URBAN GREENING – 3RD YEAR, 3 CITIES

Timberland employee using a wheelbarrow while volunteering.

Ever notice how much better you feel surrounded by trees? No? Well, maybe you should get outside more! Studies actually show that green spaces in urban communities help improve individual wellbeing and strengthen communities. Outdoor spaces tend to lower stress, improve productivity and promote community connection. It’s clear the outdoors are great, and as a brand rooted in the outdoors, we think everyone should have access to green space in one way or another. So three years ago, we made an Urban Greening commitment to create or restore green spaces in urban areas.

2018 Serv-a-palooza | Timberland

Every fall, we step outside, work together, and make our communities better during out global Serv-a-palooza event. Employees from 19 different countries pulled on their boots to make a difference. Here in the US, volunteers tackled 6 different sites this year. From giving away 460 boots to elementary students, to repainting 51 houses, communities were impacted greatly. Timberland is determined to be a force for good and this annual event is one step closer.

This year, we partnered with Journeys and The Student Conservation Association and took our greening to Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles. We created a pocket park in Chicago, a green roof in New York and a community garden in LA. More than 260 people volunteered their time and planted more than 37 trees, 800 shrubs, and 4,000 seeds to transform underutilized spaces into more the 15,000 square feet of community green space, growing gardens and food-producing farms. What started as abandoned lots became learning and gathering spaces, increasing access to green space for more than 150,000 community members.

Two female Timberland employees at a service event, holding vegetables from a community garden.

Female Timberland employee at a service event digging a hole with a shovel.

Over the years, we’ve created or restored more than 130,000 square feet of green space to improve and strengthen communities. And after looking at all we’ve accomplished, we were inspired to do more. So we decided to up the ante! We’re increasing our greening commitment with a new pledge to green 500,000 additional square feet of urban space by 2023.