and global warming, the city becomes a heat island,” Harv Teitelbaum, a master tree climbing instructor, said. “With increasing temperatures, it becomes harder to find cool places. So increasing the canopy gives residents more opportunities to not only cool down but to relieve stress.”
The program is targeted toward young adults between 18 and 24 years old. That could be a starting point to explore different careers like becoming an arborist or exploring green infrastructure.
This tree climbing event is part of the city’s broader green workforce development program, which prepares participants for jobs in various fields, including clean energy and electric vehicle technology.
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