By Glore Ruiz
“If my kids have kids, and they ask what I did to help, they can say I planted trees. That's why I feel like I'm doing something, and not just bemoaning the fate of the world.”
Roughly ten years ago John Milton went on his first planting expedition with Forest ReLeaf trees. Having planted as many trees as he could on his personal property, he decided to expand outward when he heard about Forest ReLeaf’s free tree program. However, it wasn’t long after he began that he found himself concerned by the lack of maintenance on the trees he planted. “This is self-defeating,” John noted. “If you can’t water a tree after you plant it, the chances are it’s going to die. Unless you’re really lucky.”
John knew hauling buckets of water would be labor intensive and unsustainable long-term. He had to get a watering truck, despite the insurmountable cost. But determination, not luck, motivated John. He began to fundraise for a watering truck. John is happy to report that “people really came through for big yellow”, the aptly named large yellow watering truck that is notoriously easy to spot. John ultimately ended up donating big yellow to Forest ReLeaf, but it was not his only contribution. A second white watering truck and about 400 Forest ReLeaf trees planted across the city were born out of his determination. These contributions earned John the nickname “Water Truck John” amongst community members.
Many of his planted trees reside in a stretch of land across the highways near his home. This area, owned by MODOT, was previously devoid of plants; a state that disheartened John. He stewards them with consistent watering and the addition of tree guards, a safety measure to protect trees from early death caused by mower damage. John coordinates with Forest ReLeaf staff to water the trees, and often recruits his friends. “I get so thrilled when I see that the trees have made it and they’re growing. That transformation of a piece of land that was once barren into a mini forest really makes me happy. I can pass by areas that I’ve been involved with and looking at those trees just brings happiness.”
“Imagine the kids in your congregation growing up learning all the native plants in your area and how to take care of them, and being able to experience the divine in nature,” says Christopher Grundy.
Since 1999, the Ferguson Volunteer Flower Department has been caring for two gardens in downtown Ferguson.
With Forest ReLeaf’s help, Park Commissioner Peg Crockett is adding more trees to Hunter Park, giving the local community more opportunities for play and leisure.
I am Elijah Belz, the Field Operations Coordinator for Forest ReLeaf. I am a certified arborist and the primary person in the field for Forest ReLeaf, maintaining roughly 1000 trees planted in the St. Louis City, and maintaining our equipment our equipment used to maintain our trees! This job is a catch-all position that carries different responsibilities during the different seasons. Fall and spring are our planting, tree delivery, and inventory season; winter is our pruning, mulching, and planning season; summer is our watering season where we lead a crew of interns getting into the green industry.
My background is bicycle repair! I was in that industry for almost a decade, including running a bicycle repair shop, before taking a job with a tree planting organization in Atlanta. From there I moved to an edible landscape company. I became certified as an arborist while working at Forest ReLeaf this February! Trees rock, bikes are cool too.
De’Nonna Jones graduated from Knox College in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, driven by a commitment to environmental justice and community-based conservation. Since then, she has gained hands-on experience working across a range of green spaces throughout the St. Louis region, focusing on the care, restoration, and accessibility of urban natural areas. She began her journey at Tower Grove Park, where she developed a deep appreciation for public green spaces as vital community resources, before moving into a stewardship role with the Missouri Botanical Garden in partnership with Great Rivers Greenway. She now serves as the Stewardship Crew Coordinator at Forest ReLeaf. De’Nonna is passionate about creating inclusive pathways into environmental work and empowering tree lovers and emerging conservationists to see themselves as stewards of their communities. Through her work, she strives to strengthen connections between people, trees, and places in urban environments.
After 17 years in the non-profit and public sector, Jess remains committed to mission-driven work that tackles the challenges facing our communities. Their career began with a year of service as an Americorps St. Louis Emergency Response team member, responding to natural disasters and performing conservation projects. That foundation of service led to roles supporting the arts, affordable housing, mental health, and grassroots housing advocacy in St. Louis. During this journey Jess has worked to center the value “nothing about us, without us.” They do their best to ensure that the voices of people who have been marginalized guide the strategy and execution of work that honors their lived experiences. When they aren’t working, Jess is out paddling, hiking, working in their garden, or building something.
