Canopy Connections Spring 2024 Growing Green Futures It’s tree planting day! Dozens of volunteers gather early in the morning. Their goal is to plant 100 trees along Cedar Lake Regional Trail in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The next several hours are a flurry of organized activity. Shovels flash in the sun. Trees are lowered into holes and watered. People move to and fro with wheelbarrows full of mulch. By the end of the morning, 100 new young trees stand proudly along the trail, promising shade, cleaner air, and beauty for all who pass by. It is October 2008, and the first Tree Trust Green Futures™ planting event is complete. The Green Futures program began when a generous donor offered to match, dollar-for-dollar, donations made to Tree Trust to plant trees in the local community from 2008 to 2012. The project achieved such success that it has continued as one of our Community Forestry initiatives. Each year, dozens of people and organizations donate their time and money to add trees to the urban canopy where needed most. The tree canopy in urban areas declines due to natural attrition related to disease, pests, and old age or because of anthropogenic causes, such as pollution or development. Green Futures plants well-established, 6-8 foot tall trees from a diversity of species to promote a thriving urban canopy in areas that have lost or never had trees. Since the first planting in 2008, Green Futures has added over 3,000 trees to 29 cities throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The planted trees clean our air, protect water quality, reduce energy costs, support wildlife habitats, promote physical and mental health, and beautify our cities. Today, the Green Futures program is more important than ever due to the destruction of millions of ash trees by the invasive species emerald ash borer (EAB). Nearly 16 years after their planting, many of the trees along Cedar Lake Regional Trail are still standing and have grown to heights of over 20 feet. They will continue to grow in the coming years, providing shade to passersby and promising a greener future for the whole community.
Celebrate Arbor Month in May by supporting Tree Trust’s 2024 Green Futures Campaign.
1419 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul, MN 55108 | 952-767-3880 | www.treetrust.org