Nashville Tree Foundation
615-292-5175
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PO Box 58962
Nashville, TN 37205
Organization Details

Programs

Budget
$2,500.00
Description
The annual Big Old Tree Contest recognizes the largest and oldest trees in Davidson County. The contest is free, and the public is invited to participate by entering the measurements and a photo of their favorite tree on NTF's website. A state forester is employed to judge trees and verify winners for each species class. Tree tags with the tree's common and Latin name and winning year are presented to each winning tree at a community celebration. This registry works well with the newly created Metro Historic and Specimen Tree program designed to encourage and support preservation. All data is available for review and study by the public.
Program Areas Served
None
Budget
$12,000.00
Description
Nashville Tree Fest will provide 800 free trees to Nashvillians across the city. The trees will be distributed at 8 Nashville neighborhood farmers' markets this fall (100 trees per market), including a market serving the North Nashville priority area as determined by the Root Nashville campaign. The program began four years ago as a free education workshop for the community at which a variety of important tree-related topics were covered (e.g. boundary trees, tree replacement code, tree care, and diseases and pests). With the increasing threats to Nashville's urban forest, Nashville Tree Fest evolved in 2018 to focus on canopy regeneration by providing free 1- and 3-gallon container trees to the public. A variety of native shade and understory trees were selected to support biodiversity. Trees are tracked in a database to measure the long-term environmental impact. Experts are on hand at each market to provide educational materials and tree care advice. NTF will follow up with each recipient about tree care and pertinent information. The goal of the 2019 Nashville Tree Fest will be to increase ratio of 1-gallon and 3-gallon size from 25% 3-gallon in 2018 to 50% 3-gallon trees.
Program Areas Served
None
Budget
$30,000.00
Description
ReLeafing Day is the largest tree planting program of Nashville Tree Foundation held each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In 1998, the program began in response to the devastating April 1998 tornado (20,000 trees were lost). NTF raised $1 million and replanted over 6,700 trees in the following 3 years. Since then, ReLeafing Day has evolved into an annual tradition where volunteers from across the community plant trees in areas where low tree canopy and need intersect. NTF partners with NES to plant powerline-friendly trees in yards that will not need future trimming, and NTF (funded by private donations and a TN Dept of Ag grant) plants shade trees at Metro Public Schools to support a bio-diverse tree canopy. NTF's vision is to expand the original ReLeaf Nashville program from one day to a series of plantings throughout the planting season (Oct-March). Geographic Focus: We typically focus on an area for 2 consecutive years. Areas are selected based on Metro's priority zones (low tree canopy) combined with areas of high economic need. In 2017-2018, NTF focused its plantings in south Nashville. 2019 plantings will focus on neighborhoods in north-northeast Nashville.
Program Areas Served
None

CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments

It is critical that Nashville protect and enhance its tree canopy. The city (Metro) owns only 5% of the land in Davidson County; therefore, it is important that private citizens and landowners protect and plant trees. NTF's programs are designed to maximize our efforts by supporting plantings on both public and private lands. Nashville's urban forests are increasingly threatened by development, an aging canopy, storms, and disease/pests (Emerald Ash Borer could kill as much as 10% of Nashville's canopy by 2026). We must expand our capacity and programming to meet these challenges and increase our positive impact.