Planting Trees. Growing Community.
Many of us feel a growing anxiety about the state of the environment. We’re concerned about its health and what we’re leaving for future generations. We’re increasingly aware of some of the risks associated with climate change too, and the message is clear: we need to take care of our Earth if it’s going to continue to sustain us.
The problem is so big and challenging, we can feel overwhelmed and wonder how we can make a difference. And if we think we can’t make a difference, we’re not going to act.
The Community Greening team.
That was the inspiration behind starting Community Greening, an urban forestry non-profit in Palm Beach County, Florida — to directly engage the entire community to be proactive to respond to the ecological and human risks associated with climate change.
A remarkably effective and beneficial way to do this is also one of the simplest and least expensive — planting and caring for trees.
Cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Miami have organized tree planting campaigns. (So has the United Nations.) Many American mayors include the tree canopy in their city’s improvement plans.
Since our founding in 2016, Community Greening has worked with 3,000 volunteers of all ages to plant more than 3,000 trees in parks, schoolyards, residential yards and urban orchards in Palm Beach County. In 2018, we were recognized for our efforts and named the Tree Advocacy Group of the Year by Florida’s Urban Forestry Council.
We envision engaged communities creating sustainable green spaces and a vibrant tree canopy to equitably strengthen our environment, economy, society and health.
And why can’t planting trees be fun? That’s why we call our events “tree planting parties.” We have DJs, local food caterers, t-shirts and a positive, family-friendly vibe.
Our current programming includes tree plantings at public parks and schools, urban orchards, residential planting, tree giveaways and a youth tree team.
Our goals are:
Tree planting: To bring people together to plant trees and landscapes that create a healthy, sustainable environment.
Greenspace transformation: To create, connect and maintain sustainable and resilient greenspaces that increase quality of life, civic engagement and community pride.
Education: To educate communities about the vital importance of trees and inspire people to become stewards of our green environment.
It’s easy to miss the enormous benefits trees naturally provide: cooling and cleaning our air, storing carbon, capturing stormwater, reducing energy costs, and reducing species loss. They improve home values. And they not only improve physical health, but mental health as well.
If I’ve learned one thing over the past three years, it’s that people love trees. They like to talk about trees, they like to reminisce about trees, they like to learn about trees, and they feel connected to trees.
Can you imagine living in an area without trees? Most of us have childhood memories climbing and playing under trees. But in many neighborhoods, children and adults don’t get to experience the many benefits of trees. When we surveyed our community, we found a story that’s common throughout the country. Plainly put, the benefits of a tree canopy correlate to income levels; people in lower income neighborhoods don’t experience the same benefits of trees. There’s a very strong social justice component to planting trees because whether you receive their benefits largely depends on your income level.
Members of the Youth Tree Team.
When we get people together to improve the community, we are building community. It amazes me how people at our events share experiences, form friendships, and are inspired to take civic action. When Dupree Jackson, a community leader, says that students see him in the school hallways and ask when the next tree planting is, we know that we’re realizing our goal: Every tree someone plants connects them to their community and reinforces their role in it.
We know it is not enough to simply plant more trees. Education and involving the next generation are key to sustainability. That is why the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County is funding the Youth Tree Team. The Youth Tree Team employs local youth to improve their neighborhood, to learn about green jobs, and to teach them to be good environmental stewards of the land. The teens get their first work experience by maintaining trees and public green spaces, conducting community outreach, and attending “green collar” enrichment activities.
And why not provide food for food insecure neighborhoods at the same time? We planted a Community Grove of over fifty fruit trees that are free to pick for the community. We have two more urban orchards going in this year funded by the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties and the City of West Palm Beach.
Community Grove (before and after)
We are a diverse group of residents coming together to improve the community for today and for future generations. While many times diverse groups of people only come together because of a conflict, our tree planting parties enable them to regularly get together for good.
An investment in trees increases in value over time. Our database will track the values and maintenance for each and every tree planted. To encourage ownership, residents can even name their tree and watch its progress online.
Witnessing the success of Community Greening gives me hope because it demonstrates that people do care. They want to help. They want to do something. And they want to belong to something that is bigger than themselves. Some of the trees we are planting will provide shade, food and beauty for generations to come. That is why one of my favorite tree quotes is this Chinese proverb: “When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. When is the second-best time? Today.”
A Community Greening tree planting party
About the Author
Mark Cassini is from Indianapolis, Indiana where he spent his childhood days immersed in nature at the creek catching fish and snakes. Mark has created a diverse non-profit career including refugee resettlement work in East Africa. He has an M.A. in International Studies/Intercultural Relations from the University of the Pacific and graduated from Indiana University with a B.A., majoring in Cultural Anthropology. He lives in Delray Beach, Florida with his wife and four children.