Jacksonville residents may notice a number of newly planted trees adorned with green ribbons in locations around the city. According to Jacksonville Rotary Club Tree Committee chair Mike Flynn, these trees have been funded by public donations to the Jacksonville Rotary Foundation, and are being planted by Rotarians and other volunteers.
Flynn said, “For years, Jacksonville was widely known as the Elm City because of our beautiful tree-lined streets and wooded parks. Over time, Jacksonville has lost many of its trees due to Dutch elm
disease and a lack of an organized replanting program. As a result, large gaps now appear in our tree canopy on many of our streets and parks. The Jacksonville Rotary Club is planting trees to help restore our city’s leafy past and make Jacksonville a green, eco-friendly city once again.”
Jacksonville Rotary Club President Daphne Spradlin said, “Initially, Rotary is planting trees in the heart of Jacksonville’s Historic District. The area of planting will be bounded roughly by Lafayette, College, Church and Webster, anchored by West State Street. Trees will be planted in the boulevards between the sidewalk and street. Property owners who donate funds for a tree may choose to have their trees planted in front of their own homes, where possible. The Rotary Tree Project will be expanded to include adjacent streets and neighborhoods as soon as additional funding becomes available. Ultimately, the goal is to plant new trees throughout Jacksonville.”
In addition to elms, the Jacksonville Rotary Tree Project is planting other high-quality, hardwood trees
including varieties of oaks, lindens and hard maples. Rotarian volunteers plan to plant the trees this fall. Each new tree planted will be fitted with a green bow to identify the Rotary project.
Flynn said that the project is benefiting from local donations of expertise and funds. “We are very thankful that Pat Ward, the Director of the Missouri Arboretum at Northwest Missouri State University and longtime Jacksonville resident, has provided his expertise and assistance to our tree-planting project. Pat personally chose trees that will add diversity and beauty to the Jacksonville community for decades to come. His
experience in tree care and landscaping is invaluable.”
Additionally, E.On Climate and Renewables recently donated $2,500 to the tree-planting campaign. According to Flynn, “We are excited to accept this donation from E.ON, which will fund ten trees for our tree-planting campaign. Donations like E.ON’s are really important at this time of year, when trees can be successfully planted.”
Spradlin said, “The Jacksonville Rotary Foundation will be accepting donations on an ongoing basis. The cost of each tree is $250. All donations are tax-deductible through the Jacksonville Rotary Foundation, and 100% of the money donated will stay in Jacksonville.” Persons interested in donating in support of The Jacksonville Rotary Tree Project can do so through the Rotary website at
jacksonvillerotary.org/rotary-trees, or by mailing a check to:
Jacksonville Rotary Foundation 
c/o Chet Wynn
31 Book Lane 
Jacksonville 62650
Anyone with questions about the program can contact Flynn at michaelflynn635@gmail.com.