About Landforce

Where paid environmental work becomes a path to a lasting career.

Landforce is a Pittsburgh employment social enterprise nonprofit that connects workforce development with environmental work. Crew Members complete eight weeks of paid training, earn seven industry-recognized certifications, and then keep building skills in paid transitional employment with Land Stewardship crews or at The Mill, where fallen urban trees become lumber.

Our vision

Landforce is committed to building a just world, where everyone belongs, lives in a healthy environment, and surpasses their greatest dreams.

Our mission

We nourish a culture of self-empowerment for people aspiring towards meaningful and stable employment, as we protect and improve the environment.

How Landforce works

One organization. Two social enterprises. Workforce Development through both.

Crew Members train and work in both social enterprises, so every hillside restored and every fallen tree turned into lumber is also paid training for a lasting career.

Runs through everything we do.

Every Crew Member starts with eight weeks of paid training and earns seven industry-recognized certifications. Then the training continues on the job, in paid transitional employment inside both social enterprises, with career coaching throughout.

How paid training works

Social enterprise · Services

Care for the land, done right.

  • Habitat restoration and invasive plant management
  • Tree planting and care, and trails
  • Green stormwater infrastructure and vacant land
  • Basic carpentry
Explore Land Stewardship

Social enterprise · Products and services

Fallen trees, second life.

  • Kiln-dried lumber from fallen urban trees
  • Custom milling, kiln-drying and wood services
  • Made at The Mill, in Pittsburgh’s East End
  • Developing: biochar and ground crew services
Explore Responsible Wood Production

Guiding principles

What we commit to.

These principles shape how we run job sites, training and career coaching, and how we work with partners.

  1. Center the needs and experiences of Crew Members in all we do: on the job site, in training and in career coaching.
  2. Maximize the public benefit of our work by combining employment with environmental stewardship.
  3. Adapt to different land types, stewardship services and the needs of our Crew Members.
  4. Recognize that market demand informs how large our programs can grow.
  5. Provide high-quality, relevant training, on-the-job experience and credentials.
  6. Build strong partnerships with employers, and with land stewardship and workforce development organizations.
  7. Value collaboration across organizations, shared services and inclusivity.
  8. Support partner organizations working in similar sectors, rather than compete with them.
  9. Build an organization grounded in respect and compassion for all of our employees and partners.
  10. Acknowledge the challenges and trauma many of our employees face, and build the tools and capacity to respond.

Impact

Good work adds up.

  • 220+ people trained
  • 160+ people employed on paid projects
  • 91,000+ hours of stewardship work
  • 34,000+ hours of training
  • 83 neighborhoods
  • 55 partners

More about Landforce

Get to know us.

  • Our team

    The people who lead crews, run The Mill and keep Landforce working. Many started as Crew Members.

  • Our history

    From a trail crew on a Mount Washington hillside to a regional employment social enterprise.

  • Impact

    Figures from our work so far, and our annual impact reports.

  • News and dates

    Press coverage, media contacts, and what’s coming up in the year.

  • Staff careers

    Work on the Landforce team.

  • Contact

    Our office, phone, email and directions.