LIVINGSTON — A volunteer-led effort is helping grow Livingston's urban forest one tree at a time, with organizers hoping to plant 1,000 trees while protecting the community from future environmental challenges.
WATCH: Livingston group works to plant 1,000 trees
The Park County Environmental Council launched its Livingston Loves Trees program in 2021 to diversify the city's tree canopy after recognizing that many of Livingston's roughly 4,000 public trees are ash trees. A heavy reliance on one species leaves the urban forest vulnerable to invasive pests, such as the emerald ash borer, which has devastated ash tree populations in other parts of the country.
"We can have a lot of disagreements, but trees are kind of the one thing we can all unite behind," said Sarah Stands, community resiliency director for the Park County Environmental Council and leader of the Livingston Loves Trees program.
Beyond increasing tree diversity, the program aims to improve air quality, expand shade and help manage stormwater in a community where much of the city lacks a stormwater system.
"Trees, when they are mature, really provide that benefit of distributing the water, absorbing the water," Stands said.
According to the organization, Livingston's mature trees keep more than 7 million gallons of stormwater out of local waterways each year.
In newer neighborhoods, where tree canopies have yet to mature, those benefits are largely absent.
"As you can see, there's no shade here. There's no mature trees," Stands said while walking through one of the city's newer developments.
Since its launch, the Livingston Loves Trees program has planted 438 trees throughout the community. But Stands said the program's success is measured by more than the number of trees planted.
"What's more important to us is that those trees are thriving and that they are tall and beautiful and leafed out and cared for," she said.
That commitment to caring for trees runs in the family.
Stands' mother, Edleeta Shands, has spent more than four decades planting and caring for trees. She is among the volunteers helping fill a role that larger communities, such as Bozeman, support through dedicated forestry divisions.
When asked how many trees she has planted over the years, Edleeta Shands laughed.
"Not as many as we'd like," she said.
The Livingston Loves Trees program relies heavily on volunteers to care for newly planted trees, particularly during the heat of summer. On many days, Edleeta Shands can be found driving from tree to tree, making sure young saplings receive enough water to survive.
"The baby trees are like your pets or your children or yourself — when it's hot, you need a drink of water," she said.
With temperatures climbing into the triple digits this week, she said residents naturally seek out tree-lined streets for relief from the heat.
"We are going to get 104-degree temperatures this weekend, and when you walk through town you can see people are choosing streets and walkways where it's going to be cooler," Stands said.
The program is also encouraging the next generation of tree advocates through summer internships with the Park County Environmental Council.
"As the climate crisis continues to worsen and become more severe, we need trees to make our communities much cooler," said intern Eva.
Fellow intern Finn said the program offers more than environmental benefits.
"It's easy to get trapped inside, trapped inside yourself and trapped behind a screen, and getting a tree is a really easy way to get out of that," Finn said.
Organizers say community members interested in volunteering or learning more about the Livingston Loves Trees program can find additional information on the Park County Environmental Council's website.
https://www.pcecmt.org/livingstonlovestrees
