Home > Uncategorized > The Saint Joseph River masterpiece

The Saint Joseph River masterpiece

The concept: Build a group of 250 donors who will each contribute the cost of one native spring-flowering tree a year for five years. Plant care-free native spring-flowering trees in great numbers along the river in South Bend. Within a few years the flowering season for dogwoods and redbuds would become very extravagant. The river during those weeks would become a very desirable destination, among the most noteworthy sights to be seen in the region. Beauty leading to renewed community pride, new economic activity…

Redbud

Native trees

  • Low needs for care
  • Longevity and high rate of survival

Spring flowering

  • Extravagance of display in spring
  • Simultaneous flowering before their leaves come out–a very fancy showing

Likely varieties

  • Dogwood
  • Redbud

Budget

  • A group of 250 donors
  • Commitment to sponsor one tree a year for five years
  • Planting costs covered by the city? By grants?

Research needed

  • Extra care needed the first year after planting? Extra watering?
  • Which particular native species are best? Which varieties of those species?
  • How to evaluate the best places to plant these varieties?

Likely or possible partners

  • City of South Bend
  • Neighboring towns along the river.
    • Do the other towns and the county handle their own projects or is it a regional project?
  • The county.
  • Botanical team.
  • Landscaping and planting team.
  • Fund-raising team.
  • Publicity team.
  • Donate-a-tree campaign can be shared by community groups–churches, youth groups, schools, seniors groups, etc.

Ways for people to feel a shared sense of pride and ownership in the project

  • Website of donors
  • Photo gallery contributed by community members
  • Annual photo or painting prize for showing off the spring flowering along the river
  • Other ways?

Strategy ideas

  • Start with one stretch of the river so the impact is visible very soon?
  • Plant somewhat larger trees from the start?

Brainstorming about other aspects of the project

  • Link to Bike the Bend or other community event?
  • Draw the concept out into neighborhoods with more trees or with front-yard displays of bulbs that flower at the same time?
  • The seed of a springtime festival of some kind?

This outline also appears in an online version that will reflect new ideas and updates, posted here. It will not display in Internet Explorer.

  1. No comments yet.
  1. No trackbacks yet.

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: