More Than 880 Trees Planted on 26th Annual Forest Restoration Day
Volunteers excited to get to work on Forest Restoration Day!
On Sunday, November 2, more than 200 Forest Park Forever volunteers and staff members planted 883 trees in Forest Park!
Our largest yearly volunteer event gives supporters a chance to get their hands dirty, working with our staff to improve the health of Forest Park’s wooded areas. It’s also a critical element of Forest Park Forever’s long-term forest restoration plan. “The work that happens at Forest Restoration Day would take our staff and weekly volunteers the whole planting season,” says Volunteer Manager Hilary Sears.
Conservation Arborist Kendall Wachter reiterates the importance of this event and other volunteer activities, especially this year. “We have a limited planting season of about five months. Once trees begin breaking bud and putting on new leaves in the spring, conditions go down. The work volunteers have done in recent months and years—clearing debris, removing invasive species and prepping for planting—gives us a jumpstart on the season ahead.”
Usually at this event, which has taken place each of the past 26 years, volunteers help us remove invasive species by the truckload. Honeysuckle, sericea lespedeza, garlic mustard and wintercreeper are familiar foes. But our efforts to eradicate those undesirable species have been so successful, we were able to pivot to planting trees this year! And the timing couldn’t be better.
Tornado Recovery is Now Part of our Daily Work
Planting oaks in Successional Forest for future generations of visitors—and wildlife—to enjoy
Forest Park was hit hard by the May 16 tornado. More than 5,000 trees were damaged by the storm that devastated the St. Louis region—3,000 were toppled or irreparably harmed. To restore the Park’s woodlands and familiar landscapes, Forest Park Forever and the City of St. Louis plan to plant at least 2,400 trees over the next 12 months and 6,000 over the next five years.
We made significant progress toward those goals on Forest Restoration Day. Thanks to 206 participants, we planted 883 trees of 41 different native species* across 22.6 acres in Successional Forest and the Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape! Wachter was grateful for our volunteers and ecstatic about the event’s outcome. “I could not have asked for better weather or a better group of folks. In three hours, we were able to get 85 twenty-gallon container trees in the ground [in the Nature Playscape]. That is 17% of our container planting for the year.”
Thinking ahead, she is mindful of the role our volunteers will continue to play in tornado recovery. “Each year, we plant between 400 and 600 trees in Forest Park. This year, we are looking to double that. Using the helping hands of our community allows us work toward our goals while connecting with the folks that support our mission,” Wachter says.
Read more about how our nonprofit is planning the Park’s next steps in tornado recovery in After the Storm.
Volunteers are Always Essential for our Success
In the months following the tornado, 423 volunteers helped clean up debris throughout the Park, and hundreds more offered their time.
Restoring Forest Park will take decades, and we’ll continue to depend on supporters in the coming years to help with restoration and maintain our meticulous daily care. As Sears points out, “Forest Park Forever is supported by donors and volunteers, and we couldn’t do our work to sustain Forest Park without them.” In 2024, 1,911 individuals volunteered a remarkable 11,840 hours throughout the year.
Learn more about volunteering with us.
See more images from the 26th annual Forest Restoration Day on our Facebook page.
“Thank you, volunteers! Thank you for your time, for your effort and for loving this park that means so much to so many people. This one chilly November morning will positively impact the park for generations to come.”
Wachter (left), pictured with Park Ecologist Amy Witt, giving volunteers instructions on Forest Restoration Day
Forever our Favorite Park
As the nonprofit conservancy that maintains Forest Park in partnership with the City of St. Louis, Forest Park Forever employs experts in land management, ecology, conservation, park operations, community engagement, education and customer service. We’re now using our expertise to integrate long-term tornado recovery into our annual plans and the master plan for Forest Park.
There’s still so much work to be done and many ways you can help!
Make a gift to tornado recovery in Forest Park.
Become a member of Forest Park Forever to provide ongoing support.
Sign up for our biweekly e-newsletter to hear about events and opportunities.
Learn more about other ways to support Forest Park Forever and our work.
*Native tree species planted
Aesculus glabra
Amelanchier arborea
Asimina triloba
Carya cordiformis
Carya glabra
Carya illinoinensis
Carya ovata
Carya tomentosa
Celtis laevigata
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Cercis canadensis
Cornus florida
Corylus americana
Crataegus viridis
Diospyros virginiana
Euonymus atropurpurea
Gleditsia tricanthos inermis
Hamamelis virginiana
Ilex decidua
Lindera benzoin
Nyssa sylvatica
Physocarpus opulifolius
Platanus occidentalis
Prunus americana
Quercus alba
Quercus bicolor
Quercus coccinea
Quercus lyrata
Quercus macrocarpa
Quercus rubra
Quercus x schuettei
Quercus shumardii
Quercus stellata
Quercus texana
Quercus velutina
Quercus x jackiana
Rhamnus caroliniana
Rhus aromatica
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Viburnum prunifolium
Viburnum rudifolium