Our Blog

January 1, 2023

Lindsay Cutler

What if our storm drains occasionally dropped apples over our fences? In this post, we reveal the power of the whole - what our trees are doing for us individually at our homes and workplaces as well as their collective strength in helping to make Denver a cleaner, greener place to live and play.

We sat down with Evon Lopez, community organizer, grandmother, student, hiker, tree lover aaand…The Park People’s new Community Connector to talk about her life, her work, her community, and her dreams. At 62, Evon is retired from a 25-year career working with the City and County of Denver as a Human Resource professional. She cares for her infant grandson full time while pursuing a masters degree in Human Resource Management and working tirelessly on behalf of Valverde residents. We asked Evon why she chose to take on the role of Community Connector when she’s already so busy. She responded: “I got into this because I saw it as a way to bring more trees into the Valverde Neighborhood, because I love and honor the people from this neighborhood with all my heart. Yet something has happened, and I don’t know how to describe it. It’s supernatural. I feel like somebody pushed a button in me. I think I’ve fallen for you, trees, The Park People magic. Perhaps I’m smitten, or is it bitten? Community Connectors are important because we teach each other. You teach me about trees and show me how to bring more people in. I speak the language of Valverde and that’s important for The Park People’s work to be successful there."

Read here to learn more about your tree's water needs. It’s that time of year when you sit out on your patio and smell the neighbor’s sprinklers as they rotate back and forth across the grass, hitting the fence and sometimes the street. Irrigation systems are an enormous timesaver and are often the make it or break it element to thriving landscapes in Denver. But are they delivering enough water to your trees? And if you don’t have one, how much water should you be giving those trees? We've got tips for several watering methods, including hose, bucket, drip irrigation, and spray irrigation. Remember, watering trees is an investment. The shade trees provide decreases water loss to evaporation,  more so than the amount of water required to keep them healthy. Plus, if you're willing to go the extra mile, trees can be watered with recycled or already used water. Check out this blog to learn more

The Park People wants to share tips for protecting your trees during Colorado's spring season.

Our spring treecare blog includes: ways to protect buds and newly formed growths that may freeze if temperatures drop, a highlight of The Park People's 4-season Tree Care Guide, how to protect your trees during spring storms, a way to save money and water with rainwater collection, and a reminder for Denver's free mulch giveaway!

As always, you can reach out to our Tree Care Hotline at treecare@TheParkPeople.org with any questions. 

There is a well-documented worker shortage across the country. As hiring demands grow towards pre-pandemic numbers, we’re still seeing inadequate numbers of workers. Many experts note that wage stagnation over the last several decades contributes to this shortage. To make matters more complicated, the number of skilled workers does not match the demand for the crucial, innovative work across industries. There are not enough resources available to help folks transition to better paying, more stable careers. This is also affecting Denver's urban forest.

Our new program Treeforce, laucnhing August 2022, will address these issues.

Read this blog post to learn how we will help fill the worker shortage throughout the greater Denver area, while connecting community members facing barriers to employment to meaningful career paths in urban forestry