By Local 3 News
On Saturday morning, volunteers gathered in the Orchard Knob area to contribute to the growing "Community Tree Planting Program". The initiative is spearheaded by Understory, a workforce development program operated through the nonprofit Greenspaces.
Chris Winters, Director of Workforce Development for Understory, emphasized the importance of community involvement in the effort.
"It takes an army, so we really do need people to be digging holes and planting trees and taking care of these trees," Winters said.
Many of the volunteers had participated in the event before and wasted no time getting to work, quickly taking to shovels to dig holes. First-time tree planters, however, received thorough instructions on the proper technique for planting, ensuring the trees were set up for success in their new homes.
"So far, we've probably planted approximately 100 trees in Orchard Knob, the goal is close to 3,000 trees in the next four years," Winters added.
Understory, which began its tree-planting efforts in February, recently received a grant from the City of Chattanooga to help increase the city’s tree canopy. Orchard Knob was chosen as a target area due to its low tree coverage, as Winters explained.
"So, Orchard Knob, based on satellite data from UTC, has the lowest percentage of tree canopy coverage of any of the neighborhoods of Chattanooga."
Through this program, the neighborhood has already started to see the benefits, with many sidewalks now lined with fresh foliage. But the advantages of these trees go beyond simply beautifying the area.
"The pavement and the sidewalks radiate a lot of heat in the summer, and without urban canopy coverage of the trees, that heat just comes right to us. So this neighborhood is usually about 5 to 10 degrees hotter than other neighborhoods that are tree-lined," Winters noted.
The planting initiative has not only impacted the environment, but has also fostered a sense of community among those involved. Volunteers are excited about their contributions to the area and the positive effects of their work.
Jennifer Palmer, a local volunteer, shared her thoughts.
"Giving back, obviously it feels really good, hands in the soil feels awesome, having a little sweat and giving back to local communities, even if you don't live there, feels really good too," Palmer said.
If you’re interested in getting involved, Understory will host its next tree planting event on Saturday, March 22nd. Future events will take place every Saturday through April.
"We think that it's a really great thing that people can come from all over Chattanooga to a neighborhood that they maybe have never spent time in and see what it's like and contribute as a community in Chattanooga," Winters said.
Story by Riley Nagel
