What is ReLeaf Nashville?
A four-year project to replant 6,500 shade trees on public and private land in Davidson County affected by the April 16, 1998, tornadoes that destroyed 20,000 trees in 10 neighborhoods and 14 city parks. The project includes developing a comprehensive planting plan for each affected neighborhood.

Why replant?
Not only do trees beautify the landscape, they also contribute to the character of our neighborhoods and parks, add economic value to a property or community, regulate temperatures, and reduce, air, noise and visual pollution.

Who are the sponsors?
Nashville Tree Foundation, a private not-for profit organization formed in 1986 to preserve and enhance Nashville’s urban forest, and Metro Parks/Beautification and Environment

What neighborhoods and parks were affected?
Neighborhoods are Eastwood, East End, Hermitage, Historic Edgefield, John Henry Hale, Lockeland Springs, Rosebank, Skyview, Sylvan Heights, and Sylvan Park.

Metro Parks are Centennial, Douglas, East, Edmondson, Kirkpatrick, McCabe and McCabe Golf Course, Richland, Riverfront Park and Court House, Shelby and Shelby Golf Course, Two Rivers and Two Rivers Golf Course, and Watkins.

What is the planting plan?
Teams comprised of three neighborhood representatives, one horticulturist/arborist, and one landscape architect inventoried affected areas and documented potential locations for planting trees. Five-person teams developed a long-term planting plan for each affected area at a day-long charettte September 1998. Plans were presented to neighborhood groups for approval in October 1998. Landscape architects, members of the Metro Tree Advisory Committee, and neighborhood residents developed planting plans for 1999 at two sessions in September after door hangers were returned.

How are areas to receive trees determined?
From Nashville Electric Service mapping that shows power outages and downed lines and poles, Metro Planning Commission statistics compiled from field inspections for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, field surveys by volunteers for tree voids, and distribution of doorhangers to neighborhood residents requesting trees and giving permission to plant on their property.

How many shade trees were planted by ReLeaf Nashville?
ReLeaf planted 6,500 trees over three years — 1,457 in 1998; 3,050 in 1999; and 2,000 in 2000. During the 1998, 1999, and 2000 planting seasons, 2,239 trees were planted in 10 neighborhoods by more than 1,500 volunteers. Additional planting included 500 at The Hermitage; 3,611 in 14 city parks and golf courses; and 50 each at McKendree Village and the cities of Clarksville and Jackson, which suffered tornado damage in 1999.

Who plants the trees?
Volunteers at a citywide planting in neighborhoods and at schools and churches the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Working in crews of three for a four-hour shift, the volunteers plant three large shade trees. Metro Parks’ personnel are responsible for planting on park property.

How many trees have been planted?
1,457 in 1998. Eight hundred volunteers planted 989 trees in neighborhoods and on church and school grounds November 21, 1998. An additional 450 trees were planted in public parks and golf courses with 18 transplanted from a construction site. The volunteer planters represented schools, churches, scouts, companies, and individuals that just wanted to help their neighbors. Trees planted were red maple, sugar maple, oak, tulip poplar, ash, and London plane, two inches in diameter and 10 to 12 feet tall.

3,050 in 1999. Three hundred volunteers planted 500 trees in neighborhoods and on church and school grounds at the second citywide planting November 20, 1999. The Hermitage, historic home of President Andrew Jackson, was given 100 Southern magnolias and 400 other species to replace some of the 1,250 trees lost at the National Historic Landmark.

McKendree Village, a continuing care community, received 50 trees to replace 200-year-old trees ripped apart by the tornadoes. The cities of Clarksville and Jackson, which had significant tornado damage in 1999, each received 50 years from ReLeaf Nashville.

Metro Parks planted 1,900 trees throughout the year in parks and on city-owned golf courses. Shades trees planted by volunteers included Southern magnolia, sweet gum, willow oak, tulip poplar and red maple. 1.5 inches in diameter and 8 to 10 feet tall.

2000 in 2000. Three hundred volunteers and numerous homeowners planted 750 trees in neighborhoods at the third citywide planting November 18, 2000. Five large maples were planted on the grounds of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church at 419 Woodland Street, which is in the process of being rebuilt after being leveled by the tornado. More than 50 white dogwoods were planted in the median of Riverside Drive between Eastland and Shelton avenues, and some of the crab apple trees were replaced on Shelby Street between South Fifth and South Tenth streets with smaller crab apples, red buds, and crape myrtle. Metro personnel planted an additional 1,250 trees in Metro parks and golf courses. Shade trees planted by volunteers included American holly, fruitless sweet gum, London plane, red and sugar maples, averaging 1.5 feet in diameter and 8 to 10 feet in height.

What is the estimated cost of the project?
$1,000,000.

What is the status of the fund-raising campaign?
Generous individuals, corporations, foundations, and homeowners who received trees donated and pledged more than $850,000 in 1998. With in-kind donations, the $1,000,000 goal has been reached. The Nashville Tree Foundation Advised Fund is administered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Donations have ranged from $1.00 to an anonymous grant of $125,000.

What is the status of the project?
The initial planting goal was reached in three planting seasons. ReLeaf trees that have not survived will be replaced by volunteer planters November 17. ReLeaf Plaza in Centennial Park was dedicated April 16, 2001, in honor of the volunteers and donors who contributed to the success of the unique community project. The circular brick plaza with a stacked stone wall on one side is surrounded by large red maples, designated Nashville’s tree.

Sponsors of ReLeaf Nashville
The Nashville Tree Foundation was founded in 1986, an outgrowth of Homecoming ’86 when 1,986 trees were planted in Davidson County. With no paid staff, donations from foundations and individuals and membership fees, the Foundation has
• Planted nearly 200 large trees in public housing developments.
• Designated 15 arboretums.
• Inventoried Nashville’s biggest trees through 13 annual Big Old Tree Contests.
• Played a vital role in the passage of a tree ordinance for Nashville.
• With matching Urban Forestry grants, the Nashville Tree Foundation:
• Conducted an educational public awareness campaign on the importance of urban trees.
• Developed a package of educational materials on trees distributed to teachers as well as individuals.
• Launched a “Don’t Top Trees” awareness campaign.
• Distributed refrigerator magnets to 15,000 homeowners that contained telephone numbers of whom to call about trees.
Metro Beautification and Environment Commission, a division of Metro Parks, sponsors:
• Countywide vacant lot program with 3,000 lots tracked per year.
• Litter education programs in public and private schools.
• Neighborhood audits/neighborhood cleanups.
• Adopt a street/highway programs.