56,742 of 275,000 Trees
have been planted so far!
Follow our journey:
Wattsburg Area Middle School Students water their trees planted in the spring of 2021 during gym class.
Former Governor Tom Ridge came to LEAF and assisted a group of local LEAF-affiliated children in planting a new Magnolia tree along our hillside.
The Gloeckler Family made a generous contribution to help us transform the Bayfront Parkway section of Frontier Park from a dead tree zone to a fruitful area of new trees, wildflowers, and many other native plants.
Rosa Showers, LEAF's Programs Director, teaching third grade at North East Elementary about mulch and compost.
After a tree-planting demonstration with us, third Grade at North East Elementary planted their own trees after school.
We've successfully been able to keep our tree-planters engaged during the winter months by offering safe, outdoor tree-related scavenger hunts and other engaging lessons!
Alex Keim, Erie Native, landscape designer and former member of the California Conservation Corps grew a Sequoiadendron giganteum from seed and with the help and research from our city Arborist and sequoia experts, planted the tree in Frontier Park in Erie, PA.
As a kickoff for our initiative, First Energy gifted us 700 bare root trees to be planted throughout Erie County. Most of these trees were planted with local schools and organizations in fall of 2020. The rest were distributed to the general public in our "Tree Giveaway" day!
ReLeaf planted three Serviceberry sapling trees on Strong Vincent Middleschool’s campus as a part of their "Tranquility Garden," complete with an herb garden, benches, swings, trellis, and a mural.
ReLeaf Volunteers planting trees at local Erie schools.
A Tiny Forest Planted at Mercyhurst University
If you drive by Mercyhurst’s main campus off of 38th street, you’ll notice an unusual sight just north of the Center for Academic Excellence with hundreds of native baby trees protected by long white tubes and stakes. With the support of over 30 students, employees, and community volunteers, Mercyhurst is proud to be hosting the first “tiny forest” in the city of Erie with support from ReLeaf. This tiny forest will have nearly 600 trees from 25 different native species by mid-Spring 2022, and it is ReLeaf’s hope to plant many more in the City as a model of urban forestry.
What people are saying:
“I want to thank you for the glorious donation of trees, time and talent that you so willingly shared with Connell School this Spring! We have been working on creating a green space for the Connell neighborhood for quite some time, and the addition of 140, or so, trees brings us closer to our goal. The students have taken great pleasure and joy in caring for the well-being of the little saplings…willingly watering them in their time of need when they are able. Little by little, the students, parents and neighbors are realizing what a “diamond in the rough” our backyard is! The more we beautify the space, the more potential they can imagine and help to create!
Your outreach has been an exceptional push, and I believe, a sign, that we should not only continue with our mission, but also continue to envision an “east side Eden” for our families. Those beautiful trees, when they mature, will be a bold reminder of what is possible. As the students grow up, so shall the trees. I know that many of our little ones will be proud to say, “I remember when those were planted, and we helped take care of them!” My hope is that they will be having that conversation with their own children, or a younger sibling, while sitting beneath one of those trees reading a book to them!
Suffice it to say…you are doing great things that will not only change the quality of the air we breathe, cool off the spaces where we play, and add beauty to our neighborhoods…you are also, quite literally planting seeds for change. Our children can see what is possible when you combine a little bit of hope with a whole lot of help! We are forever grateful for you generosity and good ideas! Thank you profusely and profoundly.”
- Laurie Hogan, Connell Conservation
“For The Learning Center, ReLeaf’s tree planting project could not have come at a better time! Moving into our permanent home in 2021 has enabled us to begin to realize our goals of becoming a leader in sustainable education in our area. Along with our vegetable gardens, bees, solar panels, rain water collection system and wildflower meadow the planting of over 80 trees with ReLeaf has transformed our space and delivers a strong message of commitment to our environment.
Over two planting days many of our families were involved in getting the trees in the ground. It was an incredible way to welcome everyone to the new school and build on our already very strong and supportive community which has remained very involved over the summer break, with a different family coming each week to take on the mammoth task of watering.
We are very excited to watch our trees grow as they enhance our school by providing habitat and resources and endless educational opportunities! And we very much look forward to continuing to work with ReLeaf throughout this process.”
— Simon Camp, Educator at The Learning Center
“ReLeaf was such a great experience for the students at our school. The staff was well prepared and encouraged our students to "get their hands dirty." The kids loved learning about how to plant and care for the trees after they were planted. It was also a great team building activity for our students!”
— Amy Grande, Community School Director at McKinley Elementary School
Overwintering saplings with students at campus hoop house
One of our favorite tree-planting projects thus far - overwintering tree saplings in Erie Day School’s hoop house! The students potted, insulated, and took ownership of their trees. With our help, they will look after them over the cold months and study the trees weekly. The students also had the opportunity to decorate their own tree space, and were given notebooks to record weekly tree measurements and journal. Students were made aware that this is an experiment and that not all saplings may make it through winter. Assuming the trees stay dormant, we will plant the saplings come spring on campus and in student’s backyards.
A tree planting project with the Inner City Neighborhood Art House
ReLeaf Educators created a 5-week science and art-based unit that taught the students at the Neighborhood Art House the importance of trees and why we are on a mission to plant more of them. On our final day with the students, we planted 25 trees in the backyard of their campus! They also studied leaves, composition, and color, as well as tree rings and what the rings can tell us about a tree’s life. Students also learned and discussed living vs. non living, and why it is important to properly nourish our trees, and ourselves!
Planting along riparian zones with local Sisters
ReLeaf had the wonderful opportunity to plant hundreds of trees on the campus of Camp Glinodo with the Benedictine Sisters and their helpful volunteers and other affiliates. We planted along the riparian zone present on campus and also established a nursery for the Sisters to care for and redistribute once the trees are more mature.
Planting with Volunteers on Erie City School Campuses
The ECSD officials have given ReLeaf permission to heavily plant on multiple school campuses throughout the city of Erie. And, of course there had no issues finding dedicated volunteers to help us plant. A lot of the existing trees on the campuses are old, diseased, and over-pruned, so we are happy to plant young trees throughout to ensure that the coming generations have lots of healthy trees on their campuses!
