Tree Week — the sapling of UK’s Urban Forest Initiative (UFI) — kicked off this weekend + runs until Sat., Oct. 16. UFI and a slew of community partners are bringing a week full of events — 73 to be exact — to help grow your understanding of the importance of trees.
Featured events range from walks to talks, to webinars + tree plantings. Here’s a list of quick hits to help you branch out and get involved:
Today | How not to kill a tree
Tuesday | Forest bathing for health and well-being
Wednesday | Lexington Cemetery conifer walk
Thursday | Small trees for urban landscapes
Friday | Money can grow on trees
Saturday | Arbor Day at The Arboretum
The root of it
The focus on trees results from a 2015 study spearheaded by the Lexington Tree Board which found that Lexington had only a 25% tree canopy — the layer of tree branches and leaves that provide coverage over the ground. The Arbor Day Foundation recommends having 40%. Thus, multiple community organizations have sprouted up + made it their mission to throw some shade on the streets of Lexington.
Going out on a limb
Trees Lexington! — a partner in Tree Week — is a local nonprofit which aims to promote tree canopy on private land through a variety of programs. Consider them your local Google search bar for all things trees. Trees Lexington! board member Michael Potapov gave this advice, “The number one thing is to take care of the mature trees that are in our landscape already. And if you have room in your yard, plant a tree.” He added that they can help provide you with young trees at minimal or no cost.
There’s no way you’ll get stumped on your green journey with the support of these local resources.
