Working with the Eliza Howell Park Trail Keepers
In May 2026, Detroit Bird Alliance (DBA) assisted Sidewalk Detroit with their Trail Keepers program. This workforce development program trains 14 - 24 year olds in land stewardship and trail maintenance. at). EHP is a city of Detroit park in northwest Detroit. The Trail Keepers focus on Eliza Howell Park (EHP), one of our Detroit Bird City locations. Participants are paid while they receive training and make meaningful connections with professionals currently working in environmental science and wildlife conservation. The Trail Keeper Fellows ,adults ages 18-24, began their training in May and received much of their training from Field Supervisor Kat Del Toro, a professional trail keeper with 18 years experience. Kat led instruction on invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, and basic safety.. According to Kat, the Fellows were engaged immediately, “we’ve had lots of conversations about natural communities and our responsibility in our communities.” Detroit Bird Alliance’s role was to introduce the Fellows to the richness of wildlife that thrives at EHP and the threats to this vibrancy. Since DBA leads regular field trips at EHP focused on birds, plants, insects, and trees, the partnership came naturally. We were honored and happy to share our enthusiasm for the vibrant habitat at EHP, Detroit’s fourth largest city park.
After completing their training, the Fellows trained the Trail Keepers Collective, a larger group of youth, ages 14-17 years, who joined the Fellows in July. After 15 weeks of work in EHP, attending field trips, and learning from a wide variety of people who are involved in environmental work, the Trail Keepers showcased their capstone projects to a wider audience. Their learning was evident, their enthusiasm for EHP and all green spaces was clear, and their affection and gratitude for their teachers and mentors was apparent. It was clear that lives had been enriched by the Trail Keepers experience.
The Brains behind the Trail Keepers Program
The brains behind this program belong to Alexus Boone, Sidewalk Detroit’s Outdoor Strategist. Before coming to Sidewalk Detroit, Alexus worked in preservation at state parks across Michigan doing what the Fellows are doing now. Alexus saw a unique opportunity to bring this structure of training, education, and mentorship to EHP. Alexus believes that “EHP is the perfect place to learn how to take care of a bigger space and foster a relationship with a natural space. Those who have a relationship with a natural space will care for it best.” The end goal is “to build a framework for a conservation corps program for other parks” in Detroit, Michigan and beyond.
Taking Responsibility for Natural Spaces
Perhaps Alexus’ greatest skill is in choosing the best people to be Trail Keepers Fellows. About 50 people applied to be Fellows. Alexus needed four. She read the applications, conducted interviews and listened for a genuine interest in learning about and working in conservation. She looked for a level of commitment that would carry them through 15 weeks and the endurance to show up on hot days and get to work. She asked them about where they are now in their education and where they’d like to go. Alexus chose four engaged, committed, and hard working young adults who showed up eager to learn and to work. The Fellows come from different backgrounds and are studying everything from medicine to film. While this program was designed to offer Trail Keeper Fellows and the Collective paid and meaningful summer work and to provide education on the importance of healthy green spaces in urban settings, for many of them it has become much more. For Trail Keeper Fellow Naomi, her enthusiasm for her role as a Fellow grew as the weeks went on. “This has been so satisfying. So fulfilling. Life-changing. I am an urban studies minor and a film major. I want to focus on urban agriculture and this has been an amazing experience.”
Kat worked daily with the Fellows with one goal being to instill the belief that green spaces are “my responsibility to keep as is, or to improve. Where my feet land is where my responsibility lies.” She did this by talking about what green spacers mean to each of them, what it means to steward a park, but mostly she “let them lead, which helps them deepen their learning. When they see the results of their work, that has the greatest impact.”
Learn more about Sidewalk Detroit, and look for DBA field trips at EHP here. It’s a beautiful place, especially since the Trail Keepers have made a difference.
Photo by Ryan Sowulewski