• Workforce Development

    Gorwing a skilled, inclusive workforce to build healthier, more resilient communities.

  • What Is Workforce Development and Why Does It Matter?

    A healthy urban forest doesn’t happen by accident. It takes people with the knowledge, skills, and experience to plant the right trees, care for them over time, and help communities prepare for a changing climate.

    Workforce development is about building people-power. It means creating pathways for people to enter the urban forestry field, gain hands-on experience, earn professional credentials, and build lasting careers. It also means making sure the field reflects the communities it serves.

    Today, there is a growing need for skilled urban forestry professionals—and an opportunity to build a stronger, more diverse workforce to meet it. In a nationwide U.S. study, we found that only 10% of urban forestry professionals were women and 5% were minorities (Kuhns et al., 2002), highlighting a significant gap in representation within the field.

    At the same time, demand for this workforce is growing. Federal investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, alongside increased funding for urban forestry, wildfire resilience, and climate adaptation, have significantly increased the need for qualified arborists and related professionals. Here in Southern Oregon, rising temperatures, prolonged drought, insect and disease pressures, and more frequent wildfire events are creating an even greater need for tree planting, maintenance, and long-term canopy management.

    That demand is expected to continue locally. Jackson and Josephine Counties are projected to see continued growth in arboriculture, forestry, and environmental management occupations, while employers report ongoing difficulty recruiting qualified workers (SORED, 2025).

    This is where we come in.

    OUR Community Forestry is investing in the people who will care for our urban forests for decades to come. Through internships, hands-on training, professional credentialing, and career pathways, we help people gain the experience and confidence they need to enter the field—and stay in it.

    Because when we invest in people, we’re not just growing careers. We’re growing the capacity of our communities to plant, protect, and care for trees for generations to come.

  • From learning to leading, a story of workforce development at work!

    Alex joined OUR Community Forestry as an intern and left with the experience, confidence, and skills to launch her career.

    During her time with OURCF, Alex gained hands-on experience in arboriculture and community forestry while working toward her ISA Certified Arborist credential. As a Grants Pass resident, she was especially interested in bringing that experience back to her own community.

    When a position opened for an Urban Forester with the City of Grants Pass, Alex applied and got the job.

    Alex credits her experience with OURCF with giving her the confidence, experience, and skillset that helped her take the next step in her career. For us, seeing a former intern step into a leadership role in the community she calls home is exactly what workforce development is about.

    We’re proud to now work alongside Alex as a community partner. Through projects like the Grants Pass Canopy Collaborative, we’re excited to continue building a stronger, healthier urban forest in Grants Pass together.

  • From learning to leading, a story of workforce development at work!

    Alex joined OUR Community Forestry as an intern and left with the experience, confidence, and skills to launch her career.

    During her time with OURCF, Alex gained hands-on experience in arboriculture and community forestry while working toward her ISA Certified Arborist credential. As a Grants Pass resident, she was especially interested in bringing that experience back to her own community.

    When a position opened for an Urban Forester with the City of Grants Pass, Alex applied and got the job.

    Alex credits her experience with OURCF with giving her the confidence, experience, and skillset that helped her take the next step in her career. For us, seeing a former intern step into a leadership role in the community she calls home is exactly what workforce development is about.

    We’re proud to now work alongside Alex as a community partner. Through projects like the Grants Pass Canopy Collaborative, we’re excited to continue building a stronger, healthier urban forest in Grants Pass together.

  • Sources

    Kuhns, M. R., Bragg, H. A., & Blahna, D. J. (2002). Involvement of women and minorities in the urban forestry profession. Journal of Arboriculture, 28(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2002.004

    Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development (SORED), Inc. (2025). One Rogue Valley: Reimagined, 2025–2030 comprehensive economic development strategy. https://soredi.org

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