Partner Spotlight: Verde

Verde is part of the 11-member coalition for our IRA Community Forestry Grant

We recently had the chance to connect with one of our partners about the opportunities the community forestry coalition affords. After speaking with Amandeep Sohi, Community Engagement Coordinator at Verde, it’s clear that their organization is striving to make a difference in the community.

Verde serves communities by building environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach, and advocacy. Friends of Trees and Verde have been partners long before this coalition. In recent years, Verde helped Friends of Trees lead our first Spanish-speaking tree planting event. They also assisted in gathering volunteers and training 5 Latinx women to become planting crew leaders.

“When we talk about environmental wealth, we’re talking about access to green spaces and people’s ability to go into nature,” Amandeep said. “Not necessarily big, destination-parks, but also pocket parks right by our homes that we can walk to. We want to connect people to those spaces and opportunities—community gardens, naturescapes, and tree planting.”

Verde is part of the 11-member coalition led by Friends of Trees that was awarded a $12 million Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the Inflation Reduction Act grants. The grant will fund community forestry work including tree planting, natural area restoration, post-planting care, community education, opportunities for direct community input and participation, and workforce training.

Amandeep also spoke to the importance of working in these particular neighborhoods. “It’s super exciting to be working in Justice40 neighborhoods. Planting trees and native shrubs really impacts peoples lives and doing it together builds community.” The Justice40 Initiative is a goal enacted by the Biden Administration to deliver at least 40 percent of the overall investments from key federal investments to disadvantaged communities.

As for the future of the coalition, Verde is excited to work with all of the partners. “Every partner touches on different communities, different aspects of green spaces. Depave is breaking up asphalt and pavement to mitigate heat island effects. Wisdom of the Elders is bringing indigenous knowledge and ways of stewarding the land back to our communities. We’re hoping to tap into our partners’ expansive communities to reach a diverse group of participants.”