Join The Lands Council and the City of Spokane in a special Susie Forest tree planting. This SpoCanopy tree planting will be Wednesday, October 28th from 10AM-1PM.
What is the 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.
Please bring a pair of gloves and a water bottle, and wear closed toe shoes and clothes you can get dirty. Pizza will be provided for volunteers.
SpoCanopy was formed through a partnership between the City of Spokane and The Lands Council with a goal of increasing Spokane’s urban canopy by planting free street trees. Our trees are planted in neighborhoods with low income, low canopy coverage, and disproportionate environmental disparities. Our goal is to provide street trees to ensure all communities have access to the benefits of trees and green spaces by planting 200 street trees each year.
Learn more about SpoCanopy here. Thank you to Susie Forest for making this tree planting possible!
