OUR ROOTS

FOUNDED IN 2003 by several longtime community advocates, TREES Asheboro quickly filled a need for environmental action and social justice in a North Carolina city and county suffering from the loss of its traditional manufacturing and agricultural economies. In addition to our role of planting trees in distressed areas, we have helped bring together a diverse group of individuals and organizations seeking simple solutions to complex problems in their community.

Our goal is to educate and inspire youth, business leaders, elected officials, and citizens from all walks of life to work together as tree advocates—to encourage a diverse volunteer base to “get their hands dirty” planting trees.

The early success and broad level of support for TREES Asheboro allowed the organization’s roots to extend quickly beyond Asheboro’s corporate limits and reach into the surrounding community, and in 2005 the Randolph County Commissioners officially recognized Randolph TREES, a TREES Asheboro project, as a partner in efforts to maintain and improve the tree canopy on county property.

TREES ASHEBORO HAS WORKED TO...

  • Bring citizens together to plant hundreds of trees—such as magnolias, river birch, crepe myrtles, and oaks—at dozens of public locations including schools, libraries, fire stations, churches, child care centers and parks.
  • Adopt the members of the Central Boys and Boys Club of Asheboro, NC as active collaborators in tree plantings and educational programs in their neighborhood.
  • Encourage and lead the efforts of the City of Asheboro to join the NC Urban Forest Council and begin addressing the requirements (establishing a tree board and a tree ordinance) of becoming a National Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA.
  • Partner with the City of Asheboro to develop Mayors Grove, a stand of American Forests historic trees honoring the legacy of Asheboro’s former mayors.
  • Coordinate efforts to designate North Asheboro Park and its TREES Asheboro Mayor’s Grove as the city’s official Arboretum. The Mayor's Grove includes a 1/4 mile paved walking path.
  • Plan and implement the creation of a new urban open space, Central Park, in a traditional cultural crossroads formerly overrun by drug activity, crime, and associated social problems.
  • Fund and lead the efforts to build community spirit through citizen meetings, social events, a youth rap competition, and the creation of a large mural painted by Asheboro High School Honors Art students on site at Central Park.
  • Create a program in association with the American Chestnut Foundation and the North Carolina Zoo to grow pure American Chestnut trees to be transplanted in locations where they once stood.
  • Lease a greenhouse from Asheboro Housing Authority, to be shared for educational purposes with a diverse group of youth and citizen organizations.
  • Since 2004, coordinated hundreds of citizens in service opportunities to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
  • Donated a greenhouse to the science department at South Asheboro Middle School and funded it's use for student activities.
  • Collect tons of litter throughout east Asheboro with the assistance of the Central Boys and Girls Club and the Asheboro High School Junior ROTC.
  • Lead an annual North Carolina Arbor Day event with the support of local government, the business community, and hundreds of citizens.