Missouri Conservation Corps held its first community tree planting event at the Fresh Start for Sober Living campus, 1101 Grand Avenue, on October 23rd. This outdoor event brought together Fresh Start staff and board members, Missouri Conservation Corps staff and volunteers, the Missouri Department of Conservation, City of Columbia staff members, residents and neighbors from the neighborhood, and community partners for an act of tree planting, tree education, and community engagement. This event is part of a bigger Missouri Conservation Corps program to bring new trees to areas of Columbia that lack adequate trees and canopy cover. Missouri Conservation Corps is exploring the program to address tree canopy deficiency in Columbia, and as a method of bringing community resources and community engagement to underserved neighborhoods in our city.
We were excited to hold this first community tree planting event, and we were thrilled at the response by neighbors, Fresh Start residents and staff, members of other nonprofits, and the City of Columbia. During this inaugural event, we planted seven trees on two residential lots near the intersection of Forest and Grand Avenue, and we made additional trees available to interested neighbors using a voucher system for future delivery. We were also able to work with the Director of Fresh Start and local property owner James Bayless to insure placement of an additional 40 trees in this neighborhood. These trees will be planted at rental houses owned and maintained by Mr. Bayless. Missouri Conservation Corps was joined by partners from Boone County Health Office, City of Columbia Office of Sustainability, and City of Columbia Love Your Block Program, with several organizations tabling to provide community service opportunities and information to participants at the event.
During this event, participants were taught proper tree-planting methods, information was given on the importance of trees to our community, and participants helped us plant trees, set posts, cut cage wire, and mulch and water the new trees. We had close to forty people come out for this first event, and we are thankful for the interest, support, and help from neighbors, volunteers, and community members, including councilperson Valerie Carrol, City Arborist Steve Fritz, Director of Sustainability Eric Hempel, Missouri Department of Conservation Community Conservationist Danielle Fox, Loop CID Director Carrie Gartner, Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick, and members of Job Point, Columbia’s Reentry Opportunity Center, Fresh Start for Sober Living, Phoenix Clinic, Burrell Behavioral Health, and Aarow Building. We are also thankful to Fresh Start for providing food and beverages for our volunteers and participants, and for making the event feel like a festive neighborhood gathering.
Our next community tree planting event will take place at Hogan House Food Pantry, a Food Bank affiliated community resource hub located just outside Columbia at 313 Hogan Drive. We will plant trees with staff and volunteers from Hogan House, and we will also educate participants on the importance of trees in our neighborhoods. We are once again inviting community partners to join us at this event to share resources and information with neighbors and participants. This community tree planting event will take place on Thursday, November 6th, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering with us at this event, or tabling as a community resource partner, please contact Stephen Bybee at [email protected]
