Community members turned out April 11 at the Pastor Richard S. Brown Jr. Community Garden for an afternoon focused on growing Knoxville’s tree canopy, beautifying neighborhoods and connecting residents with free trees to plant at home.
The event, a partnership between the Knox County Community Gardens and Growers’ Alliance (Alliance) and Trees Knoxville, featured a tree giveaway, hands-on planting workshop and volunteer tree planting at the garden.
The event was led by members of Trees Knoxville and the Alliance’s Garden Manager Emily Brewer, who helped coordinate volunteers and guide the community-centered effort.
Families, neighborhood residents and volunteers spent the afternoon digging, planting and learning while enjoying pizza provided by Baker Boys Pizza.
The collaboration highlighted how community gardens and urban forestry efforts can work hand in hand to improve neighborhoods. While gardens provide fresh produce and gathering spaces, trees add long-term benefits including shade, cleaner air, stormwater management and cooler temperatures.
According to Trees Knoxville, the organization works to expand Knoxville’s urban forest through public tree plantings, education programs and free tree giveaways. The nonprofit encourages residents to help “grow Knoxville’s urban forest” by volunteering and planting trees across the city.
Trees Knoxville regularly hosts community planting events and provides tools, gloves and on-site guidance for volunteers of all ages and experience levels.
For the Alliance, the event also reflected its broader mission of strengthening neighborhoods through green spaces, food access and community-led beautification efforts.
By the end of the afternoon, new trees were in the ground, residents left with trees to plant at home, and the Brown Community Garden gained another layer of growth that will benefit the neighborhood for years to come.
