Volunteers organized by Trees Knoxville will plant 62 street trees in the right-of-way on Anniversary Lane on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 9 a.m., bringing both aesthetic appeal and functionality to the Silver Leaf Habitat Neighborhood in East Knoxville.

Kasey Krouse, the City’s Urban Forester, said this project was made possible by a partnership between the City of Knoxville, Trees Knoxville, the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, Habitat for Humanity and Earthadelic.

“Our partners and volunteers significantly reduced the cost of the trees’ installment,” said Krouse. “It’s exciting to have this kind of support for trees as they relate to neighborhood improvement.”

The 62 trees were fortified through a “Missouri gravel bed” root-growing system over the summer at the Knoxville Botanical Garden. Krouse said these bare root trees are more cost-effective and grow much more efficiently than trees purchased with large root balls. Earthadelic helped to reduce labor expenses for the tree plantings by pre-digging holes with an auger.

Street trees come with many practical aspects: They provide shade that reduces energy expenses, encourage traffic calming, increase property values, improve air quality, and serve as filters for stormwater systems.

“In addition to their functionality, they help bring an aesthetic identity to a community,” said Krouse. “There are many streets and neighborhoods named after a type of tree planted in the vicinity, for example.”

The tree species planted Saturday will include bald cypress, eastern redbud, London plane, American sweetgum, and tulip poplar. Krouse said once the trees are planted in the street’s right-of-way on Anniversary Lane, they will become public assets periodically maintained by the City. 

A recent City inventory of all trees on public property helped officials to strategize future tree plantings, which included Anniversary Lane. Using this inventory, City officials developed an interactive map, through which information can be obtained on individual public trees in Knoxville. The map also allows residents to report maintenance issues through email. To view this map, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/trees. 

To get involved in a tree planting, contact [email protected].