Working with communities to plant trees and improve parks for a healthy, resilient future.

Capital Projects and Gates Tennis Center

The Park People has raised millions of dollars in private funds to restore infrastructure like historical park buildings and fountains. We’ve helped to build new playgrounds and recreation facilities. Our projects can be found throughout the city.

One great example is Gates Tennis Center, an award-winning public recreation facility located within Pulaski Park in the Cherry Creek area.

Denver Digs Trees

The Park People's Denver Digs Trees program has provided Denver residents with more than 60,000 free and low-cost trees over the past 35+ years. Denver Digs Trees has become a highly-anticipated community tradition and an inspiring catalyst of community action. The trees planted through the program grow to provide a wealth of environmental, social, and economic benefits to our community.

Mile High Tree Champions

Through our Mile High Tree Champions program, we coordinate tree planting projects for Denver businesses and other groups. This is a special opportunity for participating groups to give back to the community and the environment while also building staff morale and comradery. Plantings take place in Denver parks and Denver Affordable Housing Communities.

Community Forester Program

Do you have a passion for trees and for serving your community? Do you want to pick up new skills, learn how to improve your neighborhood, and meet other interesting people? Once we’ve trained you to be a Community Forester, you’ll be ready to help The Park People, Denver’s Forestry Office, and the city’s Be a Smart Ash campaign to improve our environment and build healthier communities.

Community-Led Greening

The Park People works in partnership with residents and community partners throughout Denver. Through special community-led and community-engaged greening projects, we support the visions residents have for their communities. The Park People's role is as a partner and supporter of residents, serving varied functions including technical experts, resource connectors, community facilitators, and outreach/logistics coordinators.

Park Legacy Program

The Park People's Park Legacy program can help you celebrate and commemorate a loved one by planting a beautiful, living tree in one of Denver’s parks. It’s a meaningful way to honor a legacy while giving back to your community. We also offer engraved brick pavers, placed in Washington Park.

Treeforce: Our NEW Workforce Development Program

Denver's urban tree care sector currently faces a worker shortage crisis. To meet Denver's climate goals, 60,000 trees need to be planted in the next three years, 200 additional tree care jobs with family-supporting wages need to be filled, and a network for urban forestry stewards needs to be cultivated. Urban forestry is growing as trees gain recognition for their climate-resilient properties, and that's expected to grow, too.

The Park People's program Treeforce provides career pathways and connections into this growing, stable field. Launching as a pre-apprenticeship in 2022, Treeforce will prepare adults that face barriers to employment for meaningful career paths with family-supporting wages. Upon completion of the program, pre-apprentices will be encouraged to apply to the Colorado Arborist Apprenticeship Program or pursue employment opportunities in private tree care, municipal forestry, seedling production, tree planting, urban wood reuse, or higher education. Learn more about this environmentally, economically, and socially beneficial program here.

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