City of Norwalk and Keep America Beautiful® Launch Second Season of New Workforce Training and Tree-Planting Program

NORWALK, CT, April 14, 2026 — Local leaders, community members, and partners gathered at Cranbury Park today to celebrate the official launch of Norwalk’s Green Workforce Program, a collaborative initiative designed to beautify the city while providing paid job training in urban forestry and landscaping.

Through a partnership between the City of Norwalk and Keep America Beautiful®, local residents, including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, will gain hands-on experience and environmental education through an 8-week paid training course. This marks the second cohort of program participants who will plant and care for up to 200 native trees across Norwalk, contributing to the city’s climate resilience and long-term beautification goals.

Funding for the Green Workforce Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Equity Grant. The program is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and supported by the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The Green Workforce is a wonderful paid program that gives training to residents through hands-on experience in urban forestry, landscaping, and environmental work and I am very proud of the work they are doing. It is another great way that we, here in Norwalk, are giving back to our planet,” said Mayor Barbara C. Smyth. “I want to say thank you to our Recreation and Parks Department, along with the partnership of Keep America Beautiful and the U.S. Forest Service and CT DEEP’s Urban Forestry Program for giving us the grant funding to make this initiative possible.”

“Planting trees has so many far-reaching benefits for communities across America, with studies demonstrating substantial improvements to our health and well-being, public safety, and property values,” said Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, which is based in nearby Stamford. “Through this innovative partnership with the City of Norwalk, we are helping to train and shape a green workforce that creates jobs while also making Norwalk even more beautiful and ecologically healthy.”

“Through Public Act 23-206, Connecticut has set a goal of increasing tree canopy in environmental justice communities by 5% by 2024,” said Dr. Danica Doroski, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator, Connecticut DEEP. “DEEP’s Urban Forestry Program is proud to support initiatives like Norwalk’s Green Workforce Program that advance this vision by not only planting trees, but also engaging and equipping communities with the knowledge and skills to care for and sustain these resources over the long term.”

The launch event, held at the Pavilion at Cranbury Park, included a ceremonial tree planting alongside Green Workforce trainees and local partners. Expert arborists from Keep America Beautiful and the City of Norwalk helped to lead the tree-focused sessions.