Treesilience

Building Community through Trees

TreesCharlotte is proud to bring our Treesilience Initiative to the neighborhoods of Ramblewood and McCrorey Heights! Treesilience is a holistic tree care initiative aimed to protect and enhance Charlotte’s under-canopied and under-served neighborhoods while building community through trees. Through the generosity of corporate sponsors, Ramblewood and McCrorey Heights residents can participate in Treesilience at no cost. Homeowners and renters alike are encouraged to participate. Renters must submit a letter of permission, to participate in tree plantings, from their landlord; see page 9 for more details. Treesilience includes Tree Engagement, Front Yard Tree planting, Backyard TreeAdoptions, Tree Stewardship, and Canopy Care.

TreesCharlotte defines “under-canopied” neighborhoods as neighborhoods with a tree canopy that is less than 40%. The City of Charlotte currently holds a tree canopy of around 45%. According to our last tree canopy survey from 2018, McCrorey Heights’ tree canopy is at 35% and Ramblewood’s tree canopy is at 38%. Neighborhoods with a lower tree canopy have a higher exposure to air pollution, which can have a detrimental effect on health and disproportionately affects people living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Our goal is to lesson exposure to air pollution from highways and industrial complexes through trees.

Treesilience Applications are due by Tuesday, June 20th, 2023. Tree planting for Ramblewood will occur on Saturday, October 28th, 2023 and tree planting for McCrorey Heights will occur on Saturday, November 18th, 2023.

Please read all the information below.

Treesilience Programs

Tree Engagement

Treesilience community activities are designed to engage the community that we are serving. Each season involves at least one community event, free for the residents of our Treesilience neighborhoods. Through these engagement efforts, we will be working alongside the residents of each community to discuss the importance of trees and how to care for them. TreesCharlotte requires that you attend at least one engagement event to be eligible for any of the below programs. All residents are welcome to attend the tree engagement activities. 

Front Yard Tree Planting

All community residents are encouraged to participate in our Front Yard Tree Planting program, aimed to build each community’s canopy and deliver all of the benefits that trees have to give. Participants receive guidance to aid with “right tree, right place.” They can choose from a variety of native and naturalized tree species that will provide shade and slow storm surges. We provide the plan, trees, mulch, and tools, while our TreeMasters guide volunteers to plant the new trees. If you are a renter of a property and would like to participate in this program, we encourage you to work with your landlord to submit an application, with their written approval.

Back Yard Tree Adoption

For any residents looking to build their backyard tree canopy or add more trees to their home during the planting season, we host our tree giveaways, where residents can take home trees (with mulch), to plant in their front or back yards. Participants sign a pledge to care for the trees they receive and attend an educational tree planting and care clinic. If you are a renter of a property and would like to participate in this program, we encourage you to work with your landlord to submit an application, with their written approval.

Tree Stewardship

By providing mulch, pruning young trees, and managing invasive plants where critical, we are able to continue to grow a healthy and vibrant tree canopy in each community. Participants will receive training during subsequent years. These measures ensure that young trees have the best chance to survive and thrive. If you are a renter of a property and would like to participate in this program, we encourage you to work with your landlord to submit an application, with their written approval.

Mature Canopy Care

By teaming up with an ISA Certified Arborist, TreesCharlotte will work with community members and our arborist to identify private property mature trees that need care. Trees of concern are assessed by our certified arborist to determine their health and the recommended course of action. Trees that are deemed hazardous enough for removal will be replaced with a new tree following our “right tree, right place” training. Residents are eligible for Mature Canopy Care if they qualify for at least one government assistance program, have a tree on their property that is threatening their safety, attend the Mature Canopy Care Workshop (required) as well as one additional Tree Engagement event, and agree before mature canopy care work begins to have any trees removed from their property replaced with a new tree.

When does this take place?

Treesilience is a three-year, annual tree care program, starting in April 2023. We will engage with your neighborhood each season to provide a different aspect of tree care as described above, along with educational and community-building activities. Please refer to our Treesilience Calendar to see all of the events that will take place in your neighborhood.

Who qualifies?

Eligible residents must:

• Own their home OR
• Rent their home and have their landlord’s written approval to participate*
• Reside within the neighborhood limits of Ramblewood or McCrorey Heights

*Tree Engagement events are open to both homeowners and renters without landlord approval. Landlord approval is needed for Front Yard Plantings and TreeAdoptions. A letter from your landlord that includes the tenant’s name, rental address, landlord’s full name, contact phone, email, and address, and their signature is required for approval. Rental properties are not included for Mature Canopy Care.

All residents of Ramblewood and McCrorey Heights are eligible for four Treesilience Programs:

• Tree Engagement
• Front Yard Tree Planting
• Tree Adoption
• Tree Stewardship

Qualifying residents are eligible for Mature Canopy Care if they:*

• Qualify for at least one government assistance program,
• Have a tree on their property that is threatening their safety,
• Agree to have replacement tree(s) planted if any tree(s) must be removed,
• Agree to attend the Mature Canopy Care Workshop (see Treesilience Calendar for details) ,
• Agree to attend at least one Treesilience Engagement Event (see Treesilience Calendar for opportunities),
• Owner occupied homes only.

*Qualifying residents with hazardous mature trees may receive additional support if funding is available. TreesCharlotte will work with a Certified ISA Arborist and qualifying residents to assess dangerous tree removal and replacement or pruning of hazardous branches. Trees and limbs will only be removed if they are deemed hazardous and all trees that are taken down will be replaced with at least one replacement tree on the same property.

Cost

While our Treesilience Program is free of charge for all Treesilience neighborhood residents, TreesCharlotte does purchase our trees from various North Carolina growers and contract with a third-party arborist. Therefore, as a non-profit, we appreciate any donations residents have to support TreesCharlotte. Additional donations help us support residents who are not able to donate.

About our trees

We love our trees, and we think you will, too!  Our trees are sourced from three different N.C. growers and are either native or naturalized to this region.

TreesCharlotte values biodiversity and works to prioritize tree survivability and ecosystem health and therefore we cannot always guarantee the availability of each tree. If a tree that is selected is not available at the time of planting, we will work with each resident to choose a similar type of tree for your property. We do, however, always practice Right Tree, Right Place and will work with each resident on the appropriate species for each property.  Our trees are typically 2-4 years old, potted in 3, 5 or 7-gallon containers and are about 5 to 10 feet tall at planting.

Learn more about our trees here!

Post-planting care

Once a community/organization receives TreesCharlotte trees, they responsible for the trees’ long-term care. Please consider the following before applying:

Water: Our trees need about 5 gallons of water per week, and during hot, dry months (April-October). Throughout the winter months (November-March), watering is not necessary every week however please water your tree if it’s been four or more consecutive weeks without rainfall.

Mulch: TreesCharlotte will provide mulch for all Treesilience Front Yard Trees at the time of planting, up to three years after the program begins. However, we strongly encourage the continued use of mulch throughout a tree’s life. You can use hardwood chips, pine needles, or the leaves that fall in autumn.

Pruning: Pruning trees when they are young will reduce their chances of developing problems as they age. TreesCharlotte will provide train pruning for all Treesilience Front Yard Trees for up to three years after the program begins, however we strongly encourage train pruning all young neighborhood trees each winter season. Learn about pruning young trees here! 

What happens once you’re approved?

Once you apply, we will be in touch to talk more about the program and to schedule a meeting with your neighborhood’s leadership team. We will begin working with each resident to determine the scope of work that will take place at their residence, including but not limited to: choosing front yard trees and tree placement; mature canopy care; and young trees eligible for train pruning.

Questions?

Email Joi Mayo at joi@treescharlotte.org