TreeKeepers is a partnership betweenTreeCity, a non-profit group "helping people and trees grow together," the Environmental Youth Alliance, a non-profit group empowering youth to create healthy ecological communities, the City of Vancouver through the Vancouver Park Board, the federal government’s EcoAction plan and the Vancouver Foundation, all working in support of the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan.

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Tree City began in 2005 as an urban greening group helping Vancouver residents improve their own neighbourhoods through trees. Its mission is to engage citizens in the creation of a healthy environment through the planting and care of trees. Tree City does this by:

*Providing leadership and expertise to community groups, businesses and individuals to improve the environment with trees.

*Enhancing urban food security and agricultural engagement with fruit trees and edible landscaping.

*Helping to make Vancouver a world-class model for citizen stewardship of the environment.

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Since 1991, the Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) has been a catalyst for youth led and centered sustainability programs in Vancouver and in 15 countries abroad. EYA has considerable expertise in delivering community-driven projects with a mission to engage youth as assets and leaders in building a healthier society.

EYA's vision is to build community and environmental health through an understanding of our connection with our social and physical environment. It promotes this mission through skill building projects that motivate youth to respond creatively to reconciling social and economic needs with environmental imperatives. EYA espouses life-long learning by developing new approaches to education, employment and community development.

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Greenest City 2020 is a bold initiative to address Vancouver's environmental challenges. Through a set of measurable and attainable targets, it aims to put the city on the path to sustainability and make Vancouver the greenest city in the world by 2020.

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We've been lucky to have the enthusiastic support of our colleagues at the Vancouver Park Board. Director of Parks Bill Harding stands between Tree City Executive Director David Tracey and Environmental Youth Alliance Managing Director Hartley Rosen. Bill was the first person to test the QR code on our new banner...and it worked!

 

 

 

Vancouver's Manager of Arboriculture and Horticulture Bill Manning (left) has been an early supporter of the program, and helped us solve the problem of where to store 500 trees destined for properties throughout the city during our Spring distribution. Here they are in the lockup at the Vancouver Park Board's arboriculture workyard on Evans Street. How about that for Greenest City symbolism: trees crowding out the cars in a parking lot!