Friends of the Urban Forest

Greening San Francisco

Share FUF's site!
  • Contact Us
  • 简体中文
  • Español
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
    • Senior Management
    • Board of Directors
    • History
    • Financial Reports
    • Job Opportunities
  • Programs & Services
    • Greening
      • Free Trees for San Francisco
      • Tree Replacement
        • 更替树木
      • Sidewalk Gardening
      • Early Tree Care
      • Emergency Tree Care
    • Community Engagement
      • Community Engagement
      • Have a corporate workday with us
      • Green Christmas Trees
    • Education
      • Green Teens
      • Green Crew
      • Tree Tours
      • Community Forester Training
    • Advocacy
  • Get Involved
    • Events Calendar
    • Volunteer
    • Internships
    • Tree Topping Watch
  • Benefits of Urban Greening
  • News
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • San Francisco Urban Forest Media Summary
    • FUF in the News
    • Press Releases
      • 2018 Press Releases
        • Silliman and Woolsey streets win San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2017 Press Releases
        • Shafter Ave wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to Launch Large-Scale Tree Planting in the Excelsior
      • 2016 Press Releases
        • Tenderloin wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2015 Press Releases
        • Ney Street “Neyborhood” wins annual “Most Greenified Block” award
        • Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to plant 50,000th tree August 1
      • 2014 Press Releases
        • San Francisco’s in trouble when mild rain fells trees
        • #TechPlantsSF engages tech community in greening San Francisco
        • Broderick/Hayes wins “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2013 Press Releases
        • City’s “Most Greenified Block”: Pennsylvania Street Gardens
        • City to Install 11 Blocks of Sidewalk Gardens in SF Neighborhoods
      • 2012 Press Releases
        • Urban foresters to hold Great Tree Count
        • Friends of the Urban Forest Transforms Neighborhoods
        • Wells Fargo to plant 160 street trees for 160th anniversary
        • Applications due November 26 for subsidized fruit trees
      • 2011 Press Releases
        • Will our next mayor improve our streets and parks?
        • Urban Wood Movement to Hold First Conference in San Francisco
      • 2010 Press Releases
        • 150 Cherry Trees mark 150th Anniversary of Japanese visit
        • “Green Christmas Trees” better than dead ones
        • New sidewalk gardens beautify neighborhood and protect City sewers
        • Save a tree by logging it… into the Urban Forest Map
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to hold 1000th planting Feb 20
        • New trees for Nob Hill to echo nineteenth century glory
        • Big San Francisco tree planting planned for Tu B’Shvat
    • Coronavirus Update: Changes in Operations and Programs
  • Support Us
    • Donate Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Sponsorship
    • Membership
    • Planned Giving
    • Tree Tributes
    • Our Reusable Paper Towels
    • Donate Appreciated Stock
    • More Ways to Support FUF
    • Supporters & Partners
  • Resources & Reference
    • Urban Tree Species Directory
    • Photos
    • Arborist (and Other) Referrals
    • Plant On Your Own
    • Tree Care On Your Own
      • Soil, Mulch & Nutrition
      • Watering
      • Stakes, Ties & Fencing
      • Sidewalk & Basin Care
      • Pruning
      • New City Tree Care Policy
      • Common Problems & Disorders
    • Useful Links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Site Map
Home Programs & Services Education Green Teens
Members of the Green Teens program posing outdoors with a tree

Green Teens

The Green Teens program is one of the nation’s few paid urban forestry vocational skills training programs. It provides opportunity and mentorship to youth in San Francisco, ages 14-19, who are interested in a dynamic, first-time work experience and/or pursuing careers in the environmental field.

Participants gain practical experience in tree care, tree planting, landscaping, and professional development. A typical work day might include pruning trees at a school, planting trees at a community greening event, or hiking on a local trail. They learn more about the environment with field trips to places such as the San Francisco Botanical Garden, California Academy of Sciences, Recology, and the San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s wastewater treatment plant.

The Green Teens are also trained in long-term employability and life skills. Participants attend workshops on resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, financial literacy, and nutrition. Throughout the program, the youth meet professionals in the field, such as certified arborists and landscapers.

Each year, we hold three sessions of the Green Teens program. The Fall session meets every Saturday, from mid-September to mid-December. The Spring session also meets every Saturday, mid-February to mid-April. The Summer session — our most intensive — meets Wednesday-Saturday, from mid-June to mid-August.

Green Teens posing after successfully planting their first tree of the Fall 2019 session.

Participants may join for up to four sessions, during which they can earn performance-based promotions. Youth who have successfully completed two sessions of Green Teens may apply to become a Green Teen Leader, which is an advanced team of participants who are motivated to further their skills and become experienced youth mentors to the cohort. Green Teen Leaders earn a higher rate of pay and have more responsibilities, including leading and managing their own working groups.

Program partners that provide training include San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Wells Fargo, Recology, Outward Bound, and Literacy for Environmental Justice. Other program partners include Jewish Vocational Services, Hunters Point Family, Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco, and high schools throughout the city.

More than 900 youth have benefited from the program since it started as the Youth Tree Care program in 1995, and we look forward to continuing to dedicate our time and skills to serving San Francisco’s youth for years to come. See photos of our Green Teens in action.

If you or a youth you know are interested in participating, please contact Sonny at 415-601-8442 or sonny@fuf.net.

Green Teens and FUF managers after planting a native landscape at Northridge Cooperative Homes in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood.

Programs & Services

  • Greening
  • Community Engagement
  • Education
    • Green Teens
    • Green Crew
    • Tree Tours
    • Community Forester Training
  • Advocacy

Donate Now

501(c)(3) Non-Profit

Donate today and help us continue to increase the number of trees we plant!

Upcoming Events

  • No upcoming events
  • See all upcoming events »

We just can't say THANK YOU enough! This has been such a life-changing, street-transforming, neighborhood-lifting experience."
— Lori Hébert & Thaddeus Homan

INTERESTED IN A TREE? SIGN UP!

Request a Tree

Subscribe to e-­newsletter

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on FlickrFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 Friend of the Urban Forest
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site Map
Website by MIGHTYminnow