Environmental
The Park County Environmental Council (PCEC) is thrilled to announce that it will be planting another 100 trees across Livingston next week.
Over the past few months, over 80 residents, and organizations including Park High School and the Depot Center have signed up to adopt, water and care for these new trees on their boulevard, front yard or in a public space.
The upcoming Livingston Loves Trees Community Planting Week is scheduled for May 19th through the 23rd, culminating in the annual Arbor Day Celebration and Community Potluck on Friday, May 23rd at the Depot Center. Residents are invited to help during this week-long event in a community-wide effort to enhance Livingston's urban forest and celebrate the myriad benefits trees bring to our community.
“We all value trees—and often for different reasons. Be it their cooling effects, beauty, or the sense of place they create, trees always give back,” says Sarah Stands, the LLT Program Director and Community Resiliency Director for PCEC. “The LLT tree program is a legacy and a passion that I learned from my parents planting trees around Livingston in the 1980s. And now, we all get to walk around and enjoy the benefits of their shade today. With federal cuts threatening urban forestry, it’s up to us—nonprofits, the city, businesses, and neighbors—to keep working together around common values. Together, we have already diversified our canopy by over 10 percent, and every tree we plant and care for now is a gift to future generations.”
Since its inception in 2021, the Livingston Loves Trees (LLT) initiative has been dedicated to planting 1,000 trees across public spaces in Livingston over the next decade. To date, over 270 trees have been planted and monitored, including oaks, elms, maples, lindens, honey locusts, flowering crabapples, and Japanese tree lilacs. More than 230 households have committed to nurturing these trees, which has resulted in an impressive 98 percent survival rate. By comparison, the City of Denver says a 50-75 percent survival rate is a success.
This May, the total number of trees planted through the LLT program will be over 370.
The Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, May 23rd will be from 5 to 7 pm at the Depot Center. It will feature a tree planting clinic as the final few trees are planted at the Depot. The event celebrates another 100 more public trees planted, symbolizing Livingston's commitment to a greener, more resilient future. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the value of urban forests, pick up some tree planting and long-term care tips, and enjoy refreshments during the community potluck. The event is free and open to all. Participants are encouraged to bring some food to share, and dress ready to help plant a tree and get their hands dirty if the desire strikes.
Livingston's urban forest has nearly 4,000 trees and plays a crucial role in enhancing the city's beauty, providing shade, reducing stormwater runoff, supporting wildlife habitats, and mitigating the effects of the region's notorious winds.
A recent state tree inventory laid out Livingston’s specific challenges, such as the threat posed by the emerald ash borer—a beetle responsible for the loss of millions of ash trees nationwide—that could threaten nearly half (46 percent) of Livingston’s public trees. About 70 or 80 years ago, roughly 2,000 ash trees were planted in Livingston, trees that are now reaching the end of their lifespan and could become victim to the ash borer if it continues to spread west. With that in mind, LLT is committed to planting diverse, hearty species.
Residents interested in contributing to this initiative can participate by adopting a tree, volunteering for planting week, health checks and maintenance or donating to the Tree Fund. Adopted trees, provided free of charge, come with a commitment to care for and water them, ensuring their healthy growth. Donations to the Tree Fund support the purchase, planting, and maintenance of new trees, fostering a sustainable and vibrant urban canopy for future generations.
Livingston Loves Trees has been made possible by a powerful combination of government grants, generous individual donors, a partnership with the City of Livingston and its incredible park maintenance team, and all the passionate volunteers, known as the Tree Buds. We are then able to support several local businesses, including landscaping and nurseries owned and operated by people that grew up here in Livingston and Park County and who employ local residents.
With the future of state and federal funding uncertain, this beloved program is at risk. Please consider supporting the program by volunteering your time or donating to the tree fund and supporting your local tree programs. Visit pcecmt.org/livingstonlovestrees for details.