At Tree Trust, celebrating the end of planting season is one of our favorite times of the year. Nothing makes us happier than to recognize our extraordinary volunteers. Their passion and commitment make our community a greener, healthier place to live.  

Trees make a real difference in the lives and communities of every neighborhood. Urban forests help clean the air we breathe, manage stormwater, decrease noise pollution, keep us cool, reduce our stress levels, create jobs, and so much more.

Every year, Tree Trust engages hundreds of volunteers to plant thousands of trees to grow greener communities for future generations. Each fall and spring, we host many tree planting and distribution events throughout the Twin Cities metro area. We provide all the training and tools, so that volunteers can simply show up and enjoy the planting experience. 

In Their Own Words

Here’s what this year’s volunteers shared with us about their planting experiences: 

“I learned a lot, had a lot of fun, and got my hands dirty! Tree Trust is rad, great people and volunteers. I’m having a blast out here today, especially coming out of the pandemic.”

Nick, Volunteer

“One of the great things about being a Tree Trust volunteer is that it brings you to all these different places across the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Places where in your normal routine you wouldn’t get to. You find new parks, new schools, new locations, new communities that you just would never have known about.”

Gordon, Branch Manager Volunteer

“I actually graduated from Eden Prairie High School, so being back and planting trees for the future kids feels really great.”

Azul, Volunteer

“It’s good to plant trees because it’s good for our environment and help fight climate change. I learned how to plant trees and I got to meet some new friends. I’m very happy that Tree Trust is here because with Tree Trust we have a chance to help make our environment better. I really enjoy it. People are very nice and friendly.”

Wendy, Volunteer

“It feels amazing. Tree Trust is on top of it with keeping everybody safe. It’s nice to see so many people out and about. We got to visit a new park, enjoy really nice weather, and meet awesome plant people.” —Paige

“Everyone is really helpful and knowledgeable. It’s easier than I thought it would be.” —Will

Paige & Will, Volunteers

“We’re losing tens of thousands of our ash trees and we’re facing an extinction event. We obviously want to replace those trees because they provide habitat for critters, they provide shade, they provide social benefits for humans, they provide economic benefits.…  It’s nice to be able to be part of an effort in replacing those ash trees for the future.” —Quentin

“Trees take in a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, so it’s a great way to mitigate the effects of climate change, especially in urban areas. It’s cool to think that we can come back in five or ten years and see the trees that we planted.” —Sophie

Quentin & Sophie, Volunteers

Thank You 

Our volunteers are truly our heroes! Without their amazing commitment our work simply wouldn’t be possible. This year, thanks to their help, we planted more than 5,500 trees. Thank you to each and every one of you who volunteered! We look forward to working with you again in the next planting season, starting in May 2022. Volunteers Paige and Will said it best: “Come help us plant some trees! It’s a good time and they got snacks!”