Conservation Jobs for North Richmond Youth

Green Academy Promotes a Sustainable Future

By Becky Lithander

Green jobs are sprouting up all over the Bay Area. While much of the Green For All movement has focused on the clean energy sector, restoration and conservation jobs have remained under the radar. This summer The Watershed Project spearheaded a youth employment training program focused on this critical sector of the environmental field. Collaborating with the Contra Costa County Housing Authority, the North Richmond Young Adult Empowerment Center, The Williams Group, and several other local allies, we were able to provide fifteen young adults from North Richmond with a solid introduction to conservation career paths as well as key links to local job opportunities. During the six week program, youth trainees worked on projects in sustainable landscaping, plant propagation, nursery maintenance, and creek and wetlands restoration.

The program started with sustainable landscaping. The trainees installed a drought-tolerant landscape at the Community Center. They built garden boxes to plant edibles and reduced the front lawn by half, replacing it with beautiful native gardens on either side. They also removed a water-thirsty traditional lawn and replaced it with low-water, mow-free turf. In addition to gaining hands-on experience in landscape installation, the trainees learned about Integrated Pest Management, the benefits of growing food, and the basics of native landscape design.

"This summer was in our opinion a sterling success," said Community Center Director Derek Lott. "Thanks to The Watershed Project for bringing teaching, leadership and commitment and environmental education to the youth of the West Contra Costa community. I look forward to enjoying fresh home grown tomatoes and cucumbers from the above ground garden here at the Center!" Lott plans to continue working with local agencies to install similar landscapes in Pittsburg and Antioch, where gardens that aren't drought-tolerant require even more water to stay healthy.

After completing the landscaping project, the trainees took on plant propagation and nursery maintenance, working at both CREEC Nursery and The Watershed Nursery. The group then worked with the Urban Creeks Council and SPAWNERS to restore stretches of Wildcat Creek in San Pablo, San Pablo Creek in El Sobrante, and remove invasive weeds at Breuner Marsh.

Several youth trainees graduated from the program determined to pursue sustainable landscaping opportunities, and one of the program participants was hired as an employee of the Community Center to maintain the landscape installation there. Vernon Williams, Executive Director of the Williams Group, was impressed with the program's impact. "The Green Academy was challenging for the youth at first but it was a meaningful work experience. Not only did they learn from the projects they worked on, but they were exposed to a new industry. The Watershed Project provided the tool kit for them to take what they've learned and apply it to acquire a meaningful, gainful income," he said.