LOUISVILLE, Ky. (October 14, 2025) – Louisville’s West End is losing trees faster than almost any other part of the city, leaving residents vulnerable to rising heat and shrinking access to green space. A new partnership between Kentucky State University and Louisville Grows aims to change that.

Kentucky State’s Cooperative Extension teams in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources will work alongside Louisville Grows, a successful nonprofit that has planted more than 8,000 trees since its founding in 2009. Together, they will deliver training that equips adults with marketable skills across conservation, urban forestry, horticulture, and community agriculture.

“Cooperative Extension exists to connect university research with the needs of communities,” said Dr. Tyrell Kahan, Associate Extension Administrator at Kentucky State. “Partnerships like this one show how that mission can improve lives while preparing people for the opportunities of tomorrow.”

Christine Brinkman, executive director of Louisville Grows, said the partnership builds on more than a decade of work. “Our longstanding commitment has been to strengthen communities through urban forestry and community agriculture,” Brinkman said. “Bringing horticulture more intentionally into the mix allows us to expand that work with research-based training that creates healthier neighborhoods and new workforce opportunities.”

The collaboration aims to strengthen the agricultural workforce by focusing on adult training in sustainable practices and emerging environmental careers. Classroom instruction will be paired with fieldwork in greenhouse management, tree planting, orchard development, soil restoration, and community-based agriculture. Kentucky State specialists will support curriculum design, credentialing, and evaluation, while faculty contribute expertise in urban agriculture, sustainable production systems, and workforce pathways.

According to Jody Thompson, Agriculture & Natural Resources Program Leader for Kentucky State, the initiative highlights the University’s commitment to serving communities across the Commonwealth.

“Louisville Grows has built a strong foundation for community-driven environmental progress,” Thompson said. “By joining forces, we can extend the University’s land-grant mission into Louisville’s neighborhoods, ensuring adults gain the skills needed for meaningful careers while communities benefit from stronger food systems and resilient landscapes.”

Dr. Suraj Upadhaya, assistant professor of sustainable systems at Kentucky State who will be part of the project, emphasized the broader benefits. “From restoring the city’s tree canopy to advancing horticulture and building food security, this partnership connects local needs with statewide expertise,” he said. “Our goal is to prepare job-ready adults while creating measurable community impact.”

“This initiative is about opportunity for adults who want to retool their skills and find meaningful work,” added Alethea Bernard, co-principal investigator at Kentucky State. “When training connects directly to community needs, it strengthens both participants and neighborhoods.”

By creating replicable training and building a pipeline of adults prepared for careers in horticulture, conservation, and community agriculture, the program aspires to be a model for other metro areas dealing with similar challenges. This will expand workforce readiness beyond the West End to other communities facing the urgent need for more trees, healthier soils, and renewed green space.