Seed St. Louis (formerly Gateway Greening), has partnered with One Tree Planted to double the capacity of the Giving Grove program, allowing it to grow from the current 70-100 trees planted per year in the St. Louis region, to 200 trees in 2023.
“With this grant I’m excited to be able to build upon the orchards already in our network as well as add new orchards. These funds will help our Giving Grove program be more accessible to communities in the region by greatly reducing the costs for the trees.” Said Dean Gunderson, Director of Education, Seed St. Louis.
Pollution is a significant factor in St. Louis; the American Lung Association has ranked St. Louis one of the 25 most polluted cities in the U.S.
According to a study of EPA data released in 2020, St. Louis has the 12th worst ranking for air quality in the U.S., with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 54, a Max AQI of 182 and 206 days per year of unhealthy air quality.
Data from the EPA also indicates urban soils, such as those found in St. Louis, are likely to be heavily compacted and do not readily absorb stormwater. Compacted soils contain less oxygen, water, organic materials, and microbiological activity. Urban soil contaminants can include heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and industrial chemicals, as well as lead paint residue, asbestos, coal and wood ash deposits, oil residues and pesticides. The air and soil pollution contribute to poor health outcomes for urban residents.
This project will provide 200 fruit and nut trees across 20 sites in St. Louis, focusing primarily on the City of St. Louis, with some sites in St. Louis County that either have high rates of food insecurity or have land available to grow fruits, berries, and nuts, which will be distributed in neighborhoods with high rates of food insecurity.
Planting will occur in the spring (April-May) and fall (October-November). Plantings also will include understory fruit bushes to support biodiversity, food sovereignty and a longer harvest season. Each orchard will be cared for by a minimum of two trained volunteers who will serve as orchard stewards; the stewards will receive ongoing technical assistance and support from program staff for the lifetime of the orchard.
This is one of over 45 projects that One Tree Planted is supporting globally as part of the Urban Forestry Action Fund – a portfolio of high-impact urban forestry projects aimed at planting urban trees to address environmental justice issues – such as urban heat, air pollution, and lack of community greenspaces – and ultimately help communities achieve tree equity.
“We have a long way to go to reach our desired outcome – a future where all people, regardless of race or income, have not only equal access to the benefits of trees, but equitable access to the resources needed to get us there,” said Tanner Haid, Director of Urban Forestry at One Tree Planted. “This project with Seed St. Louis, and the overarching work of the Urban Forestry Action Fund, is a meaningful step in that direction We will continue driving resources towards communities that need them most.”
About Seed St. Louis (formerly Gateway Greening):
Founded in 1984, Seed St. Louis is a 501c3 organization, dedicated to supporting urban agriculture in communities and schools throughout the St. Louis region. Supporting a network of 250+ community gardens, school gardens, orchards, and urban farms, at Seed St. Louis we believe that by educating and empowering individuals to grow their own food, we can connect people to the land, and to each other. Seed St. Louis is a community of gardeners, farmers, teachers, neighbors, friends, co-workers and volunteers dedicated to building deeply rooted, resilient urban communities.
About One Tree Planted:
One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create an impact for nature, people, and biodiversity.
Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at onetreeplanted.org.
Environmental Echo 