Mac Award

VPS Career and Technical Education Program, Nina Lupo In 2023, Friends of Trees and Vancouver Urban Forestry partnered with Vancouver Public School’s CTE program to host student interns. This program prepares students for the workforce through hands-on experience, job readiness training, interviews, and paid internships that earn them both high school and college credit. CTE interns have become vital to Urban Forestry’s work—supporting nearly every Saturday tree planting event, helping reach our goal of planting up to 2,000 trees annually, and even stepping into leadership roles at community events. Many youth continue on to our Environmental Youth Corps and summer positions with Urban Forestry. Special thanks to Nina Lupo, the District Career Connected Learning Coordinator, whose leadership bridges students with career pathways and community partners. The CTE program is growing the next generation of environmental stewards and workforce leaders—and we are honored to support their mission.

Environmental Youth Corps, Riley Schleiss We proudly recognize Riley Schleiss and the Environmental Youth Corps for their outstanding commitment to protecting our planet and empowering young leaders. In 2024, Urban Forestry launched the Environmental Youth Corps program with support from a workforce development grant—and Riley was instrumental in making it happen. Thanks to her leadership, high school students now have the opportunity to take on paid summer jobs that directly improve our environment. These young changemakers plant trees, restore natural spaces, and ensure access to green areas for all—while building the skills to become tomorrow’s environmental leaders. Riley’s work forging partnerships with nonprofits, nurseries, and schools has created a powerful network supporting both youth and the planet. Because of this program, our community is greener, our youth are inspired, and our future is brighter. Congratulations to Riley and the EYC for leading the way to a more sustainable world!

Vancouver Bee Project, Kyle Roslund We’re honored to recognize the Vancouver Bee Project for its outstanding contributions to conservation, education, and community engagement in Vancouver, Washington. Through habitat restoration, the project has created pollinator-friendly spaces by planting native plants, reducing pesticide use, and protecting vital ecosystems. These efforts not only support bee populations but also boost the overall health and biodiversity of our urban forest. The Vancouver Bee Project also leads empowering educational programs—workshops, presentations, and resources that inspire community members to take action and understand the critical role pollinators play in food security and ecosystem balance.
Their advocacy work has helped shape policies that protect pollinators, ensuring their needs are prioritized in urban planning. Thanks to the Vancouver Bee Project, our city is greener, more resilient, and buzzing with life. Congratulations on building a better, more sustainable future!

Jane Tesner Kleiner Urban Forestry is proud to announce Jane Tesner-Kleiner receives the Mac Award for her outstanding work in growing green spaces and building strong communities. Jane has helped turn schoolyards into fun, natural places for kids to learn and play, and she’s made sure parks and public spaces are welcoming to everyone. She believes that learning and play go hand in hand, and her advocacy and design of nature play spaces in schools and parks helps children explore, grow, and connect with the environment. Through her greening schoolyard projects, Jane has not only changed physical spaces but also helped students build important life skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and caring for their community. Her leadership brings people together, makes sure every voice is heard, and creates healthier, greener neighborhoods. We are honored to recognize Jane for her inspiring efforts and lasting impact.

Toree Hiebert has been an educator, gardener and naturalist for 25 years. She is a Certified Professional Horticulturist and has taught Horticulture and Natural Resource Conservation classes at Fort Vancouver High School for 10 years. During this time she has spread her love of trees, native plants, and being a good steward of the planet to over 1,500 students! At the school Toree manages a ½ acre garden and greenhouse, where she guides students as they grow and manage plants. The students coordinate and operate the annual school plant sale each spring. 

During her decade of teaching at Fort, Toree has opened her classroom to Urban Forestry and exposed and her many students to plant and prune trees throughout Vancouver, literally growing the urban forest. Urban Forestry has gone into the classroom over the years to share about benefits of trees and tree biology, how to be stewards of our urban forest, and careers in the green industry

Outside of the classroom her passion lies at the intersection of rewilding land and people through the experience of connections with wild plants and wild places. She is currently working on starting a native plant nursery and restoring 20 acres of forest and a salmon bearing creek in North Clark County.

Quentin Welch has been a protector of trees throughout the Lincoln neighborhood. When street trees were planted along 39th Street in 2011, Quentin took it upon himself to water the 4 Rocky Mountain Glow Maples, hauling 5-gallon buckets of water in his pickup, a practice he continues to this day. He painted the trunks to make them more visible to drivers and mourned the recent loss of the western-most tree (to a careless vehicle) with a sign exclaiming “WHY?”

Quentin took action when vandals pulled out several newly planted street trees near the water tower on Washington Street. Quentin carefully replanted them. The trees are doing well now, but they wouldn’t have made it without Quentin.

Jeff Kessenich is a dedicated, longtime volunteer with programs throughout the community. He is very active and really shows up, whether with a group or on his own time. To name just a few things Jeff stays busy with: he prunes, weeds, picks up litter, plants, talks with neighbors, and is a true voice for trees in the community. 

Jeff participated in the 2018 Tree Steward training series with Urban Forestry and has continued to be a committed volunteer. Over the years he has become skillful at pruning young trees, attending several workshops, and becoming a tree pruning lead with Friends of Trees and Urban Forestry. 

Jeff is talented at GIS mapping and eager about eradicating Tree of Heaven. The intersection of these interests poises Jeff as a go-to contact for Tree of Heaven management information in the community. Jeff does outreach to property owners, helps to identify the wildly invasive trees, provides management recommendations, and maps the tree locations for the statewide database. 

