By Glore Ruiz
Driving past a cemetery may evoke a myriad of emotions. Among those emotions there is likely deep admiration for loved ones that have passed, the architecture that commemorates them, and the environment that surrounds them. Copious love and care is poured in these spaces of mourning. Elmwood Cemetery and its growing arboretum is an extraordinary example of the unexpected beauty that can be found in a cemetery. Once located on the edge of Kansas City, it now finds itself nestled within the Historic Northeast neighborhood as the city grew up around it.
Elmwood Cemetery has a rich history as the oldest non-sectarian cemetery in KC. It opened in 1872. During its development, the cemetery was able to hire landscape architect and city planner, George Kessler, who is famous for his work designing the St. Louis World’s Fair and the Kansas City park system. Kessler is also known for his heavy focus on trees, creating architecture that considers nature in its design.
Now, 150 years later, the cemetery has strayed from that original inspiration. Molly Gosnell, an arborist who works with Elmwood Cemetery & Arboretum, wanted to restore that initial vision, so she reached out to MDC to help restore the 43 acres. When MDC helped remove a dead oak near an adjacent street, they noticed lots of splendid old tree specimens. Taylor Neff, a local MDC officer, suggested planting new trees to begin renewing the canopy. Gosnell eagerly took this advice and began planting Forest ReLeaf trees to help increase tree diversity. It has been two years since the first planting and now trees from Forest ReLeaf’s Creve Coeur nursery are growing and sharing a home with this amazing history and architecture.
Focusing on replanting trees has given the cemetery a new purpose as an arboretum and an urban oasis for both people and wildlife. A local school’s cross country team regularly meets for practices beneath the welcomed shade from the trees. In addition to trees, Elmwood Cemetery will be expanding the scope of the arboretum to further “re-wild” the grounds beginning in spring 2025.
“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.
