Community members and volunteers planted trees at five bus stops across south Raleigh Thursday, as part of an initiative to transform transit spots into cooler, greener spaces.
Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., volunteers with We Plant It Forward, Raleigh Parks Urban Forestry and the Rotary Club of Raleigh planted nine trees across the following five bus stop locations:
Other WRAL Top Stories
- Fayetteville Street at Prospect: (2) Nuttall Oak trees
- S Saunders and Prospect (southeast corner): (2) Black Gum trees
- S Saunders and Prospect (southwest corner): (2) Willow Oak trees
- Garner Road at Warehouse Drive (northbound): (1) Nuttall Oak tree
- Rush (Cross Link Road) at Garner Road: (2) Willow Oak trees
RELATED: Planting more trees could ease Raleigh's urban heat islands
According to the press release from We Plant It Forward, the project "Growing Shade: The Raleigh Bus Stop Tree Planting Project" is to address urban heat often felt at transit stops, where unshaded pavement can lead to extreme heat.
By planting trees, the initiative will provide natural shade and heat mitigation while improving air quality and commuter comfort.
This planting helps grow tree canopy, a critical infrastructure for Raleigh that helps reduce the heat island effect and stormwater runoff, the press release stated.
"By planting a tree at a bus stop, we are investing in the community’s health, and the environment at the same time," wrote the We Plant it Forward Team. "It’s a simple solution with a lifetime of benefits for our community."
Support for the project is provided by the Rotary Club of Raleigh as part of their America 250 Oak City Tree Campaign, celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States by investing in the city's natural infrastructure.
WRAL is a media sponsor for the Oak City Tree Campaign.
