Urban Connections Bridges The Gap

Building New Networks and Partnerships in Urban Areas

Vision and Mission

The Vision of Urban Connections is to grow and foster long-term relationships with urban communities resulting in increased stewardship of natural resources, from back-yards to Americas forests and become an agency representative to the public we serve

Mission of Urban Connections: Engage urban communities to help Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nations forests and grasslands to meet the needs of current and future generations of Americans.

Urban Connections: Why it Matters? Planning for Performance

Because urban residents remain relevant to current and future generations of Americans who depend on the Nations forests and grasslands.

Urban Constituents Values: Recreation, Ecology Very Important, and want the environment to be protected. Research by Kearns & West
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Diversity

ACCESS USFS Centennial Create Learning for THF THF Create New Outdoor Public Programs

Network of Relationships
Program Objectives Restore Wetlands Return Rouge Routing Allow Natural Growth Provide Un-disturbed Nesting GV Visitors Un-tended Site

Use Vagabond Model CFSEM (2004-5) Rouge River Corridor

Encourage Outdoor Activity for Children

Targeted Teaching Groups

Restore Habitat

Appreciate & Enjoy Outdoors Weekend Patch Programs Girl Scouts Webelo Boy Scouts All Summer Camps "Hiking Through History" Scouts

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The Great Outdoors Program Prototype Development

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Environmental Objectives

Urban Groups Special Camping Opportunity

Diversity Disadvantaged

6th Grade 6 Sessions Target Range 6 to 12 Years Classroom Sessions GV Parade Roaming Horseback Meet the Ranger Family Opportunity

Provide Controlled Access

Scouts Members

"Sleeping Under Stars"

"Oxbow Island Adventure"

Educational Objectives
Train

Guest View

Project Awareness Ranger Camp

The USFS & THF Project 2/19/2011 - v11 Partnership

Daily Visitors

Platform

Group Access Guest Access

Forest Ranger

Recreate Period CCC Camp Expand Trail System

Public Use Youth Camps

Seasonal

Penny Pines Roaming Horseback Meet the Ranger Discovery Camps Discovery Camps Penny Pines Restoration Oxbow Island

Daily Guests

Forest Ranger

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Continuing Programs

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Future USFS & THF Opportunities

Forest Stewardship Programming

Develop Urban Nursery Establish Greenhouse Laboratories Pedestrian Bridge to Oxbow Public Market for Tree Distribution Continue to Explore Integration of Resources Public Mission Expertise

6th Grade Focus

CSO

Delayed

Urban Connections FY2012 Highlights

Awarded National More Kids in the Woods grant with Detroit, Michigan communities Awarded National Childrens Forest grant with Milwaukee, Wisconsin communities Awarded National Smokey Bear Award with Betty Brinn Childrens Museum of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Awarded Michigan Alliance for Outdoor and Environmental Education Appreciation Award Twenty-eight (28) Partnership Agreements in communities throughout the East Shared investment in communities to achieve natural resource goals - $2,457,025 People reached through substantial efforts of Forest Service and partner organizations total 449,359 Distributed materials about Forest Service to 66,617 persons Increased Twitter followers to 430, with an average monthly Twitter exposure of 50,000 persons Twenty-five (25) student interns hired through Forest Service programs to gain natural resource career skills

Forum to Discuss the Perspectives Research and Solutions

Environmental Justice
Environmental Education

Green jobs, Forest Service careers

Hands-on action workshops

St. Paul, Minnesota

The Social Audit - Values the Voice of Community

Social media
Twitter Facebook Blogs Youtube LinkedIn

Others sources
Websites Community media Newsletter Eblast Contact Person

Future Trends in Demographics

Diversity by 2060: Populations of Hispanic, Asian, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander will double across the nation to 128.8M, 34.4M, 6.3M and 1.4M respectively

Blacks or African Americans will increase 61.8M from 41.2 M

Minorities will go from 37% to 57% of the U.S. population becoming a majority-minority nation for the first time in 2043 non-Hispanic white population remains the largest single group but no group in in the majority Mesenbourg, acting director U.S. Census Bureau

How to Reach Us

Boston Program Manager Jesse Scott jlscott@fs.fed.us

Milwaukee Program Manager Jean Claassen jclaassen@fs.fed.us

Detroit Program Manager Lisa Perez lperez@fs.fed.us

Urban Connections Program Manager & Chicago Daryl Pridgen dpridgen@fs.fed.us

Minneapolis / St Paul Program Manager Teri Heyer theyer@fs.fed.us

http://www.fs.usda.gov/urban-connections & UC Twitter: @UC_USFS