Overview: Trees can play an important role in reducing stormwater runoff, particularly when the canopy extends over impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, parking lots, driveways). There are also many significant “co-benefits” of urban/suburban trees that make the Community Tree Planting Initiative a common-sense investment in our community. The many benefits of large urban trees include:
Objective & Time Frame: Our Objective is to plant 1,500 trees in the Demonstration Watershed by the end of 2025. Our first planting event has been funded by Duke Energy Foundation - we will be planting approximately 250 trees in the Fall of 2021. on private properties as well as planting street trees.
Project Spotlight: Our Fall 2021 planting efforts will be focused on both private properties and street tree locations.
For private properties, we will be giving-away free trees to local residents within the Demonstration Watershed. We will also plant the trees for the residents complete with mulch, deer protection and guidance for caring for your new tree. Priority will be given to residents who requested trees in response a survey that was sent out to all residents of the Demonstration Watershed in 2019. Trees will be made available to additional residents as supplies last (approximately 250 trees in 2021). Residents of the Demonstration Watershed can register for trees here.
The Collaborative has also gained permission from Sycamore Township to plant "street trees" within select road rights-of-way. In an attempt to be good neighbors, we will be working to obtain consent from land owners adjacent to candidate street tree planting locations before planting.
Our intention is for the 2021 planting event to be the first of several annual planting events in the Demonstration Watershed.
