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ReLeaf St. Louis

Working together for success.

ReLeaf St. Louis is a program focused on direct forestry service in St. Louis City that includes street trees, park plantings, and other city efforts. The USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program provided Inflation Reduction Act funding to the City of St. Louis to expand its tree canopy in underserved areas. This fueled a partnership agreement with Forest ReLeaf of Missouri to help achieve the city’s big goals.

Our commitment includes:

  • Planting 3200 trees over 2 years
  • Pruning 12,000 trees over 5 years
  • Watering 500 trees for 3 summers
  • Community engagement over 3 years

Forest ReLeaf of Missouri is one of several contractors hired to fulfill the City’s full commitment to expanding tree canopy. A detailed explanation of the St. Louis City Forestry’s work can be found on the St. Louis City official webpage about City Tree Canopy Expansion Program.

Not all wards are receiving trees through this funding. Investments are limited to low-canopy, under-resourced communities, impacting 10 of St. Louis’ 14 wards. Click on each Ward tab to learn more.

Ward 1
Ward 10
Ward 2
Ward 11
Ward 3
Ward 12
Ward 6
Ward 13
Ward 8
Ward 14

Replanting is critical for improvement.

Climate change, pests, and diseases continue to threaten our urban canopy. The Emerald Ash Borer alone has impacted more than 15,000 city trees. Now, more than ever, replanting street trees is critical to replace lost canopy and improve our city’s ability to adapt to climate-related change.

Additionally, making more trees available where they are needed most is a priority at Forest ReLeaf of Missouri. Our City Tree Farm located in the heart of the City of St. Louis will remove barriers to access, increasing local tree planting efforts and creating conservation-conscious neighborhoods.

Resources:

2012 St. Louis Area Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

De'Nonna Jones

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.

Jess Underwood
Finance & Operations Director

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.