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Local fundraiser, nursery deals aim to add 100 trees in heat-vulnerable Wichita neighborhoods
Summary
A public commenter announced a community fundraiser to buy and distribute 100 trees in neighborhoods identified as urban-heat hotspots; city staff also reported planting roughly 400 bare-root trees and preparing contracts for additional removals and plantings.
A Wichita resident, Harold, used the public-comment portion of the meeting to announce a fundraiser this Saturday to buy and give away "a 100 trees for spring" targeted to neighborhoods the organizer described as urban-heat and lower-income areas.
Harold said the fundraiser aims to raise about $10,000 (he estimated the total action cost would be closer to $11,000), and that Hillside Nursery will sell trees to the project for about $75 each. He also said the group is renting software from the Albany Foundation to help target neighborhoods and manage registrations.
Separately, parks maintenance staff reported planting roughly 400 bare-root trees this fall and winter, noting positive survival and root development in stock that had been held since April 2024. Staff said the city is evaluating procurement strategies to retain a reserve of trees for future planting and will issue RFPs for removal and other work.
The board did not vote on any tree-specific ordinance or contract in this meeting; the item in public comment described a privately organized fundraiser and city staff described operational forestry work and forthcoming procurement steps.
