Join The Lands Council and the City of Spokane in a special tree planting to honor Susie Forest. This special SpoCanopy tree planting will be Thursday, October 5th from 12:00 - 2:00 pm.
So what is Susie Forest? It started out small – with three trees planted in 2003. After those three were planted, it was decided - we aren’t going to plant just “Susie Trees,” we are going to plant a “Susie Forest.” Since then, The Susie Forest has grown to over 300 trees, and not just in Spokane, but all over the world.
The Susie Forest is a living, growing, legacy to Nancy MacKerrow’s daughter Susie and her commitment to creating livable communities. Susie was a bicyclist, an environmentalist, an activist, and a world traveler. She was dedicated to educating others about bicyclist and pedestrian safety, and she was killed in 2002 after being struck by a bus while legally walking across the street in St. Louis.
Each tree planted is a reminder that life goes on and starts anew, and except for the two trees planted every year on Susie’s birthday and the anniversary of her death, every tree planted in The Susie Forest is associated with someone else. Whether it is to celebrate the birth of a newborn or a special anniversary, as a memorial for someone else taken too soon, or to celebrate a reading program at a local library or school, each Susie tree is deeply rooted in personal connection.
SpoCanopy is a program of City of Spokane Urban Forestry, in collaboration with The Lands Council. We want to ensure every person in every neighborhood in Spokane has access to trees and green space. That’s why we work with residents and volunteers to plant trees and beautify our city. Our goal is for every neighborhood in Spokane to have 40% canopy cover by 2030.
Please come with a pair of gloves and your own water bottle.
Learn more about SpoCanopy here. Thank you to Susie Forest who made this tree planting possible!
