A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting Your Own Urban Tree Planting Project, from Saplings to Shade

By Bear Miles, GreenTeam Field Technician The GreenTeam is a recent addition to the TreesLouisville family , and we take a lot of pride in our responsibility for planting, pruning, watering, and maintaining trees at various project sites across Louisville. Each day is unique due to the diverse landscape of Louisville and the wide range of projects TreesLouisville develops. Currently, our primary focus is site maintenance and watering , as the planting season has come to an end until November. When we visit previously planted projects, such as JCPS schools, we assess the trees to determine their specific care needs. Our team takes proactive measures, including re-staking damaged or leaning trees, installing trunk guards to protect against lawn equipment, pulling weeds, and removing dead trees. To keep the entire TreesLouisville team informed, we update the status of each individual tree through our GIS inventory and record the maintenance activities we've completed. After finishing the initial inspection and maintenance, we move to the pruning phase of older sites. Pruning tasks vary depending on the tree's location (e.g., near the road or in a field) and its growth rate. Some trees require pruning to correct their structure or remove hazards, while others may need suckers removed to improve their aesthetics. With each site visit, we learn valuable lessons about best management practices that promote tree health and sustainability. It's always disheartening to encounter a site that has been severely damaged by vandalism or lawn care equipment. Whatever the reason for this neglect - a lack of understanding, a disconnect from nature, or negative biases - each incident reinforces the importance of our role in educating and advocating for trees. Despite these challenges, our experiences exploring the city have been overwhelmingly positive. We've had the pleasure of meeting so many new people from all walks of life because of where our routes take us. We have met other compassionate and nature-loving individuals; people who want to see their communities thrive and want to bring their neighbors together to foster a deeper understanding of the significance of our environment and strengthen community bonds. We feel proud knowing the work we do will continue to benefit the health of Louisville and it's communities for years to come!

In just 5 years' time, we can already see the impact our trees have made in low-canopy areas, especially in once shade-less school yards! The video linked below was taken at Crums Lane Elementary where we installed 110 new trees during the 2017-2018 planting season. Currently the school's neighborhood has 23% canopy coverage. Emily Evans, one of Crums Lane's 4th grade teachers (who also provided us with the video), told us, "My students love these trees! There is one next to the playground that I sometimes climb and my students call it Ms. Evans' Tree." She also added this about the particular day when the video was captured: "The end of the school year is hard on these kids! Between the weather and state testing, we don't get to spend as much time outside. Being stuck inside isn't good for anyone, especially 10 year-olds who have been in school for 8 months at this point. These 4th graders were wrapping up their last Language Arts unit of the year over Poems, Prose, and Plays. It was time for the students to finish their creative writing pieces and a perfect day to be outside. It was amazing to see how focused they all were. Each student was able to relax and work under the shade of their own tree thanks to TreesLouisville. We would not be able to provide this kind of enrichment to our students without this invaluable gift!" And she's not the only one to see the benefits trees can provide to students on school yards. A recent segment on NPR highlighted what we have been saying all along - schools need trees!

We were absolutely blown away by the number of community members who came out to celebrate trees at our second annual TreeFest at Joe Creason Park on April 15th! TreeFest attendees had the opportunity to shop from over 6 different green vendors, meet and learn about local organizations, say hello to some furry and crawly friends, climb trees, listen to live music, enjoy local food and drinks, and most importantly, to contribute to our growing canopy by planting trees or taking home a free one! Next year, we will be bringing TreeFest to a different corner of Louisville by hosting it at a new park! Stay tuned for a location announcement toward the end of this year. If you are an organization or vendor interested in participating in TreeFest 2024, please contact morgan@treeslouisville.org .

TreesLouisville is excited to announce we are currently hiring for TWO full time tree maintenance positions! Job responsibilities include pruning and watering young trees, tree planting, site evaluations, tree nursery management, data collection and more.  We are looking for individuals who are passionate about the environment, caring for trees, and enjoy working outdoors.  Visit the links […] The post TreesLouisville is Hiring! appeared first on TreesLouisville.

During Tree Week 2022, TreesLouisville had the pleasure of chatting with In Conversation’s host Rick Howlett, along with additional guests from Louisville Metro Urban Forestry and Limbwalker Tree Service, about the importance of trees in our urban environment. Listen to the episode here The post Listen to TreesLouisville talk trees on WFPL’s ‘In Conversation’ appeared first on TreesLouisville.

It’s nearly here – Tree Week 2022 begins on Saturday, October 8th! Join TreesLouisville and partners from all over the Louisville region to celebrate trees and the many ways they benefit our lives. Find free and low-cost activities for all ages, including tree planting and mulching events, kids crafts and story times, guided nature hikes, […] The post Countdown to Tree Week 2022! appeared first on TreesLouisville.

Building on the success of Louisville’s inaugural Tree Fest in April 2022, Tree Week is an effort to engage our community in celebrating and raising awareness of the value of our community forest. From October 8th-16th, join TreesLouisville and partners for a week of activities across Louisville Metro, including tree planting, mulching and pruning, tree […] The post Announcing Louisville’s First Annual Tree Week! appeared first on TreesLouisville.

Our strong partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools began in 2015, shortly after TreesLouisville was founded, and it has been nothing short of a success! Over the past seven years, we have reforested over 80 of JCPS’s 160 campuses and facilities with thousands of new trees planted across Jefferson County. Below you will find a […] The post Reforesting JCPS Schools: 2015-2022 Projects appeared first on TreesLouisville.