TreesCharlotte Creates Future Forest on Kennedy Campus
(March 21, 2017)
In December, TreesCharlotte and over 150 volunteers planted over 300 trees on
the campus of Kennedy Middle School. "TreesCharlotte collaborates
with the City of Charlotte to determine the best and most diverse
trees species to plant in each location we service. For Kennedy,
it looks like we planted cedar, dogwood, maple, oak, and various hardwoods,"
said Chuck Cole, Executive Director of TreesCharlotte. See
Kennedy Middle School Photos and the video below.
Trees clean our air, reduce storm water run-off, cool
our streets, reduce energy use, enhance wellness, increase
property values, and give us beauty.
They initially planted a line of trees on the right side of Gallant
Lane, directly in front of the ball field. They later relocated
about 19 of those trees to make room for the construction of a new
sidewalk. Those trees were moved to the reforestation area on the
corner of the property.
With the help of over 150 volunteers and support of The
Charlotte Observer, TreesCharlotte planted over 300 trees at Kennedy
Middle School, Saturday, December 3, 2016. The day started out brisk
but soon warmed up with all the activity. Thanks to volunteers from
Olympic High School & Key Club, Charlotte Dads Group, UNCC students,
Carolina's HealthCare System, Environmental Resources Management,
Bank of America, and UPS.
TreesCharlotte works with the city through a partnership with CMS to
determine school campus eligibility and timing. Location of the
school and whether the school has enough open property to provide
trees with livable conditions are determining factors. There are 170
CMS schools within the City of Charlotte, and TreesCharlotte has
planted on 35 of these campuses since 2012. They plant about 8
campuses each year, so they have a long way to go to service them
all.
TreesCharlotte and volunteers planted 153 trees around the
Winget Park campus in October 2015. (See
Photos.)
TreesCharlotte is a pubic/private non-profit that works with the
City of Charlotte to help achieve the City Council’s goal of 50%
canopy coverage by the year 2050, promotes tree stewardship, and
provides education on how to plant and preserve trees.
Please visit the
Neighborwoods section of the TreesCharlotte web site to learn how your community can qualify
for FREE Trees. Trees are planted from October through mid-April; no
trees are planted during hot months. Visit TreesCharlotte’s
Calendar for the most up-to-date list of
events and
volunteer opportunities. Planting projects usually start populating online around
July, but check the site frequently.