COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE
We believe that Providence residents should be able to actively participate in making decisions about our neighborhoods that affect our daily lives and wellbeing . . . including decisions about our urban forest!
Many of us have historically been excluded from participating fully in these decision-making processes. We created the Tree Plan to change that: to put the voices of our frontline climate justice communities at the center of the conversation about green infrastructure development in Providence.
But this work doesn’t end with a written plan! As we bring the Tree Plan’s recommendations to life across our neighborhoods — planting and caring for trees, providing training and education, and advocating for climate justice — we want to make sure that residents are guiding the work, especially folks who have often been excluded from democratic voice & power. So, we’re creating new pathways to build ongoing community-driven decision making into what we do . . . keep reading to learn more!
Want to learn more about community governance? Check out the spectrum of community engagement to ownership, created by Rosa González of Facilitating Power, which has guided a lot of our work.
If you’re interested in potentially getting involved with the Tree Ambassador Network or PUFCAB, let us know! We’re in the process of getting them set up and will reach out to you when we’re ready to recruit new members.
Tree Ambassador Network
We’re working to build out a citywide Tree Ambassador Network: a paid community organizing program to support residents of frontline neighborhoods with on-the-ground urban forestry outreach where they live. Cohorts of Tree Ambassadors receive training in tree equity, urban forestry, and community organizing skills, so that they can teach neighbors about the value of trees, connect them with opportunities for tree planting, advocacy, and careers, and organize for greener streets. There are some cohorts already underway in parts of the city, and we are currently looking for funding and partners to help us develop more! Fill out the interest form linked above to learn more about opportunities.
Community Tree Forums
Community Tree Forums are public meetings in Tree Equity Focus Areas where residents can learn about trees and participate in planning conversations by highlighting current tree-related needs and choosing focus areas within their specific neighborhoods.
Do you want to host a forum? Contact us at hello@pvdtreeplan.org!
Providence Urban Forest Community Advisory Board
We are currently seeking funds to transition the entity that developed the Tree Plan, the Steering Committee, into an ongoing Providence Urban Forest Community Advisory Board, or PUFCAB. The PUFCAB will be a body of stipended community representatives who meet regularly to provide high-level guidance on urban forestry priorities and activities in Providence. The PUFCAB will work closely with local practitioner groups, the City, and the network of Tree Ambassadors to help ensure ongoing accountability to the vision of the Tree Plan and changing community needs, and helps advocate for new City policies that promote tree equity.
