Urban Naturalists

Program Overview

The Urban Naturalists work almost exclusively outdoors and focus on the maintenance of multiple horticultural projects across the city, including native landscapes and green stormwater infrastructure, which capture and filter rainwater. The team works on a variety of green projects to manage the city’s stormwater, with contracts from Citizens Energy Group (CEG) and the City of Indianapolis.

In addition to our contracted work with CEG and the City’s Department of Public Works, team members restore habitat along Indianapolis waterways and do various in-house projects with KIB, like maintaining some of our GreenSpaces and KIB trees. The Urban Naturalists do meaningful, environmental work for our city while engaging neighbors in community-based environmental stewardship.

Here are some of the team’s regular duties:

• Water, weed, and pick up trash in stormwater planters and rain gardens to maintain functional green infrastructure.
• Stewardship of KIB trees and perennial plants, including watering, mulching, mapping, and pruning.
• Litter clean-up and community engagement.
• Restoring and maintaining habitats along Indianapolis waterways