The Washington Parks & People Green Corps program encompasses the whole of our on-the-ground parks revitalization, restoration, and beautification programs. More than 150,000 volunteers have become part of our Green Corps community, transforming parks and green spaces across the city. Interested in becoming a part of our Green Corps volunteers? Learn more here.

DC Green Corps Training Program

The DC Green Corps training program is an umbrella for citywide service & entry level workforce development in urban forestry, storm water mitigation, green infrastructure, urban agriculture & related fields. Based at the Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center in the Watts Branch sub-watershed of the Anacostia River, DC Green Corps provides a gateway to 50 different green career tracks in urban and community forestry and forest-based ecosystem and watershed restoration. The program helps under-served communities across the city, focusing on environmental justice and economic renewal for some of the most forgotten communities our city.

The DC Green Corps training program represents an attempt to break the cycle of crime and incarceration that for so long has been accepted as normal in some areas of Washington, DC. The vast majority of DC Green Corps trainees come to the program with a record of previous incarceration. Unemployment is extremely high among those with a criminal record, and DC Green Corps provides a way for those who would otherwise be excluded to gain a leg up in the green economy of urban forestry and agriculture.

In partnership with the DC Department of Energy and the Environment, the US Forest Service, and the DC Urban Forestry Administration, Green Corps recruits seasonal cohorts of up to 8 trainees to take part in an 8-week training program aimed at addressing core urban and community forestry needs by: expanding and sustaining the urban tree canopy; remediating storm water runoff; and restoring natural habitats within DC.  This training program provides trainees with valuable job skills, self confidence, contacts/resources for job placement, and mentoring.  Each selected trainee commits to at least 20 hours/week over the course of the program.

Are you looking for a pathway to long-term employment in the green economy while giving back to your neighborhood? More than 75% of our Green Corps graduates gain jobs or additional training upon completion. Learn more about the Green Corps Program.

Apply to join the Green Corps now, or contact us with questions, at [email protected], or 202-398-PARK.

DC Green Corps Lessons Learned and FAQ

Read our Lessons Learned about the DC Green Corps, here.

Have you watched the City of Trees film and still have questions?
Visit our FAQ.