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[[An organization that trains young people for conservation jobs is recycling dead trees and replacing them with new ones, salvaging valuable lumber in the process. Mike O’Sullivan reports from Long Beach, California.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptCONSERVATION CORPS TREES
HEADLINE: Recycling Trees in an Urban Sawmill
TEASER: Conservation Corps of Long Beach salvages wood from urban trees and trains young people for careers in conservation
PUBLISHED AT: 02/22/2023 at 4:06P
BYLINE: Mike O’Sullivan
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Long Beach, California
VIDEOGRAPHER: Roy Kim, Mike O’Sullivan
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, sv
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA,
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:09
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG))
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRODUCTION))
[[An organization that trains young people for conservation jobs is recycling dead trees and replacing them with new ones, salvaging valuable lumber in the process. Mike O’Sullivan reports from Long Beach, California.]]
((NARRATOR))
Conservation groups around the United States maintain urban forests, which capture the carbon dioxide that worsens global warming, and they provide training and jobs for young people.
This group, the Conservation Corps of Long Beach, in Southern California, has partnered with a tree maintenance company to replace 1,000 dying trees with 2,000 new ones, and to harvest the lumber.
Trainees ages 18 to 26 enrich their urban environment and, at this lumber yard, gain other skills.
((FOR RADIO: “ explains David Sall, deputy director of the Conservation Corps of Long Beach.”))
((David Sall, Conservation Corps of Long Beach))
“How to inventory and category wood, how to actually operate a chain saw to create the logs, and learn all kinds of job skills to help them figure out if this is a career for them or if there's something else they want to do.”
((NARRATOR))
This high-value wood will be made into furniture and art works in the next phase of the project.
((David Sall, Conservation Corps of Long Beach))
“Once it goes through the process of milling here, there’s a drying process that can take anywhere from a few weeks to a number of months. And so once that’s complete, our corps members themselves will actually be the ones building the furniture and the artisanal products for sale.”
((NARRATOR))
The project is funded by a $1 million grant from the firefighting branch of California’s natural resource agency, called CAL FIRE. Trainee Felipe Carreon has been on the job for a year.
((Felipe Carreon, Conservation Corps Trainee ))
“I’ve done tree planting, tree cutting over here, I’ve done some urban restoration work.
((NARRATOR))
He says he loves working outdoors. Now Carreon is learning about the lumber business and running heavy equipment.
It takes training and caution, says Jason Rose, the sawmill foreman.
((Jason Rose, West Coast Arborists))
“Everything’s sharp, everything’s heavy, so being aware of your surroundings is very important, being aware of things falling, possibly, on your feet, smashing fingers.”
((NARRATOR))
But for trainees, the skills can be mastered, as they improve the local city and the natural environment, and possibly open the door to a new career.
((Mike O’Sullivan, VOA News, Long Beach, California.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Long Beach, California
Embargo DateFebruary 22, 2023 21:45 EST
Byline ((Mike O’Sullivan, VOA News, Long Beach, California.))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
