Help UK 'Branch Out'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 29, 2019) — University of Kentucky is hosting a community tree planting event on March 30, at the William T. Young Library, in honor of the 20th anniversary of Reforest the Bluegrass. The plan is to plant at least 20 trees that day with help from volunteers from the campus and community.
The trees planted at the event will be the first of more than 200 new trees that will be planted on campus this year to sustain and grow the urban forest.
Since 1999, Reforest the Bluegrass has brought hundreds of volunteers together to plant thousands of trees on one day in the spring. Over the program’s history, an estimated 15,500 volunteers have planted 136,000 trees.
April 13, 2019 will mark the 20-year anniversary for the program. Lexington is celebrating with a program called Branching Out, an initiative to host 20 tree plantings with community partners. The campus event March 30 is a part of this initiative.
Volunteers are asked to:
- Dress for the weather, and closed-toed shoes are recommended.
- Arrive at the William T. Young Library between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
- Check in at the volunteer table.
- Gloves and tools will be provided.
- Complimentary visitor parking for this event is available in the William T. Young Visitor Lot and the Rose Street Garage.
UK Ground’s Arboriculture team will lead the planting and coordinate volunteer efforts during the event.
“We are very excited about collaborating with the city to celebrate 20 years of Reforest the Bluegrass," said Stacy Borden, UK’s senior arborist. "Our event will demonstrate the benefits and ease of planting bare root trees. It will be a fun day and a great opportunity to increase and diversify the tree canopy on campus.”
The Urban Forest Initiative (UFI) is also planning to participate in the event and use it as a learning and leadership opportunity for the TreeCATs program, an urban forestry training program for UK students.
There are nearly 12,000 trees on UK's campus providing beauty, shade and solace for the campus community in addition to tremendous ecosystem services. Learn more about the benefits of the campus forest here. UK has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus USA since 2012.
Other upcoming related events on campus and in Lexington include:
- April 3: UFI Seminar: Florence Williams "The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative," 6 p.m., in the Jacobs Science Building (680 Rose St.);
- April 13: The 20th annual Reforest the Bluegrass, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Masterson Station Park (3051 Leestown Road); and
- April 27: Arbor Day Celebration at the UK Arboretum (500 Alumni Drive).