Macro growth in plants
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Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry Logo

Neighborhood-Based Urban Forestry

Since 2013, Louisville Grows has taken pride in helping residents plant and care for trees on their own properties. Our neighborhood-based urban forestry program focuses on rebuilding the city’s tree canopy, especially in areas experiencing the greatest declines in tree cover. Analysis of Louisville’s urban tree canopy (UTC) showed a 3% decrease between 2004 and 2012—about 54,000 trees lost per year. In response, the Louisville Metro Tree Advisory Commission released the city’s first Tree Canopy Assessment in 2015 to guide canopy preservation efforts.

Through our Treecipient Program, we work directly with residents, schools, parks, and community partners to plant and care for trees. Trained Citizen Foresters lead volunteers, provide hands-on guidance on tree selection and maintenance, and help build community knowledge in urban forest stewardship.

The Tree Canopy Assessment (2012–2019) highlights that single-family properties have the greatest potential for increasing vegetation, with over 30,000 acres of possible vegetated space. While canopy in this category is declining, our focus on education and hands-on guidance ensures residents understand the value of trees and are equipped to care for them. By engaging directly with residents, Louisville Grows leads the way in resident-driven urban forestry, helping the city stay green for years to come.

To date, we have planted more than 8,000 trees and provide ongoing care resources to support their health during the critical first five years after planting.

Urban Heat Map

https://louisvilleky.gov/government/urban-forestry/louisvilles-tree-canopy

Get Involved

Would you like to get more involved with the tree plantings? We are always looking for the Lorax in the neighborhood!

Sign up to get trained as a Citizen Forester or volunteer to help during the tree plantings!

Citizen Forester Application Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers Walking

5 Steps of Tree Plantings

Louisville Grows aims to provide resources and capacity to work with a community, not just in a community. Planning a tree-planting event with a community takes months of hard work, and consists of five steps:

  1. 1.

    Identify the neighborhood based off initial community interest and data from the

  2. 2.

    Partner with community organizations and key stakeholders

  3. 3.

    Canvas neighborhood to identify “treecipients”

  4. 4.

    Citizen Forester Training for community representatives

  5. 5.

    Planting day with volunteers

Our Tree Planting Process

Louisville Grows organizes numerous planting events during each tree-planting season, from November through April. However, much of the work is done before the actual planting day!

Before the big event:

Volunteers readying tree

Louisville Grows organizes numerous neighborhood tree planting events during each tree-planting season in the spring and fall. Our goal for every tree planting event is to ensure a high quality experience for our volunteers!

Louisville Grows is unique in the fact that we focus on planting trees on residential property. Because of this, a lot of work goes into preparing and organizing a Louisville Grows neighborhood tree planting. We begin several months in advance by initially meeting with the neighborhood group to discuss their involvement and establish dates and meeting locations. Then, our volunteer coordinator organizes Citizen Foresters, community members, and volunteers in a door-to-door canvassing of the neighborhood seeking treecipients. The canvassing allows us to interact directly with residents of the neighborhood. We advocate for trees at that time, explaining their importance and how they would benefit from becoming a treecipient. Once someone agrees to accept and care for a tree planted on their property, we discuss the location, type of tree and have them sign an agreement stating they will care for and water the tree properly. Louisville Grows’ urban forestry program offers homeowners and renters (with permission) one to three trees at no cost planted by our Citizen Foresters and volunteers.

After the treecipients are found, an order is placed through our tree broker with local tree farms. Trees are delivered one week prior to the planting day. Staff and volunteers welcome the trees and stage them for delivery to their new homes. It takes several days to deliver the trees to each individual property along with a load of mulch and watering bag. This process is critical to ensure that we can get 150 trees on the average into the ground on one day with our volunteers.

Planting Day:

Volunteers planting tree

On the morning of planting day, the Louisville Grows’ team arrives early to prepare for the day. Registration opens at 8AM for our volunteers and trained Citizen Foresters who will lead the teams in various planting zones. Louisville Grows offers a light breakfast, juice and coffee to start the day and make sure volunteers are sent out nourished and ready to plant. Our executive director greets everyone before huddles are formed and the planting begins.

Once on site with the trees, Citizen Foresters perform a planting demonstration for the group of volunteers in each zone. Then the fun starts and we begin to dig in the dirt. Community foresters are on hand to help resolve any situations or answer any questions that might arise during the plantings.The goal of each team is to finish planting their zone before heading back for lunch.

Louisville Grows serves a hearty lunch for our volunteers. We are so grateful for their assistance and couldn’t grow greener healthier neighborhoods without their support.

We encourage volunteers wear clothing appropriate for the weather and close-toed shoes and bring a water bottle. Louisville Grows will provide gloves.

Previous plantings have taken place in the California, Beechmont, Russell, Shelby Park, Germantown, Smoketown, Shawnee, Chickasaw, Smoketown, Portland, Schnitzelburg and Phoenix Hill neighborhoods.

Schnit Merri addressing volunteers

Tree Giveaways

Several times a year, Louisville Grows hosts a public tree giveaway with various partners at different locations throughout Louisville. During the giveaways, people can receive one to three trees, depending on how many trees we have been supplied. The trees are native species planted in three gallon containers.

All tree giveaways are posted on our website, social media platforms and newsletter. Trees are available to everyone on a first come, first serve basis. Quantities are limited and not guaranteed.

Trees ready to giveaway