Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forest topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Canopy Bloomington reports volunteer surge and hundreds of recent tree plantings
Summary
Canopy Bloomington told council it recorded 1,400 volunteer hours in 2025, planted 256 trees last year and 248 so far this spring, works with schools and neighborhoods, and seeks continued council support for urban forestry programs and outreach.
Eva Hartman, executive director of Canopy Bloomington, presented a short overview of the nonprofit’s work. For 2025 the group reported 1,400 volunteer hours and 300 active volunteers; they engaged five neighborhoods, five schools, two nonprofit partners and completed 256 plantings in 2025. Hartman said the spring campaign has already achieved 248 plantings and the organization expects to expand plantings in the fall. Programs described include the youth tree tender program with Parks & Recreation, Trees 101 educational sessions, tree walks, and partner plantings with Sycamore Land Trust and others.
Council members thanked Canopy for the work; one councilor asked about volunteer recruitment and whether tracking volunteer sources (student groups, Bloomington Volunteer Network, posters) could help strengthen outreach. Hartman said IU student groups are a reliable volunteer base and that Canopy would explore better volunteer‑source tracking.
Why it matters: Canopy’s planting and stewardship efforts expand Bloomington’s urban canopy and provide youth education; council members and staff routinely incorporate these partnerships into street‑tree and corridor projects.
