Press Release: Green Futures for Minnetrista's Lisle Park

For immediate release: Green Futures for Minnetrista's Lisle Park

Minnetrista, MN - June 4, 2010 - On Saturday, May 22, 2010, Tree Trust staff gathered over 70 community volunteers to plant 120 trees in Minnetrista's Lisle Park as part of Tree Trust's Green Futures initiative. Severe weather rolled in halfway through the event and curtailed the planting, but Tree Trust's Young Adult Conservation Corps finished the job the following Monday.

The planting began with a brief program recognizing the donations to Tree Trust's Green Futures initiative that made the event possible. Many trees were donated in memory of Tree Trust's CEO David Hawes, who passed away in February after a battle with cancer, and his family said a few words about his life-long commitment to Tree Trust and passion for trees.

A workshop followed to teach all volunteers how to plant trees the right way. Trees planted included red maple, Japanese tree lilac, red splendor crabapple, hackberry, basswood, thornless honey locust, black hills spruce and quaking aspen.

After about half the trees were planted, flickers of lightning appeared in the distance and rain started to fall. Many volunteers took shelter in their vehicles to wait out the unsafe weather, but the storm refused to pass. On Monday, a crew of Tree Trust Young Adult Conservation Corps job-trainees worked at the park to plant the remaining trees.

Lisle Park, a 15.5-acre city park on the south side of the Hunters Crest neighborhood, was chosen as a Green Futures planting site through a competitive proposal process. The City of Minnetrista submitted an application to Tree Trust that demonstrated the financial and environmental need for trees in Lisle Park and the City's commitment to ensuring the trees' long-term survival.

This Tree Trust - Green Futures planting was made possible by individual donations, a matching grant from a local family foundation, and a contribution from Cargill, Inc. - BiOH ®polyols division. For additional information or to get involved with Tree Trust's Green Futures, contact Tracie Huhn, Director of Development and Marketing, at tracieh@treetrust.org or 651-644-5800.


Tree Trust is a Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 to provide out-of-work individuals with training and paid jobs reforesting the community. They have since expanded to provide integrated employment training, environmental education and community forestry programs to youth and adults in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.

The City of Minnetrista is located on the western bays of Lake Minnetonka and the agricultural rich plains and idyllic woodlands of southwestern Hennepin County. The name Minnetrista is derived from the Native American word "minne" meaning waters, and "trista" meaning crooked. The 32 square miles is home to 6,234 residents who enjoy the rural residential and lakeside settings. Whether you're just passing through, or spending some time at one of the enchanting area parks, you will be welcomed in Minnetrista!