TreesLouisville, a local nonprofit celebrating its 10th anniversary, is concluding its planting season with the planting of 100 trees at Petersburg Park in Louisville’s Newburg neighborhood Saturday.
The event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in honor of Arbor Day, is the last to take place at the park, located at 5008 E Indian Trail, before the nonprofit picks a new location for 2026.
Arbor Day is a holiday that celebrates trees and encourages the planting and preservation of them, and TreesLouisville Program Director Morgan Grubbs said they expect the TreeFest to take place as planned despite recent historic floods devastating several communities across Louisville.
More: Louisville mass tree planting could help reduce risk of heart disease, research finds
Grubbs said the event brought in a crowd of 1,000 people in 2024, and they hope to see about 1,200 for the upcoming celebration. The family-friendly event, in partnership with Jefferson Memorial Forest, Urban Forestry and Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation, will offer several activities ranging from educational to tree and rock wall climbing. About 100 volunteers will also plant an array of trees suited in the park’s damp environment like black gums, sweetgums and bald cypresses.
Grubbs said the organization typically plants around 1,700 trees and gives out about 2,000 annually to community members. Since its founding in 2015 after assessments revealed a significant drop in Louisville’s tree canopy, the group has planted about 13,000 trees, given away around 11,000 and pruned about 6,000. They have also planted trees at more than 100 Jefferson County Public Schools campuses as part of their mission to expand tree canopies on private properties like schools, churches and businesses.
The nonprofit also regularly hosts tree giveaways and Grubbs said a tree pruning workshop will be hosted in May to help educate the public on its importance.
More: As Ohio River flood waters recede, cleanup begins ahead of Kentucky Derby
Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Arbor Day 2025: TreesLouisville to host planting event Saturday