New nonprofit gifts trees to Stallings Elementary

If it’s true that the best way to teach is by example, then students at Stallings Elementary School received a valuable lesson in nurturing and preservation.
Approximately 100 students, parents, friends, and family came to the elementary school early Saturday (Nov. 2) morning and planted 24 trees around its playground and bus parking lot.

Half of the trees were donated by TreesUnion, a new Union County nonprofit working to preserve, grow, and diversify the public and private tree canopies in Union County. The other half of the trees were grown at Parkwood Middle School’s tree nursery. Union County Urban Forester Keith O’Herrin told the parents and students present that TreesUnion brought 14 different species of trees, including eight species of oak trees.

“The oak tree is important for wildlife and ecological richness, but they’re also very tough,” O’Herrin said. “They handle our heavy clay soils here in Union County very well and thrive in spite of the poor quality of soils we encounter.”

O’Herrin said that Saturday’s event was the first of many TreesUnion hopes to sponsor. “Our first goal has been to focus on the playgrounds at the 31 UCPS elementary schools here in Union County.”

When O’Herrin asked Stallings’ assistant principal Harvey Bagshaw if he would be interested in being part of TreesUnion’s tree-planting initiative, it was a no-brainer.  “I didn’t even have to think about that one. Our campus could really use some trees. We were very excited about it.”

Krista Heafner, the school’s PTO president, said the staff felt the tree-planting event would be an excellent opportunity to unite the community.
“It gets the families involved within the school, working together to plant some roots here at school and watch them grow,” Heafner said. “It also teaches the kids about their environment – protection, beautification, and what that means. Then the kids get to come out here every day for recess and see the work they were part of.”

Landon McNeill, 9, a fourth grader at Stallings, attended the event with his parents, Quinteta McNeill and Darrick Jackson. His grandmother, Sebrina McNeill, also joined in the family fun. He said his only disappointment was that his 10-year-old sister, Lailah, had to miss planting trees because of a scheduling conflict.

As he carefully pushed the dirt down around the young tree he and his family had just planted, Landon said he knew the importance of trees to the environment. “Trees give us oxygen, which keeps us alive,” he said. “I’ll plant trees in the future because it’s a good thing.”

His mother, Quinteta McNeil, said the experience would teach her son teamwork and how to nurture. “Boys don’t tend to have opportunities to nurture, and I think this gives him that opportunity.”

“It’s also a good time to build family bonding time by working on projects together,” said her partner, Darrick Jackson.

Ken Stanley brought his sons, Henry, 9, a fourth-grader at Stallings, and John Paul, 11, a sixth-grader at Porter Ridge Middle, to have quality family time. “John Paul went to this school and my youngest is now here. We’re part of the community, and it’s important to give back to the community.”

Betsy Thompson also brought her two children, Anna Thompson, a second grader, and Chase, her fourth-grade son, both students at Stallings Elementary.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the community to see the trees grow to become part of the campus,” Thompson said. “The school has done so much for us, as far as helping our children grow, so it’s nice to give back and beautify the campus.”

Thus far, private donations have made the tree plantings possible. TreesUnion has formed partnerships with local corporations. The group will also apply for grants to maintain a diversified funding stream.

“Trees are essential for our individual and collective health and wellbeing,” said TreesUnion Board of Directors’ chairwoman Meredith Marr. “Planting trees where kids will play and learn is an investment that will reap rewards for dozens of future classes of students coming through Stallings Elementary.”

TreesUnion has the ambitious goal of planting several trees each year. “We have 31 elementary school campuses in Union County, and they all lack shade and tree planting to one level or another,” O’Herrin said. “We should be doing four to six larger events at school campuses each year.”

O’Herrin feels Union County is large enough to support this effort. Given its size, he is certain it can support these events.
“We have a quarter of a million residents, a total of 54 (elementary, middle, and high) school campuses, and more than 40,000 students. The need is there,” he said.

O’Herrin’s wife, Amber Joiner-Hill, assisted in the demonstration, showing parents how to plant a tree and then helping the volunteers plant trees.
“This is a fantastic way to expose students and younger adults to nature, the benefits of nature, and how easy it is to plant a tree, either at your school or where you live,” Joiner-Hill said. “You can watch it grow along with your kids.”
O’Herrin thanked the UCPS Facilities Department for finding the proper locations for each of the 24 trees and digging the holes. “That’s 90 % of the work already done. We get to come out and do the fun stuff, planting the tree.”

For more information about TreesUnion, go to TreesUnion.org or email your questions to info@treesunion.org.