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IN THE NEWS, ON THE GROW
Trees Lexington Receives $250,000 Grant for Tree Canopy Enhancement and Educational Programs at Fayette County Public Schools Campuses
Bluegrass Greensource will partner with Trees Lexington to execute programs
September 17, 2024, LEXINGTON, KY –
Trees Lexington, a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth and maintenance of Lexington’s urban tree canopy, today announced it was the recipient of a Kentucky Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Grant in the amount of $250,000 to enhance the tree canopy at 15 Fayette County public schools in underserved neighborhoods over the next three years.
Volunteers and Trees Lexington board members and staff celebrate planting 40+ trees at William Wells Brown Elementary in November 2024 with funding received through the city's Lex Grow Trees Initiative.
©Trees Lexington! Sally Lambert-Warfield All Rights Reserved
In addition to the numerous ecological, economic, and social-emotional benefits inherent with increasing campus tree canopy, the grant will enable work with both educators and students to design and implement a sustainable model for environmental education. Bluegrass Greensource is a Lexington-based organization which has provided environmental education and community outreach to over 20 counties in Central Kentucky for two decades. It will partner with Trees Lexington and staff and educators at Fayette County Public Schools to conduct place-based research on their preferred native tree species and deeper learning projects on the benefits of their schools’ new campus trees.
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The grant, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, is part of $1.6 million in statewide grants distributed by the Kentucky Division of Forestry through its Urban and Community Forestry Program. The overall goals of the grants are to enhance education about and accessibility to greenspaces for communities that have historically had far less access to the numerous benefits of trees and greenspaces than the general population.
Michael Potapov, Trees Lexington Board President, noted, “A healthy tree canopy offers numerous benefits to our community, from reducing air pollution and noise to lowering energy costs and stormwater runoff. Studies have shown that residents with access to greenspaces live longer and healthier lives. This grant will enable us to plant 720 trees in underserved areas, addressing the disparity in tree canopy coverage. By investing in our urban forests, we're not only improving the environment but also creating a more vibrant and resilient community. Planting trees with students allows us the opportunity to engage the next generation of environmental stewards, while providing them with the joy and fulfillment that come from the simple act of planting a tree.”
Amy Sohner, Executive Director of Bluegrass Greensource, observed that “Trees Lexington has demonstrated both passion and competence in getting things done for our urban environment. We are delighted to be their partner in these programs, which give us the opportunity to leverage the educational and research expertise we have acquired in environmental sustainability over the last two decades.”
Tresine Logsdon, Sustainability Coordinator at Fayette County Public Schools, said, “This grant is a dream come true for the schools and neighborhoods that stand to benefit from both greater tree cover and the educational programs it brings. It has the potential to confer benefits for far longer than the term of the programs. Our new campus trees will serve as part of our students’ legacies to their school.”
About Trees Lexington!
Trees Lexington is dedicated to the growth and maintenance of Lexington’s urban tree canopy and educating its citizens on the benefits and value urban trees bring to our lives and wellbeing. Since 2017 Trees Lexington has been responsible for the planting of thousands of new urban trees in areas with the least urban tree canopy. Trees Lexington has licensed arborists on its board and its volunteer staff. By partnering with over 20 civic groups in both tree planting and maintenance, Trees Lexington has engaged large segments of our community while amplifying its message about the importance and benefits of our urban tree canopy. To learn more, go to www.treeslexington.org
Trees Lexington Awarded $86,665 Grant from Lex Grow Trees
September 29, 2024, LEXINGTON, KY –
(Lexington, KY) - Trees Lexington, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing tree canopy in Lexington, has been awarded $86,665 in funding from Lex Grow Trees to implement a comprehensive tree planting, maintenance, education, and engagement program. The initiative aims to increase tree equity in historically underrepresented areas of the city with low tree canopy coverage. The project will include tree planting in late fall 2024 and early spring 2025, as well as ongoing community engagement, educational events, and tree maintenance activities over a two-year period.
