To a nonprofit like the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps, volunteers are foundational! This is true throughout the organization; our managerial structure, planting and maintenance teams, generous donors, and caring partners volunteer their time and energy to fulfill our mission of promoting, preserving, protecting, and planting the trees that make up Nashville’s canopy ecosystem. 

An Organization of Volunteers

From the top down and the ground up, the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps is a volunteer-driven organization! Our entire advisory board is made up of volunteers who offer their unique professional skills to support the various managerial needs of the organization. This includes legal, financial, and other kinds of logistical support, as well as environmental professionals who provide essential guidance about best practices when it comes to managing trees in the Nashville metropolitan landscape.

Tree Planting Volunteers 

We reached out to Kate Jacks, the operations manager at NTCC, to learn more about the importance of volunteers to the success of the organization. She shared how impactful volunteers have been in planting and maintaining the Shelby Avenue Arboretum, a collection of almost 700 trees along Shelby Avenue. “We had around 300 people out planting trees, all volunteers. It was a beautiful example of how caring of a community Nashville is.” 

Kate continued, “The responsibility for the Shelby Avenue Arboretum is taken on by NTCC and our volunteers, including residents as well as experts in the community like arborists and professional landscaping companies. In the first few years after planting, the community has been essential in watering those trees over hot summers. All trees have a watering plan, which allows those community partners to be prepared in times when there’s less rainfall.”

Having a reserve corps of informed tree caretakers also allows tree care to be effectively distributed across the city. Residents who are closest to the trees can give the extra attention that may be needed to get through from year to year. Similarly, professional landscaping companies who volunteer their expertise and specialized skills are a mobile, equipped force that can take on the heavier tasks of pruning trees and hauling away debris. 

Donations as Volunteering of Resources

Some people are able to volunteer time and effort, while others make their contribution with financial donations that provide funds for a range of operational expenses, making our work possible! As a nonprofit, NTCC relies on the generosity of all kinds of people and groups to fund tree planting and care efforts, the creation of informational resources, and community-building initiatives that engage Nashvillians in the critical tasks involved with local environmental stewardship. 

A Call for Volunteers for Late Summer and Early Fall 2024 

We will be needing volunteers at the end of summer and into fall of 2024! We’re currently recruiting to help with maintenance on the Shelby Avenue Arboretum this year. It has been five years since the arboretum was planted, and it’s time for some structural maintenance in addition to a bit of landscaping. Kate Jacks shared a bit about the need: “We expect to do some mulching, pruning, and planting. We will have professional arborists do structural pruning and give demonstrations for light pruning. It may take a few days, and we will provide refreshments and tools. We will have a great time cleaning up the trees!” 

If any Nashville residents would like to offer their time and effort to help with this maintenance project, please email Kate Jacks directly at kate@treeconservationcorps.org with details on your availability, and we will get back to you with information on the dates and times of this project once it is scheduled. You can also sign up on our website to volunteer with us for other future needs.

Volunteering in Nashville

Our network of volunteer partners is a deeply valuable resource for Nashville’s canopy. With many people in collaboration, we can make a huge difference in the quality and condition of our city’s trees! We encourage community involvement because it establishes a sense of ownership and connection to the trees for the benefit of everyone. To our volunteers and neighbors: we appreciate you!

Purchasing a tree through our tree sale is another way to help us get more trees in the ground; you can also donate a tree for us to plant or make a financial donation to help fund our activities. To stay informed about Nashville’s canopy, subscribe to our newsletter!