Underwriting support from:
/Alliance for Community Trees, photo by Santa Fabio
Grand Rapids, Mich.– Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, in partnership with the City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Dept. and the Urban Forestry Committee, today announced 4 events in area parks to celebrate National NeighborWoods Month. These events are four of hundreds of re-greening efforts throughout the country being promoted during October, which has been declared National NeighborWoods Month by the national nonprofit, the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT). Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is a member of ACT’s NeighborWoods Network.
“It’s great to be working on an important re-greening effort at a time when other organizations are doing so as well,” said Steve Faber of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. “Part of our goal is to draw attention to the good work being done at the grassroots level in Grand Rapids and all across the country to improve urban and community forests.”
NeighborWoods Month kicks off this Saturday at Wilcox Park, but continues throughout the month:
NeighborWoods: Wilcox Park, 10/3/09 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Wilcox Park. Planting 11 new trees and treating 4 Ash trees infected with Emerald Ash Borer: Live music, Story time with Pooh’s Corner, Kids Games, Adult Games. Ceremonial tree planting at 12:00.
NeighborWoods: Riverside Park, 10/17/09 9:00a.m.-12:00pm at Riverside Park. Guided tree tour of the 40+ unique trees of Riverside and information about affordable and simple treatment options for Emerald Ash Borer that threatens to kill 500 trees in this park in the next few years.
NeighborWoods: East Hills, 10/24/09 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Cherry Street Park. Tree planting and tour of East Hills Street Trees, which have a cumulative value of over $4 million. Learn from local arborists about good planting, pruning and watering techniques.
NeighborWoods: Oakhill Cemetery, 10/31/09 4pm-5pm at OakHill Cemetery. On Halloween afternoon, tour the unique monuments of Grand Rapids forefathers/mothers and learn about the trees that shade their final resting place.
“Having local organizations like Friends of Grand Rapids Parks participate in National NeighborWoods Month helps us show the cumulative effect of a burgeoning urban and community forestry movement,” said ACT Executive Director Alice Ewen Walker. Founded in 1993, the Alliance for Community Trees is a national coalition of 150 nonprofit organizations engaged in urban and community forestry. Its members are dedicated to grassroots community greening, public education, policymaking, job training, environmental design and other activities that support better urban forest stewardship.
National NeighborWoods Month is sponsored through a generous grant from The Home Depot Foundation. “Trees are an important component of responsible design to ensure that homes are affordable, energy efficient, safe and healthy,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “By partnering with ACT and local NeighborWoods organizations like Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, The Foundation is able to further its goals of investing in the overall health and success of our communities.” For more on NeighborWoods Month, visit www.neighborwoodsmonth.org For more event specifics, visit www.friendsofgrandrapidsparks.org/events
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