In Tucson, Arizona, teenagers are being paid to plant trees to provide cool shade as the climate warms.
Breault: “We all know what it's like to be walking down the streets of Tucson in 110-degree heat with no shade. Like, that's a common experience for community members here.
Angel Enriquez Breault works for the nonprofit Tucson Clean and Beautiful.
He said Tucson is working to expand its tree canopy. His team is getting young people involved in the work.
Brault: “Who better to represent and steward urban forests than individuals who have grown up with them?”
Each year, the Youth Tree Leadership Program employs up to approximately 50 youth. They learn how to plant and care for drought-tolerant trees and participate in planting activities with arborists and volunteers.
The experience helps develop a greater sense of stewardship, Brault said.
Brault: “When we take young people through the process of planting and learning about, identifying these trees, watching them mature and caring for them, you know…that's really how we connect young people to place.”
As a result, the program helps teens feel rooted in their communities and invested in a greener future.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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