‘Enthusiastic’ volunteers continue East Lake Park tree planting

More than 20 percent of East Lake Park enjoys shade provided by green ash trees planted in the 1970s, said Francesca Gross, urban conservation manager of The Nature Conservancy Alabama.

However, the U.S. Forest Service predicts these trees will die in the next five years due to the Emerald Ash Borer insect that is invading Alabama.

In response, the conservancy and several partners are working to plant new trees at East Lake Park.

“We wanted to start a new young biodiverse forest to replace the soon-to-be-gone shade canopy,” Gross said.

That effort continued Nov. 16, when about 50 volunteers planted nearly 80 trees and shrubs at East Lake Park.

All the trees planted are native species, Gross said.

“We plant only trees native to central Alabama using local seed source collected by Ruffner [Mountain Nature Preserve] and other local experts,” Gross said.

The planting was phase two of the park’s restoration. About 130 trees and shrubs were planted there in 2018, Gross said.

The November event was a success, with “beautiful weather [and] enthusiastic volunteers,” Gross said.

Planting trees is “very satisfying” for the volunteers, she said. “They can come back and see what they have done to change Birmingham for the better.”

The Nature Conservancy Alabama partnered with Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, Birmingham Park and Recreation, the city’s Urban Forestry Department, Alabama Forestry Commission, Cawaco RC&D and the Jefferson County Urban Forestry Group, a group of technicians that seeks to increase tree canopy health in Jefferson County.

The conservancy has also partnered in the East Lake plantings with TAP (Together Assisting People), a mentoring program for high school football players.

The conservancy is “dedicated to including neighborhood and other local folks in this project,” Gross said.

She cited, among other groups, the South East Lake and North East Lake neighborhood associations.

The plantings will continue at East Lake Park, as well. The conservancy has permission from the city for three more projects there over the next few years, Gross said.

There is the potential for other sites in the city, depending on the resources available.

“We are concentrating on East Lake Park for now because of the great partnerships and neighborhood relationships,” Gross said. “We hope to expand to other city parks in the future as we find more resources. Currently this effort is run on a shoe-string budget.”