For many cities, volunteers have become an increasingly critical part of urban forestry programs. However, whether you are engaging volunteers as part of your community outreach strategy or to help plant trees, volunteers can require significant amounts of time and resources to manage resources that are not always available. Luckily, if assigned the right projects and provided the right leadership, volunteers can add significant value to your forestry programs. This presentation will provide an overview of the value volunteers can provide, choosing effective volunteer projects, and recruiting volunteers. Specific attention will be given to volunteer training needs, efficient communication, and methods of identifying leaders. Participants can be expected to walk away with an understanding of how to appeal to volunteer leaders, the challenges to volunteer approaches, and unique ways to keep volunteers engaged and supporting your community's work.

1. Volunteers in Urban Forestry
Treasure or Trouble?
Lee Mueller
April 7, 2016

2. Why do volunteers matter?

3. Why do volunteers matter? - get things done

4. Why do volunteers matter? - build a task force

5. Why do volunteers matter? - neighborhood resource

6. Why do volunteers matter? - advocacy

7. Why do volunteers matter? - money

8. Why do volunteers matter? - money
$23.07 per hour

9. Why do volunteers matter? - surprising impacts

10. How are volunteers limited?

11. How are volunteers limited? - consistency

12. How are volunteers limited? - consistency

13. How are volunteers limited? - motivation

14. How are volunteers limited? - skills and knowledge

15. How are volunteers limited? - costs and benefits
Cost Priority
In-House
Resources
Credentials Accuracy
Volunteers $ Low Moderate Low Varies
In-House
Staff
$$
Low to
Moderate
High Varies Varies
Outsource
(Contractor)
$$$
Moderate to
High
Low High High

16. Will volunteers save you time and money?

17. Will volunteers cost you time and money?

18. Is that really the point?

19. What can volunteers do?

20. What can volunteers do? - tree planting

21. What can volunteers do? - tree inventories

22. What can volunteers do? - citizen forestry

23. What can volunteers do? - advocate / communicate

24. What can volunteers do? - develop / lead projects

25. Where can you get volunteers?

26. Where can you get volunteers?
Allied Organizations
Similar Programs
Existing Volunteers
Community Organizations
Businesses or Professionals
Colleges / Schools
Service Groups

27. Where can you get volunteers? - recruitment strategies
Brainstorm allied organizations.
Speak at meetings.
Make it known you’re looking for volunteers.
Create a volunteer pipeline.
Ensure existing volunteers have GREAT EXPERIENCE.

28. Where can you get volunteers? - recruitment rules
1. provide added value, skills, or knowledge
2. start with familiar sources
3. develop a unique identity
4. empower existing participants
5. word of mouth is more effective than flyers, e-mails, mailings, or campaigns,
so make it fun and rewarding.

29. Why do volunteers come back?

30. Why do volunteers come back?
It’s hard not to - it’s easy!
The experience was fun and rewarding.
Time was well spent.
Something meaningful was accomplished.
Assistance was valued and appreciated.

31. Why do volunteers come back? - communicate

32. Why do volunteers come back? - delegate

33. Why do volunteers come back? - lead

34. Why do volunteers come back? - equip

35. Why do volunteers come back? - empower

36. Why do volunteers come back? - recognize

37. Why do volunteers come back? - have fun

38. Lee Mueller
Davey Resource Group
Lee.Mueller@Davey.com
248 221 0439