For the fifth year in a row, the Jesuit Parish Family Healthy Earth Team, in partnership with Xavier University's Tree Campus USA Initiative, will again be distributing native trees and shrubs to parishioners, students, faculty, staff, and school families. Trees will be available after all the Bellarmine Chapel masses on April 26. Additional pickups may be established for partner organizations.
Since we have 35 species of trees and shrubs on offer, with a limited number of each, we encourage you to research before placing an order. The OSU Extension Service and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources are a good place to start! We have significant information (size, color, growing conditions, animals supported, etc.) on all of the species on this summary Chart of Plants, including information about soil and light tolerances, as well as the animal species supported by each plant.
Please also review The Right Tree in the Right Place. This document gives some considerations to help you identify the best tree for your yard.
You can learn more about the Vital Importance of Trees and about Trees and Laudato Si' on the linked handouts, or you can watch this video from Bellarmine parishioner and Xavier University Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tim Kloppenborg, and University Horticulturalist, Karen McCabe.
Important Notes:
- Plant availability is subject to change, depending upon the health of the supply. If the tree or shrub you order is not viable, we will contact you with other similar offerings.
- At present, we are offering one tree or shrub per household, except if you have multiple children in your home and want to get one plant per child. We are eager to see our children connected to nature as part of this initiative. If we end up with additional plants, we will let all who order know that they can order a second tree or shrub.
- All trees should fit in a standard vehicle, except where height concerns are indicated next to the species name below. Small trees are also indicated.
- Plants are organized by mature size, with large trees over 50 feet, medium trees 30-50 feet, and small trees below 30 feet. For shrubs, large shrubs are over 6 feet, and small shrubs are under 6 feet.
- There are several opportunities to volunteer, including helping transport trees to cars or planting trees for your fellow community members. Please indicate below if you would be able to volunteer!
- Trees and shrubs are free to all, though donations are appreciated! The church has purchased these plants at a discounted price, and will be collecting cash donations the day of the Giveaway to offset the costs of the project (estimated at $18/tree). You can also donate here today!
- If you are ordering as part of a partner organization, separate distribution times can be arranged.
Many thanks to our planning team: Tim Kloppenborg, Florence Niklewski, Karen McCabe, Tim Sundrup, Tim Severyn, Laurie Roche, Lexi Morgan, Regina and Bill Bajorek, Chris Geiger, Mike Lacinak, Hailey Jones, and Maggie Keenan for making this distribution possible!
Many thanks to arborist John McAllister who provided many of these at a discounted rate through Little Miami Landscaping, LLC. If you want additional trees at a good rate, you can reach him at 513-519-5296.