By Glore Ruiz
Shoal Creek is a humble yet beautiful body of water flowing through Neosho. It lies within 45 acres of land that are part of a restoration project that is managed by Shoal Creek Watershed Restoration Project. These 45 acres are being reforested and converted after hosting livestock cows for many years. While cattle farms can be managed to limit the environmental damage, if livestock are overpopulated in a confined sector of land, they will overgraze, which results in biodiversity loss and soil erosion. The soil becomes compacted by the weight of the livestock, losing its ability to filter water and host life. A way to combat this is by planting trees, which introduces resilient, native biodiversity that can revitalize the soil and wildlife that surrounds it.
The planting of these trees will provide many benefits for the land, the wildlife, and the watershed at Shoal Creek, in addition to the original goals of reducing streambank erosion and improving water quality. Water quality monitoring at Shoal Creek predates the restoration work, which will allow for data comparisons of the water quality before and after the land and soil restoration. This may eventually provide an interesting data set that could enlighten us on the impact of trees in our ecosystems.
Undoing that past damage is a lot of work and it can look differently depending on the end goal. This area is being rehabilitated but not to become a public park since the stewards want this area to stay wild. Park management and regulations would change the integrity of the space, not necessarily prioritizing the health of the local vegetation and wildlife. The land does not have many trails, since this land’s purpose was not human recreation but rather ecological diversity, balance, and flourishing.
An important metric of success for this restoration project has been the migratory bird path. The park staff noted the bird’s love for the excess vegetation in the field. Finding a silver lining to the aggressive plants that they have yet to tackle. The flourishing natural ecosystem (especially aquatic amphibians) is the guiding motivator at Shoal Creek’s restoration site
This project was made possible by Forest ReLeaf’s CommuniTree program!
“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.
