Volunteers turned out last Sunday, October 18, to improve their neighborhoods by planting trees.
In 2014, Lewis Reed, president of the Board of Alderman started an effort called Plant 4 Peace, in which St. Louis residents plant trees to remember crime victims while coming together as a community.
Reed says that the planting allows people to go out into the community and work within their neighborhoods to plant the trees. The workers and their neighbors will then be able to watch the trees as they grow throughout the year.
Trees used in this project are free, and made available by a partnership between the city and the Forest Releaf project. On Sunday, volunteers planted a total of 535 trees throughout the city. Reed sees every tree as an opportunity to make the city more peaceful, as well as more beautiful.
Reed said the goal of Plant 4 Piece is to create more connected, stronger communities by having residents come together to work on the plantings. Trees, according to Reed, symbolize the connectedness and strength of the community.
Although all the trees available for this year have been planted, Plant 4 Peace is already thinking about next year. The organization could work with a brochure printing company on a mailer that explains the project, how to apply for free trees, and where plantings can be made.
