Environmental Resilience

The Department of Environmental Resilience was established to help promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community, to enhance and protect the environment, to promote economic development, and to promote the planting, maintenance, and removal of trees within the City of Goshen, according to Ord. 5014. 

“For many years, Goshen has been a leading community, not because we have all the answers but because we are bold and have the foresight to take the long view. We now need to find additional ways to better our physical environment and make our budgets even more efficient,” Jeremy Stutsman, former Goshen City Mayor.

To read more about the creation of the Department of Environmental Resilience, click here.

What We Do

Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, the City Forester, is the department head. The Department continues to care for the City’s urban forest but also assists the City in identifying opportunities to increase efficiency of resources, both environmental and financial, as well as provide environmental education opportunities to the public and staff aimed at increasing appreciation of our natural places.

The Department of Environmental Resilience works out of the brick building at 524 E Jackson St, but does environmental education for the public at many different sites, including Rieth Interpretative Center, Millrace Park, the Larry Beachy Classified Forest, the City’s tree nurseries, the Department’s space at 524 E Jackson St, and other City properties. Each of these sites provides a unique backdrop for educational opportunities, including spaces for classroom teaching, natural exploration, guided hiking, and exploration. The Department also offers skill-building opportunities in several areas such as invasive plant identification and removal and tree care and pruning.

Some of our ongoing projects include:

• Supporting education through field trips for local schools and public programming. You can learn more about our upcoming events on the Good of Goshen events calendar and City social media accounts.
• Other City resilience projects, including energy efficiency and emissions reporting, supporting electric vehicle policy and active transit, and the City’s Government Resilience Action Plan adopted in 2021.
• the Backyard Habitat program, Invasive Species documentation, and more!

Check out our YouTube channel for recordings of educational programs, 24/7 livestreams of several stationary nature cameras, and more! These cameras provide safe 24-hour access to the positive benefits of nature for persons who cannot enjoy the trails in person. This project was funded by the Community Connections for People with Disabilities grant offered through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs in partnership with the Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services authorized by the CARES Act.

Who We Are

Full-time Staff: Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley (Department Head), Brandi DeVoe (Administrative Assistant), Kendel Martin (Forester), Melanie Helmuth (Forester), Theresa Sailor (Grants and Education Manager) – not pictured

Meet Our AmeriCorps Staff – below

2023-2024 Full-time AmeriCorps Members – below