Jeff is truly interested and dedicated to ensuring our community spaces are safe, healthy, and green for us all. Thank you, Jeff, for your generous stewardship of our Urban Forest. 

Kurt Koenig knows how to roll up his sleeves, dig in, and get work done. Specifically, work that not many other Vancouverites want to bother with. Kurt is a dedicated, enthusiastic driver in helping keep aggressive, unwanted plants away from Vancouver’s beloved Old Apple Tree and along the Confluence Land Bridge. He has participated in numerous work parties on the Land Bridge and spends time, from start to finish, on project needs, even coming back on his own to finish the jobs off.  Kurt has spent several years volunteering to remove invasives from Cougar Creek park, an un-developed parcel that is part of the county system. Prior to that he volunteered at Foley Park when the orchard was just beginning to be reclaimed. There he did some pruning, but also cleared weeds

The Urban Forestry Program is proud to award the Urban Youth Program and Johnie Tucker the 2021 Mac Award. This program is building the next generation of environmental stewardship leaders in our community.

Now housed with Vancouver Parks and Recreation, the Urban Youth Program is a local, grassroots youth empowerment program that engages underserved middle and high school youth in environmental stewardship, volunteerism, leadership, teambuilding, and life skills.

Program mentors support youth from across our community by participating in outdoor opportunities across the region, including fishing, hiking, and camping while learning teamwork and leadership skills.

The Urban Youth Program has partnered with Urban Forestry since 2006 to celebrate Black History Month by planting trees at local parks and open spaces. This partnership has grown over the years and now includes other events and partnerships, such as the annual Earth Day cleanup at the Land Bridge.

Johnie Tucker is a key longtime leader and mentor of the Urban Youth Program and key to the program’s success in supporting generations of youth and introducing them our natural world.

Scott Clifton is a true professional in the tree care industry. He is committed to the care of trees and educating his clients and the public about the importance of trees. Scott has been in the tree care industry for over 30 years and his knowledge and passion are extraordinary.

Combining his vast knowledge of trees, his passion to educate, his generosity and his engaging nature, Scott regularly volunteers to teach tree workshops hosted by Urban Forestry. Through this volunteerism, he is able to pass on his expertise to homeowners that have questions or concerns about their trees but aren’t sure where to begin. 

Scott is especially passionate about mentoring the next generation of tree care professionals and eagerly engages with the younger generation to pass on his love for trees. 

A dedicated volunteer and educator, Scott helps organize the Pacific Northwest International Society of Arboriculture Tree Climbing Competition in Vancouver, a regional conference that brings professionals in the tree care industry together to learn from one another.

Scott is a true tree hero. He is a hero for the trees, to our community and for the next generation.

Allen Wilson is a veritable ‘walking encyclopedia of horticulture’ who shares his vast knowledge with us all. Allen is a longtime volunteer, supporter, and proponent of greening our neighborhoods. Perhaps best known for his regular column in the Columbian, Gardening with Allen, he is a gardening specialist with a wealth of knowledge over a 50-year career. Through this popular column, Allen educates the public and shares advice and solutions on gardening, landscaping, horticulture and arboriculture.

In addition to being an expert in our yards and gardens, Allen is a longtime volunteer with the city’s Urban Forestry program as a Neighborhood Tree Steward and Friends of Trees as a Neighborhood Coordinator and tree planter.

Allen has a full resume of advocating and educating for healthy trees and landscapes across the region, which we are grateful for.

Reggie Frumkin served two years as an AmeriCorps member with Urban Forestry; truly an example of giving back through service. With AmeriCorps, Reggie is a full-time volunteer who cares for the urban forest and supports tree stewardship across Vancouver. Many of you likely know Reggie, whether it’s planting trees, pruning trees, or talking about trees, he’s been helping trees and their people in every neighborhood in Vancouver. Reggie has a true passion for trees, which you learn quickly once you meet him. Fellow AmeriCorps member Josef Judy nominated Reggie for this award. As Josef pointedly stated in his nomination, ‘Reggie’s love and respect for trees is contagious, and he is truly a joy to work with.’

• Derya Ruggles 
• Mark and Patti Maggiora 

• Ross Montgomery
• Dave Wannamaker
• Tim Carper

• Jonathan and Debora Thomas
• Louise, Murdoch, and Nora Angus

• Brian French
• Don Cannard
• Susan Bluestein

• Amy Sidran
• Washington Conservation Corps Crewmembers

• Bob Rowe
• Alex Bruyevicz
• Melissa Tiefenthaler

• Bill Woodard
• Ken and Joy Olsen
• Gary Bock
• Grace Teigen and Gene Wigglesworth
• Oliver Sasse
• Jim Wasden

• Becky Archibald
• Alexander Chabert
• Greenway-Sensitive Lands Team 
• Lee Coulthard

• Duane Northrup
• Susan Sanders
• Cynthia Thornton-Tang
• Old Apple Tree Research Team
• Susan Dolan, National Parks Service Preservation Landscape Architect
• Bob Cromwell, National Parks Service Archeologist
• Lyle Feilmeir, Master Arborist with Collier Arbor Care
• John Buttrell, Arborist/Owner, Arborscape
• Joe Beaudoin, Orchardist, Joe’s Farms
• Terry Toland, Urban Forestry Commissioner