EAST ALTON – Volunteers are needed to help the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) and the Three Rivers Project plant trees in Alton on Wednesday, May 25.

The effort is made possible in part by a Recover, Replant, Restore! (RRR) grant from Trees Forever, as well as funding from Ameren Illinois’ “Right Tree Right Place” project and the Swarovski Waterschool. 

Tree plantings will take occur at Riverfront Park and the Broadway Corridor.

“We are excited to be able to increase tree cover and access to green spaces in parks throughout Alton,” said NGRREC Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher. “This fall, students from the Swarovski Waterschool program be helping to care for the trees and learn about the importance of trees and greenspace in communities.”

All necessary tools will be provided but if participants have their own gardening gloves, those would be great to bring along.

Anyone interested in helping must register at https://conta.cc/3Kr6Qso to ensure the proper equipment is available.

After planting, all newly added trees will be maintained and watered throughout the summer months by volunteers and NGRREC staff.

“We also need volunteers to water the newly planted trees throughout the summer,” said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project co-coordinator. “This is a perfect opportunity for individuals or families to choose their trees in one of the five planting locations throughout town. This is also a great way for small businesses to take care of a tree near their storefront.”

For more information on summer tree care contact Favilla at christine.favilla@sierraclub.org .

For more information on the May 25 volunteer day  contact Fisher at (618) 468-2783 or saafisher@lc.edu .

National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC ℠ )

Founded in 2002 as a collaborative partnership between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Lewis and Clark Community College, NGRREC is dedicated to the study of great river systems and the communities that use them. The center aspires to be a leader in scholarly research, education, and outreach related to the interconnectedness of large rivers, their floodplains, watersheds, and their associated communities.