Green Futures spring planting season a success!

On June 5, Tree Trust wrapped up a successful spring of Green Futures plantings. St. Paul received 60 new, properly planted trees in Cherokee Park, where a large percentage of the mature trees are ash and will likely succumb to emerald ash borer - a destructive, wood-boring beetle - in the not-too-distant future. And Minnetrista will reap the benefits of 120 new trees in the City's brand new and no-longer-barren Lisle Park.

This year, our spring Green Futures plantings were especially meaningful for Tree Trust. Our dear friend and CEO, Dave Hawes, passed away in February after a battle with cancer, and the majority of the trees we planted in Minnetrista and St. Paul were donated in his memory. Many of his family were there to help plant the trees; his daughter even shared some memories of her father's life-long commitment to forestry and to Tree Trust. We're proud to have been able to honor him in this special, meaningful way.

Green Futures plantings happen because people in the Twin Cities care about investing in our local environment and making a real, tangible difference. People donate money in whatever amount they can, and their donation is matched dollar-for-dollar by a local family foundation that helped us launch Green Futures. All this money is pooled together, and for every $150 reached, we plant one six- to ten-foot tall tree in a park or public space in the Twin Cities.

And this "we" includes you! All donors are invited to participate in the community planting their contribution has helped made possible, and we also invite our dedicated Tree Trust volunteers and members of the local community to come out and get the trees in the ground.

While our spring planting season is over, we're already looking forward to a fall full of trees. If you feel inspired to make a contribution - whether in honor or memory of a loved one, in celebration of a special event, or just because - we'd love to have your support! You can donate online or mail us a check; we're not too picky. We hope you'll join us in planting tomorrow's trees today.