Volunteers dig deep for Shelby Avenue Arboretum

Work on the Shelby Avenue Arboretum has officially launched with the first rounds of tree-planting by veterans and volunteers along the historic East Nashville thoroughfare. This exciting project, created and led by the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps, will eventually bring more than 500 new trees to Shelby Avenue — stretching from the interstate to Shelby Park.

The first trees in this massive community service project were planted, appropriately enough, on Veterans Day, November 11, with veterans from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office joining the effort. Work continued over the weekend, with volunteers lending their enthusiasm and muscle power to the task of planting trees on both sides of Shelby Avenue and adjoining streets.

Hands-on Helpers

More than 140 volunteers signed up to join the effort on Saturday and Sunday, with some bringing their own shovels for the hands-on job of digging holes in the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the street. The orange-clad volunteers planted almost 300 trees during the two-day effort.

“The volunteers of this city are absolutely incredible!” says Jim Gregory, NTCC board chair. “Nashville knows how to roll up its sleeves when it wants to get something done. It’s been a very tough year on us, but it’s evident that this city’s spirit is still strong and resilient.”

Arbor Art Tree Care gave each tree a fertilizer watering after planting, ensuring that the trees will have the nutrients they need to get established in the months ahead. Bartlett Tree Experts also provided assistance with the plantings.

Creating the arboretum is a multi-year project. Phase one, which began with this week’s plantings, will continue into the winter. Phase two will include installation of signs for each tree variety and for other educational components of the arboretum. The third and final phase will establish a fund to maintain the project.

The design of the arboretum calls for a mix of understory and larger canopy trees. Flowering trees planned include Cherry trees, Tulip Poplars, Eastern Redbuds, Saucer Magnolias and Dogwoods. Robust trees like Maples (Sugar and Red), Oaks (Swamp and Pin), Sweetgum, Frontier Elms and Ginkgos will shade the sidewalks and transform this sunny street into a walker's delight.

The project is a public-private partnership financed by donations from local businesses and grants from state and federal agencies, in partnership with Metro Nashville, Metro Public Works, the Metro Tree Advisory Committee and the Root Nashville tree planting campaign. Every tree planted will contribute to the Campaign’s goal to plant 500,000 trees by the year 2050.

Follow the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps on social media to stay informed about future opportunities to help the Shelby Avenue Arboretum come to life. This ongoing effort to enhance one of the city’s best known streets is a project that will benefit Nashville for generations to come.