2026 Tree Ambassador Course- Apply Today!

Zoom Sessions: Early March, 2026

In-Person Session: TBD. Will be held on a Saturday in Early-Mid March 2026

Questions? Contact replant@aawsa.org

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Tree Ambassador, please Fill Out Our Interest Form Linked Below.

Si usted o alguien que conoce está interesado en convertirse en un Embajador de Árboles, complete nuestro formulario de interés vinculado a continuación.

In 2021, WSA was awarded an Urban Trees Grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to develop a new tree planting program called Tree Ambassadors. This program is focused on planting trees in urban areas with low median household income levels, high unemployment, and neighborhoods with housing projects or that were historically red-lined at any time. With funding from both the Trust and WSA’s RePlant program, this grant award supports stipends for program participants and tree plantings in priority areas within the County and City of Annapolis.

The Tree Ambassador program is WSA’s first course with bilingual translation services. During the virtual training sessions, a live translator is available for Spanish-speaking participants. We also have hired bilingual Course Mentors to support Tree Ambassadors as they plan and implement their tree projects throughout the year.

Based on the Tree Trooper model, the Tree Ambassador program follows a similar approach to community-based tree planting projects. Tree Ambassadors are trained on the basics of tree biology, site assessment, and project implementation. Program participants and planting locations are identified through the use of the Maryland Department of Natural Resource Underserved Areas map, which can be accessed here.

After the training, Ambassadors are tasked with recruiting “tree hosts” who will receive trees on their properties. Tree Ambassadors then coordinate and implement tree planting projects within their communities, with support from WSA staff. Post-planting, Ambassadors are responsible for coordinating the maintenance of their tree projects, ensuring that the trees grow to their full potential and provide maximum benefit to their respective “tree hosts” and the surrounding community.

Impact of the Program (2022-2025)

Since 2022, WSA has trained 30 Tree Ambassadors across 3 cohorts. Several Tree Ambassadors are also affiliated with community-based organizations such as the Maryland Re-entry Resource Center, the Rev. Samuel Green Sr. Foundation, and the Annapolis Rotaract Club, which work with marginalized or underrepresented populations, including individuals returning from incarceration and low-income families. With the help of our wonderful network of Tree Ambassadors, we have planted over 196 trees across 25 sites, most of which are located in Northern Anne Arundel County. 95 of these trees were installed in areas specifically identified by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Underserved Areas Map.

Program PArtners

Program Funders