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In collaboration with African Cemetery No. 2, Inc., Trees Lexington will help develop a centralized location in Lexington's East End and Council District 1 to showcase the benefits of trees and promote urban forestry. This project will focus on increasing tree species diversity with native species, enhancing tree density in designated areas, and developing educational signage and programming for visitors to the cemetery. In total, 100 trees will be planted to support additional goals such as arboretum accreditation, training opportunities, and visitor involvement in maintaining the historic site.
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Building on the success of a previous Lex Grow Trees pilot grant executed in the fall of 2023, Trees Lexington will continue expanding tree canopy in the Oakdale Apartments community. Located in Council District 2, Oakdale Apartments is in a 2020 Census Block with only 11% tree canopy cover, far from the citywide goal of 30%. The organization will plant an additional 80 trees in the area to enhance the living environment for residents and contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the neighborhood.
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Both of these tree planting and maintenance initiatives will provide locations for Trees Lexington to continue its Tree Steward training program, another component of the grant award, which educates people on proper tree planting, mulching, pruning, and other tree care matters. Additionally, a portion of the grant award will fund Community Engagement events. These events will be designed to engage a broader audience who are interested to learn more about the importance of trees in our communities and the various roles they perform for our environmental, human, and community health.
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For more information, please contact Trees Lexington at info@treeslexington.org.
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Trees Lexington is a non-profit that empowers community members to dig into the fun and fulfilling work of expanding and maintaining our local tree canopy. Through community tree plantings, tree giveaways, and educational workshops on proper tree care, Trees Lexington increases canopy cover, improves the health of our citizens, and preserves the character of our city.
Trees play a pivotal role in addressing climate change, air pollution, water quality, and are essential to human health and well-being. Trees Lexington partners with neighborhoods, businesses, schools, places of worship, and local government to plant the right trees in the right places and maintain existing canopy, ensuring a healthy, long-lived urban forest.
L - Volunteers break up soil clumps and measure the depth of the hole before planting an oak tree at Oakdale Apartments. By Sally Lambert-Warfield, Trees Lexington.
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R - Arborist Stacy Borden discusses and demonstrates pruning techniques on a Bur Oak at African Cemetery No. 2. By Amy Steele, Trees Lexington.
Trees Lexington Welcomes Tyson Gregory as Director of Programs
Top row: (L) Tyson removes weeds from the mulch ring around a Chinquapin Oak at William Wells Brown Elementary. By Sally Lambert-Warfield. (R) Tree and pollinator garden walk at STEAM Academy. By Amy Steele.
Bottom row: Tyson assists with tree selection at a Trees Lexington Giveaway. By Sally Lambert-Warfield.
(Lexington, KY) - Trees Lexington is thrilled to announce the appointment of Tyson A. Gregory as its new Director of Programs. Tyson’s extensive experience and passion for education and arboriculture will be instrumental in executing several large grants awarded to Trees Lexington over the coming years.
Tyson has an extensive background in horticulture, specializing in native plants and pollinator interactions, plant identification, sustainable landscapes, and plant propagation. His dedication to sharing research-based information and community engagement aligns perfectly with the mission of Trees Lexington. Trees Lexington is confident that Tyson's expertise and enthusiasm will significantly enhance the success of our programs and initiatives. We look forward to the positive impact he will bring to our community and the tree canopy improvement initiatives at the heart of our organization.
For more information, please contact Trees Lexington at info@treeslexington.org.
Trees Lexington is a non-profit that empowers community members to dig into the fun and fulfilling work of expanding and maintaining our local tree canopy. Through community tree plantings, tree giveaways, and educational workshops on proper tree care, Trees Lexington increases canopy cover, improves the health of our citizens, and preserves the character of our city.
Trees play a pivotal role in addressing climate change, air pollution, water quality, and are essential to human health and well-being. Trees Lexington partners with neighborhoods, businesses, schools, places of worship, and local government to plant the right trees in the right places and maintain existing canopy, ensuring a healthy, long-lived urban forest.