Community partners, Durham residents, and volunteers will come together on Saturday, November 22 to plant trees next to a stream in East Durham that feeds into Lick Creek and Falls Lake. The tree planting, sponsored by a grant from the Home Depot Foundation and organized by the Upper Neuse River Basin Association, will involve planting nearly one hundred trees on two properties that are threatened by severe erosion.

"This project will help the residents whose land is suffering from erosion and it will also improve the health of Lick Creek," said Sarah Bruce, Executive Director of the Upper Neuse River Basin Association, a local nonprofit coordinating the event. More than 20 volunteers have signed up to help plant the trees, including sixteen members of the UNC Women's Rugby Team.

Trees such as sycamores and maples are not only beautiful, but alongside streams they also help to filter pollution out of stormwater runoff and keep it from getting into drinking water supplies. In natural areas, these filters, or "buffers," are able to purify runoff, but in many neighborhoods they have been cut down or mowed (despite state and local regulations protecting these areas). Planting trees along streams is an easy way for landowners to do their part to help keep water clean and helps communities spend less money removing pollution from drinking water and cleaning up streams.
Vegetation along streams also prevents erosion, a common problem when land is developed without sufficient controls to detain runoff. Planting trees along the stream is one of the most cost-effective and beneficial ways that residents can protect property from erosion.

In addition to planting trees, volunteers and community members at the event will learn about caring for new trees and responsible yard care, courtesy of NC Cooperative Extension Service. County Cooperative Extension offices (www.ces.ncsu.edu) assist citizens with reducing home water and energy use, environmentally friendly landscaping, and managing soils, forests, and ponds.
Another tree planting will take place on December 13th, and volunteers are needed. Please contact Heather Saunders (919-558-9319 or hsaunders@tjcog.org) if you'd like to participate. To learn more about water quality and how trees help to keep water clean, visit www.ncCleanWater.org.

Related Links

1. NC Go Green