Mayor Wharton plants the first of One Million New Trees

On the morning of March 19, Shelby County Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. helped launch the largest tree planting program in Shelby County history. The One Million Tress program is part of Phase One of the comprehensive Shelby Farms Park Master Plan.

"The one million new trees that will be planted at Shelby Farms Park over the next few decades are part of a big vision for this park and for Shelby County as a greener, healthier place," said Mayor Wharton. "This program is not just about new trees. These one million trees will improve the ecological health of the region, provide shade and respite for park users and engage the community in planting trees for generations of Memphians to enjoy."

The One Million Trees program is part of the aspirational and visionary Shelby Farms Park Master Plan, which also includes provisions to develop safe bike and pedestrian access to and around the Park through a series of creative connections, along with concepts for twelve user defined landscapes that comprise one park.

In the first phase of the Master Plan, SFPC will focus on enlarging Patriot Lake, the iconic centerpiece of the Park, to three times its current size. Designs are also underway for an innovative new play experience at Plough Park. The Phase One Park Circle will establish essential pedestrian connections to the Park. The full Master Plan can be viewed at www.shelbyfarmspark.org.

On Thursday, March 19, 250 college students arrived at Shelby Farms Park to help launch Shelby Farms Park Conservancy's (SFPC) program to plant One Million Trees. The students planted trees, painted gates and helped with other projects, and some were shuttled to other areas of the city to help clean up roadways and blighted areas.

Mayor AC Wharton opened the day of service at 9am, and along with officials from field operations--the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy master plan design firm-launched SFPC's One Million New Trees planting program.

The students are part of the Pay it Forward Tour of Students Today Leaders Forever. Pay it Forward is an opportunity for service-minded students to see the country, serve, and spend time with like-minded peers. This year, students on sixteen campuses are planning and preparing for Pay It Forward Tours from their schools.

The nine-day tour includes service projects in six cities. Buses leave from one campus and travel to five different cities-a different city and service project each day. The last stop-Memphis--was the celebration city and end destination for the Tour. All the tour buses came together for the first time since their departure for one last service day and a celebration of all they've accomplished.

In Memphis, the students will not only help launch the largest tree planting program in the city's history at Shelby Farms Park, but they'll also lend a hand in the Beltline Community. After their morning of service, all the students met at Shelby Farms Park for a lunch sponsored by the Greater Memphis Chamber.