
Hennepin County has an ambitious goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030, part of the county’s strategy to mitigate climate change. It recently had some help meeting that goal from Leslie Alcantar Mejia, a Minnesota GreenCorps member.
Before joining the Minnesota GreenCorps program, Alcantar Mejia had no experience planting bare-root trees or seedlings. Yet she soon became an expert on the topic and shared that knowledge about how to plant and care for seedlings with community members.
During her 2022-2023 service term with the Minnesota GreenCorps, Alcantar Mejia planned volunteer tree plantings in historically underserved areas and used right-of-way mapping to prioritize planting in high-emission zones. All told, her efforts led to the planting of over 1,300 trees, the inventorying of more than 600 trees, and the improvement of 25 acres of land.
“I educated the public on emerald ash borer, promoted upcoming educational sessions, and handed out tree seedlings,” Alcantar Mejia said. “It was fun talking with people, teaching them how to care for their seedlings, and answering their tree-related questions. It also showed me how much I’ve learned about forestry during my service. I felt so proud of myself.”
During education events, Alcantar Mejia distributed over 600 seedlings for residents to plant in their communities. She also led a mini training for tree stewards with the Urban Forestry Outreach and Research Lab in Minneapolis and taught residents about best planting practices, tree management, and available county programs. She also took part in boulevard plantings, conservation easement projects, and reforestation efforts at local parks.
After her term, the county hired Alcantar Mejia as an urban and community forester.
Minnesota GreenCorps places full-time members with host site organizations around the state. Members help host organizations build capacity and community resilience to a changing climate by reducing air pollutants, addressing disproportionate impacts of pollution, preventing waste, encouraging eco-friendly behavior, and more. In exchange, host organizations supervise members and support them in their community-focused environmental projects.