Article by: Jen Young, NGRREC/L&C Marketing and PR, jenryoung@lc.edu
EAST ALTON – Volunteers are needed throughout October to help the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC℠) the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois and the City of Alton plant trees in Alton, Illinois.
This project prioritizes the planting of native tree species in areas of Alton that currently do not have a diversity of tree species, have limited canopy cover, or have lost trees to past flooding events.
“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 will help care for the trees and learn about the importance of trees and greenspace in communities.”
Tree plantings will take place on the dates at the following times and locations:
- Saturday, Oct. 22
- 10 a.m. – Northside Park
- Noon – Olin Park
- 1:30 p.m. – Hellrung Park
- Monday Oct. 24
- 9 a.m. – Milton Park
- 10 a.m. – Russell Commons/Dog Park
Volunteers should wear boots or shoes they don’t mind getting muddy, gardening gloves and a water bottle. All other tools will be provided.
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 Swarovski Waterschool, along with private foundation funding obtained by the Three Rivers Project of the Sierra Club.
For more information on the volunteer days 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.