Articles Tagged: Tree replanting

The program launches this fall to get residents involved in planting and taking care of right-of-way trees

The derecho cleanup at this Marion park was not eligible for FEMA reimbursement, so it wasn’t completed until this summer.

A $25,000 grant from CN Railway and America in Bloom will support the city’s “ambitious” partnership with Trees Forever to replant trees downed in the 2020 derecho.

NEWSTRACK | CATCHING UP ON AN EARLIER STORY: Cedar Rapids crews have ground thousands more tree stumps left in the derecho’s wake, while hundreds more trees have been planted this year as part of the 10-year ReLeaf reforestation plan.

Trees Forever has planted 30 trees along Grande Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids to raise epilepsy awareness in honor of Joe Drahos, who died last August of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. “People look at them now and think of Joe,” his mother said.

The 10-year ReLeaf Cedar Rapids plan to replenish trees downed in the derecho was adopted three months ago. Here’s what’s happened since and how you can help sustain replanting efforts.

Although the 2020 derecho’s hurricane-force winds toppled thousands of trees around Cedar Rapids, the city of Cedar Rapids was named a Tree City USA for the 44th year.

Alliant is working in partnership with Trees Forever to help 33 communities -- including Marion, Hiawatha and Ely -- with grants to plant trees. A total of $120,000 in tree grants are being awarded.

Two area nonprofits, Monarch Research and Trees Forever, will continue to help Linn County residents replant trees downed in the 2020 derecho with tree distributions this spring.

The urban reforestation plan, which aims to be a model for other communities, envisions trees as a tool to remedy social inequities, advance climate adaptation goals, enhance city design and strengthen community bonds through replanting and policy changes.

Monarch Research is providing large private landowners with native trees to be planted this spring in the 2022 Planting Forward for Woodlands project. Interested landowners have from now until Feb. 18 to order trees in time for spring planting.

With Cedar Rapids’ ReLeaf effort and other communities replanting strategies, even more will be planted in 2022 and beyond.

The ReLeaf team has crafted a plan with a $37 million price tag to replant equitably and with native species after the derecho. It details how Cedar Rapids can replant street and park trees, and contains guidance for private landowners.

ITC Midwest has given $200,000 to the ReLeaf Program, a partnership between nonprofit Trees Forever and the city of Cedar Rapids, to support tree replanting in Cedar Rapids after the 2020 derecho.

Distribution event starts at at 11 a.m. and is first-come, first-served; limit one tree per vehicle