Trees are great and for everyone and every community deserves to have robust, healthy tree canopy. We connect people to nature through community forestry—the care and management of trees that make up a city’s forest.
Trees improve physical health by lowering blood pressure and reducing asthma rates, reducing cortisol and adrenaline, lowering anxiety and depression, and encouraging outdoor activity.
Trees have a positive impact on our environment. They lower the cost of heating and cooling your home; and reduce erosion, runoff, and air pollution. Trees also lower the temperature in the city, reducing the “urban heat island” effect.
Trees also provide significant economic benefits, including increased property values. Also, consumers are more willing to travel to get to and spend more money in districts with tree canopy. Trees also provide significant return on investment, with cities like New York and Pittsburg reporting $3 to $5 in economic benefit for every dollar spent on trees.
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks connects people to nature through community forestry—the care and management of trees that make up a city’s forest.
Friends’ urban forestry department works in publicly-managed green spaces, including parks and parkways. Our team includes ISA certified Arborists, the gold standard for tree professionals. We plant trees together with the community, help care for trees, educate residents on tree care, and support the City of Grand Rapids in reaching its goal of 40% tree canopy coverage through tree-planting events.
Get free trees for your neighborhood and plant them with your neighbors!
Our annual community spring tree-planting event and neighborhood celebration.
Our annual community fall tree-planting event and neighborhood celebration.
Neighborhood Forester classes build your comfort, confidence, and skills engaging with and caring for your local trees.
Our seasonal team of local youth who water and care for newly-planted trees and learn about careers in urban forestry and environmental work.
Request a forester or arborists to speak to your class, association, or club! Please contact us to request a speaker, a workshops on tree-related topics, or an “ask an arborist” sessions.
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks works closely with the City of Grand Rapids’ Department of Parks & Recreation to align our work with their standards and support their goals. We work closely with their Forestry Division and often tag-team different projects!
Friends focuses on planting trees, working with young trees, and growing trees to establishment. Of the street trees that Friends of Grand Rapids Parks plants and maintains, 80%—well above the average street tree mortality rate of 60%—survive a harsh urban environment. As with any plant, some attrition is normal; our goal is always to get urban trees to thriving maturity through proper tree maintenance.
The City of Grand Rapids’ Office of Equity and Engagement offers businesses a 1% discount on bid-eligible contracts in exchange for participating in Friends of Grand Rapids Park programs, which include tree-planting events. The Friends team will coordinate more specific timeframe and locations once projects are confirmed.
Our work is only possible through the generosity of our community; we’re grateful for your support! When you financially support Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, your dollars support programming that connects people to trees and nature in our parks and parkways, making life happier, healthier, and more connected to community.
