Charlotte leaders open Tuckasegee Arboretum and declare Pollinator Week

Lori Reed, the City of Charlotte arborist, opened the ceremony for the Tuckasegee Arboretum and Gardens, calling the space a “living classroom” and a place for neighborhoods to learn about tree care, pollinator planting and urban stewardship.

“This arboretum reflects years of planning, design, collaboration, and sweat by our staff, our volunteers, and our partners,” Reed said, describing the site’s woodland, perennial, edible and matrix gardens and noting the project earned a Level 1 accreditation from ARBNET (Morton Arboretum) in 2023.

Joy Mayo, Charlotte City Council representative for District 3, said the arboretum exemplifies local investment and partnership. Mayo tied the project to the city’s Corridors of Opportunity program and read a mayoral proclamation declaring June 22–28 as Pollinator Week in Charlotte, calling attention to the role pollinators play in sustaining ecosystems and food systems.

Mayo said the city’s green-space work includes community outreach and partnerships with local groups. “We are seeing that belief fully realized,” she said, urging residents to use the new facility for learning and neighborhood gatherings.

Mecklenburg County Commissioner Veil Leek praised the project as a resource for children and nearby schools and urged continued attention to neighborhood infrastructure. “We are planting the seed today, so the future would be even better than what it is today,” Leek said, and later added that she has urged the city to consider a moratorium on growth until infrastructure needs are met.

Maya Espinosa, Charlotte Hub lead for Black Girl Environmentalists, said the group will use the site for nature walks, workshops and activities to increase access to green spaces for Black and Brown youth and adults, and she acknowledged Juneteenth as part of the day’s observance.

Shannon Hughes, president of the Wesley Heights Community Association, recounted the neighborhood’s history and said city–neighborhood collaboration has already supported tree care in the area. “We were able to help, I think, between 7 and 10 residents,” Hughes said, describing a pilot tree-care program that helped aging homeowners maintain or remove hazardous trees and allowed some residents to stay in their homes.

The program partners, volunteers and city staff then joined for a ceremonial sign unveiling at the arboretum. Organizers said they hope the site will host school field trips, tree-identification walks and community workshops connected to nearby Brunn’s Academy and the greenway.

No formal votes or policy decisions were taken at the event; organizers presented the site to the public and read the proclamation to mark Pollinator Week. The ceremony concluded with a sign unveiling and applause.