Grand Rapids branches out with over 250 new trees
Photo courtesy of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Volunteers will gather on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, for ArborFest, the annual spring community tree planting event in partnership with the Mayor's Greening Initiative. This year, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is teaming up with community and corporate volunteers to plant 250+ new trees in Grand Rapids' Martin Luther King Park neighborhood.
Last year's ArborFest attracted over 400 volunteers, who collectively put in over 1,200 hours of work planting 201 trees in the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood.
"We're excited to bring more trees into the MLK Park community this year. Grand Rapids has a ton of momentum right now for growing shade in neighborhoods that have been without trees for far too long," said Stacy Bare, Executive Director, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. "ArborFest always has a bit of a homecoming feel as long-time volunteers reconnect after the long winter, and new volunteers are welcomed. I hope people will come for the trees but stay for the feeling of connection with each other, the environment, and this great neighborhood."
The 250-plus trees planted during this two-day event will help provide more shade, cooler temperatures, cleaner air, lower energy costs, and calmer traffic in the MLK Park Neighborhood.
Once the trees are 25 years old, they will collectively, on an annual basis, sequester 120 tons of carbon each year, intercept 2.4 million gallons of stormwater, remove 8,000 pounds of pollution, provide 151 acres of new forest canopy, and have a replacement value of $18.2 million. Trees will be watered and maintained for two years after planting by the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Youth Green Team.
"During a time where we need to prioritize our communities, I am honored to work alongside Friends to help make incredible events like ArborFest happen," said Victor Holt, Board Vice President, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. "By increasing the city's tree canopy and the Friends team rallying the community to make it happen, I know the future of Grand Rapids will continue to only grow and become even more sustainable for many years to come."
ArborFest 2024 is made possible through the support of community partners, including Mayor's Greening Initiative, King Park Neighbors, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, FedEx, Arbor Day Foundation, ITC Holdings, Farmers Insurance, Verizon, Reyes Coca-Cola, ASM Global, and John Ball Zoo.
"Friends [of Grand Rapids Parks] brings together the efforts of many individuals and organizations to make ArborFest a celebration of community and green spaces, resulting in a positive impact for the receiving neighborhoods for many years to come. We invite the public and donors to help Friends make Grand Rapids a national example of extending quality green spaces across the entire city," said Oliverio Covarrubias, Board President, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. "The mental and physical health provided by green spaces benefits people from all generations. We all deserve this."
Volunteer positions for this year's ArborFest are full. However, individuals can learn about future tree planting shifts by visiting https://friendsofgrparks.org/.
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