Environmental Association of St. Thomas Plants 300 Trees at Humane Care Campus

(Aldeth Lewin)

ST. THOMAS - The Environmental Association of St. Thomas-St. John is looking for volunteers to help plant trees at the Humane Society of St. Thomas' soon to be opened Humane Care Campus.  The new campus sits on 4.7 acres donated by the Lockhart family. The sprawling facility includes multiple red buildings with white roofs, plenty of parking, walking trails and landscaping that uses exclusively native plants and trees.

EAST received a $14,000 matching grant through the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance program to plant about 300 native trees on the property that had been disturbed by the construction.

On the property, below the main campus, lies a natural wetland area and lily pond. Budsan said the new trees will be planted on the downhill slope leading to the pond and will protect the area from runoff erosion. The trees also will provide natural cover and food for wildlife, he said.

One of the grant requirements is a set amount of volunteer hours.  "That's why it's so critical to get the volunteers out to plant the 300 trees," Budsan said.

More than 37 species of local trees will be planted, including black olive, fiddlewood, maube, guavaberry, boxwood and pink cedar. Most of the trees have been raised from seeds by professional landscaper Rossana Vaccarino.

Budsan said Vaccarino will demonstrate the proper way to plant trees and explain the native plant species to the volunteers.   

"So there's an educational component to this as well," Budsan said.

The trees will be planted in an area that will eventually be a walking trail, and in the future, each tree will be labeled so visitors can learn about native plants, Budsan said.

Article Source:  Reporter Aldeth Lewin at
774-8772 ext. 311 or e-mail alewin@dailynews.vi.

Photos courtesy:  Jose Ortega.