The Alliance for Cape Fear Trees protects, preserves, and plants trees for the health of the community and the environment.             

The WIN-sponsored project has two main goals: 

·  § Increase the number of trees by 150 in Wilmington’s Southside neighborhood. Historically this neighborhood had few street trees as many similar areas. Most of what they did have were older and destroyed during Hurricane Florence.

·  § This planting will also be one of the first tree planting events under the City’s new Tree Initiative to grow the area’s tree canopy. WIN funds will position the Alliance for continued growth and increase its volunteer work of protecting and planting trees. 

The most visible goal is to increase the number of trees by 150 in Wilmington’s Southside neighborhood, a low to moderate income neighborhood centered on 3rd to 16th Streets, between Dawson and Greenfield Streets. Historically this neighborhood had few street trees, and most of what they did have were older, more fragile trees that were destroyed in Hurricane Florence. The plan is to have two plantings each of seventy-five 15-gallon size trees in the fall and/or winter planting season.

The Alliance is partnering with the City of Wilmington, Plastic Ocean Project, UNCW Environmental Sciences Department, Cape Fear Garden Club, Cape Fear Volunteer Center, Cape Fear Sierra Club, New Hanover County Extension Center, Bellamy Mansion Gardeners, and Keep New Hanover Beautiful to coordinate planting events. This project is a continuation of the Environmental Equity and Community Resilience effort, but for the first time the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees is a key partner at the beginning of a Tree Restoration Initiative being developed with the City of Wilmington, and will collaborate in the development and implementation of the initiative. 

The second part of the project is to move to the Alliance to the next organizational and administrative level required to meet the needs of a rapidly growing entity. Having access to administrative assistance will enable the group to coordinate data, documentation and resources that will contribute to the expansion of activities and programs. They will continue to work with their partners to think of creative ways to increase capacity and capability toward supporting the growth and sustaining the Alliance.

Replacing trees in a low income area of Wilmington will improve the environment and health of the residents and is an important part of growing the tree canopy in the community.