ALTON – Volunteers are needed to help the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC℠) and the Three Rivers Project plant trees in Alton, Sunday, May 7 and Monday, May 8.

Over the course of two days, volunteers will help plant 21 trees across the Alton area. This will be the final planting in a year-long tree planting effort.

“This spring, Alton-based organizations will be planting trees purchased through a Recover, Replant, Restore! (RRR) grant from Trees Forever,” Trees Forever Field Coordinator Emily Ehley said.

This Sunday, May 7, planting will start at noon at the Alton Marina, located at 1 Henry Street. On Monday May 8, the event will begin at 9 a.m. at Hellrung Park, located at 703 Central Avenue. RSVP at http://bit.ly/Altontrees. 

“We are excited to be able to increase tree cover in popular recreation spots in the Alton area,” said Swarovski Waterschool USA coordinator Jen Mandeville. “Swarovski Waterschool is committed to helping communities create healthier and greener spaces.”

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

“Once the trees are planted, we’ll also need volunteers to water on a weekly basis 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.

This project is also funded in part by Ameren Illinois, through their “Right Tree Right Place” as well as Swarovski Waterschool USA: Mississippi River program, which operates out of NGRREC.

For more information on the May 7 or May 8 planting, contact Jen Mandeville at (618) 468-2790 or jmandeville@lc.edu.

For more information on the Trees Forever grant visit https://treesforever.org/recover-replant-restore.

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.