Roanoke Tree Stewards

We're so grateful for another wonderful Arbor Day! 🌳💚

Our Urban Forestry department, Tree Stewards, and more volunteers planted sixteen new flowering trees in Wasena Park this morning. Thank you!

City of Roanoke, Virginia - Government
Roanoke Tree Stewards

And just like that … It’s planting season!! 🌱 A big THANK YOU to our Tree Steward volunteers 👏🏼, who planted ten beautiful new trees on Maiden and Westover today. Here’s hoping they bring lots of joy to our neighbors in Grandin for many years to come … and here’s to more green in our city! 🍃🌳

Check out our fantastic volunteers at work … and some AMAZING tree specimens from today’s tree measuring!! 🤩

This morning, our Tree Stewards gathered to collect data for the Virginia Big Tree Registry. This giant catalpa in Sunnybrook Estates wowed us — at 61.5 feet tall with a 75-foot spread, it’s a stunner! Afterward, we stopped by Highland Park in Old Southwest to measure a stately gem not too far from the dog park (hint: If you want to create your own tree walk, this park is filled with ancient and beautiful specimens!).

Want to find out more about Virginia’s Tech’s big tree registry … or perhaps suggest a special tree for measurement? Check out all the info here:

https://bigtree.cnre.vt.edu/search.cfm

Today’s planting was an immensely special one.

This morning, our crew of volunteers met at Horton Park and Perry Park in Northwest Roanoke to plant 12 young oaks — a part of Roanoke’s Planting Peace project. Each tree is dedicated to a victim of gun violence whose case remain unsolved.

The effort — launched by the city’s Gun Violence Prevention Commission, in collaboration with the police department, PLAY Roanoke and the Tree Stewards — hopes to help bring healing and peace to our community.

It’s no coincidence that oaks have historically represented strength, endurance and wisdom — all things we hope folks can find each time they step into the cool shade of these leafy limbs. We’re honored to have been a small part of this project, and to have planted today alongside family members of those affected. Here’s to more green, more healing and more peace, right here in Roanoke. 🌳