Help plant trees in the Hamline Midway!
October service opportunity for volunteer
groups & individuals
to plant trees in the Hamline Midway, St. Paul
Come plant trees with the Hamline Midway Coalition’s Environment Committee
to increase shade canopy in this St. Paul neighborhood.
Who is this service opportunity for?
Individuals or groups who are looking for a fall volunteer activity, service day, or team building event can participate in this fall tree planting. Prior tree planting experience is preferred but not required. This activity is best for folks who can carry 15 pounds, shovel soil and traverse uneven ground. Children younger than 12 years old may find this work hard to do, but youngsters who can follow instruction can attend along with their parents.
What will happen during our volunteer time?
We will be installing trees at various Hamline Midway neighborhood locations. Each shift will meet at our tree gravel bed at the Friends School of Minnesota to extract trees, review the route and collect other supplies. Then teams will head to the addresses on their route in the planned order to install the bareroot tree species assigned to that address. The holes will be pre-dug at the locations. Teams will plant the tree, make sure it’s well watered, and install support stakes. The activity will involve digging with shovels, bending, post-pounding, and lifting. We encourage volunteers to wear gloves, clothes, and closed-toe shoes that can get dirty. Tools will be provided, but we welcome folks who can bring some of their own supplies.
When can we perform our group service?
Volunteers are needed on various dates. Shifts are 2 or 3 hours long. There are 8 shifts, with each planting 5- 6 trees.
Dates include:
10/11 Tuesday evening 4:30-7pm (1-2 shifts)
10/12 Wednesday evening 4:30-7 pm (1-2 shifts)
10/14 Friday morning 9am-noon (1-2 shifts)
10/15 Saturday morning 9am-noon (2 shifts)
10/15 Saturday afternoon 1pm-4pm (2 shifts)
RAIN DATE 10/13 Thursday evening 4:30-7pm (2 shifts)
Tree planting in the rain is not bad for the tree, so we will proceed with planting if there is light precipitation. Severe weather or a deluge may change our plans, and we will use Thursday evening as a rain date if necessary
Where will we be doing our group service?
All of the volunteer work will happen in the Hamline Midway neighborhood. We will be visiting up to 7 different addresses so volunteers may benefit from having transportation, but carpooling can also be arranged from our first location. All work will be outdoors.
Why are we planting trees in the Hamline Midway?
We are planting trees to support the urban forest in the Hamline Midway neighborhood in St. Paul. Bare root trees were placed in the neighborhood’s gravel nursery bed this spring in order to develop robust root systems throughout the growing season. In the fall, when the trees are extracted and planted throughout the neighborhood, these developed root systems ensure the best chance of a successful transplanting.
The Hamline Midway Environment Committee (of the Hamline Midway Coalition- the neighborhood’s District council), built and maintains the neighborhood’s gravel tree bed to supply the Free Trees program. Because the City of St. Paul supports public lands like parks and boulevards, HMC plantings are targeted for private properties. Our urban tree canopy has been hit hard by invasive pests like Emerald Ash Borer and stressed trees due to climate change. This has created inequities in our tree canopy. Areas in our community that have less canopy coverage tend to have more BIPOC neighbors and more neighbors experiencing poverty. Further, Midway children are more likely to live in less forested areas, which can range up to 20 degrees hotter than areas with a more complete canopy. The HMC Free Trees program is prioritizing these environmental inequalities.
How do we sign up?
Sign up to volunteer at this link:https://forms.gle/Z4FWSpXuTeQNFsZQ9
If you have additional questions, email trees@hamlinemidway.org
For general project information see here: https://www.hamlinemidway.org/free-trees-hmc