Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, in collaboration with Arbor Day Foundation, planted 20 trees on the Dominican Sisters’ Marywood Campus in early June.
This planting was part of an ongoing, collaborative urban reforestation project to turn their expansive lawn into a native oak savanna forest. Oak savannas were historically found throughout Michigan, but have become increasingly rare due to development. The reforestation project includes expansive plantings of native grasses, flowers, and trees.
“When the staff and residents at Marywood first reached out to us in 2021 with the idea of returning their expansive lawn into a native forest, we were so excited to be a part of the project,” says Friends’ Director of Forestry Becky Pobst. “Over the years we’ve seen the growth of this idea across the whole campus, including revitalizing a wetland area and plans for an oak savannah. With the addition of these new trees, the campus—so often enjoyed by neighbors as a park—is that much closer to achieving its goals as a native habitat.”
In the spring of 1935, the State of Michigan officially designated the Marywood land as a wildlife sanctuary. Since then, a variety of groups and committees have been devoted caretakers of the woods, creek, gardens, and later the prairie. Presently, the Marwood Land has its own mission:
- To provide an urban sanctuary for rest and healing.
- To contribute to the City of Grand Rapids’ goal of a 40% tree canopy.
- To model what is possible in an urban area to heal and protect the land; to increase biodiversity; to serve as a learning lab for best practices; and to educate and encourage others (people, churches, and businesses) to recognize the benefits of growing native plants, trees, and shrubs in their yards and/or their property.
Dominican Sisters’ Marywood campus is open to the public as part of the Sisters’ core value of hospitality. You can read more about the initiative in the fall/winter 2023 edition of Mission & Ministry, the Dominican Sisters’ magazine.
“It has been nearly five years since I first met Lauren Davis at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, who then introduced me to [Director of Forestry] Becky Pobst,” says Sister Kathi. “Becky has since become a steadfast collaborator, resource, and friend.
“Our initial tree planting with Friends took place in October 2022. It was a memorable moment as we watched a dedicated group of urban foresters planting over 25 trees on our front lawn. Since then, through Becky, Friends has facilitated numerous projects—including tree-pruning classes on the Marywood Land, additional tree plantings, and the use of our campus as a rehab site for struggling trees elsewhere. Becky’s ongoing guidance has been invaluable. Now, we are embarking on a new project or experiment designed to expand our understanding of best practices for tree planting.”
We’re so grateful to work with local partners like the Dominican Sisters, as well as national organizations like the Arbor Day Foundation. It’s always impactful to watch trees transform a space, and we’re so humbled to play a small part in such a powerful project.
