Groundwork Rhode Island

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).
Fun facts: This tall and handsome native cherry has clusters of small white flowers and will
provide good habitat for birds and butterflies. It has bright yellow/orange fall color. Its beautiful
wood is valued for furniture. We're hoping to get some of these planted this fall!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia).
Fun facts: This large, beloved beauty can be found across the north east and beyond. It's a slow-growing shade tree whose beech nuts are eaten by birds and mammals. Upsettingly, there is a Beech leaf disease which is threatening this terrific tree. Like the tragic blights which devastated the American Elm and American Chestnut trees across our region, this Beech Leaf Disease is another reminder of the importance of planting a diverse tree canopy, and keeping natives in the mix whenever possible.

https://www.science.org/content/article/beech-leaf-disease-ravaging-north-american-trees #:~:text=Historically%2C%20a%20blight%20called%20beech,within%206%20to%2010%20years.

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Atlantic White-Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides).
Fun facts: This cedar is native to the Atlantic Coast of the United States. This lovely evergreen can usually be found in swaps but is adaptable to other soils. Its rot-resistant wood is commonly used for shingles and telephone polls.

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana).
Fun facts: A native evergreen, this juniper’s pale
blue fruit and dense foliage will provide great habitat for birds. Typically columnar in shape,
it can be used for screening. They're drought and salt tolerant, but should not be planted by apple trees (they can infect apple trees with a fungal disease called cedar-apple rust, which can damage the trees' leaves, fruit, and sometimes twigs).

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos).
Fun facts: This oak species is native to the southeastern United States. They have long, narrow, Willow-like leaves that differ from the typical oak leaves we see. They do well in moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Their acorns provide a wonderful food source for many birds and mammals.

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Southern Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides).
Fun facts: The Southern Catalpa is native to the American South but has been widely naturalized
in the north. It is often planted as an ornamental shade tree. They have long "bean pods" which carry their seeds. Have you seen any of these trees around the city?

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).
Fun facts: Sweetgum is a native tree that is
adaptable to urban environments. It turns a bright
orange-red in fall and produces fruit in interesting spikey-ball shapes (which some call "gumballs"). Have you see these trees around your neighborhood?

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! Happy 4th of July!
This week's Tree of the Week is...
Apple (Malus domestica).
Fun facts: Most edible apples do not grow well on
their own roots and so are grafted onto other rootstock. There are many cultivars to choose from (we've planted Gala, Honeycrisp, and Macoun varieties in the past!). They will produce the most apples when two different types are grown near each other (how do you like them apples?!).

Fancy an apple tree for your own yard so you can make some apple pie next 4th of July?

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Thanks to our GroundCorp landscape crew for a wonderful Spring 2024 tree planting season! Over 385 trees planted! Hooray!

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).
Fun facts: This elegant, tough native tree will produce dark purple berries loved by birds such as
robins and cedar waxwings. The tree is also a host for several butterfly species such as the hackberry emperor. We've been incorporating these into our street tree inventory. Take a walk this summer and see if you can identify some!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

GroundCorp watering these beautiful hanging baskets for on Broad Street!

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina).
Fun facts: In the same family as the Cashew, this medium-sized, rhizomatous tree is a unique native that's often mistaken with the VERY invasive Tree of Heaven. Some also fear the poisonous sumac variety, but the Staghorn Sumac's fruiting body is very different (the Staghorn Sumac has this lovely upright red fruit as seen in the photo). We aim to plant this tree in our first microforest this fall!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]


What's a microforest you ask? https://bio4climate.org/miyawaki-forest-program/

This Hophornbeam Groundwork RI planted at Cumberland Hill School this spring is really seeing the love! :)

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis).
Fun facts: Did you know that this gorgeous, classic tree can live to 150 years or more? In the fall it gets picturesque yellow foliage and has exfoliating bark with a yellow-bronze hue (hence the name, YELLOW Birch). Also, did you know that the inner bark and branches smell and taste like wintergreen?! Yet another delightful tree to be aware of when you're enjoying our wonderful world!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata).
Fun facts: These trees have a gray bark that gives them a shaggy appearance, and a thick, round edible nut that ripens in the fall. We just planted six in front of Lincoln High School! Take a look!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).
Fun facts: These are fast-growing trees with bright green leaves that look like the profile of a tulip flower! And their flowers, which arrive late spring, look like beautiful tulips, too! Tulip trees were once plentiful in their natural habitat in eastern America. The trees were favored by loggers for railroad ties and fence posts.

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Check out Harvest Cycle Compost's new compost bins!
Tetee is very excited :)
Thanks GroundCorp for making these beautiful new bins!

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Red Oak (Quercus rubra).
Fun facts: A durable and long-lived tree, all native
oaks are essential providers of habitat for wildlife. Its leaves will become reddish brown in the fall. Cumberland Hill Elementary is getting some Red Oaks this season!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

We had so much fun planting trees at Cumberland Hill Elementary today! Thank you the Garden Club students and the students for helping us mulch! And a huge thanks to the incredibly supportive staff at these schools, and of course our wonderful GroundCorp landscape crew!


Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).
Fun facts: This lovely native understory tree can
grow in the shade! It can withstand drought but not flooding. Its name comes from the pretty papery seed clusters that resemble hops. Aren't those little hop-like tassels so cute?! GWRI planted some of these along the sidewalks in Lower South Providence this season! Take a stroll and find some! And maybe even get some in your yard this fall?!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Keep an eye out for 82(!) new street trees in Lower South Providence and Washington Park! Thanks GroundCorp for your awesome work, and for all the help from our wonderful partners Neighborhood Planting Program and Forestry Department

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Red Maple (Acer rubrum).
Fun facts: Red maples are so called for their red
buds in spring and vibrant, bright red leaves in fall (so gorgeous!). It is native to New England and most commonly found in and near wetlands, but also does well in urban conditions.

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Bioswale maintenance! Thanks, GroundCorp!

Our Green Team helping with some garden prep and cleanup!

Happy Thursday! This week's Tree of the Week is...
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum).
Fun facts: This native understory tree is known for its aromatic roots that have been used for root beer flavor (yum!). Its leaves, often mitten-shaped, turn red/orange in the fall. By early fall their dark blue berries develop on bright red stalks. We're excited to be planting some Sassafras trees in Johnston, RI this spring!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Our BRAND NEW tree lot is prepped and ready for our tree delivery... TODAY!

Thanks Community Land Trust for getting us this amazing space! And thank you for all the trees!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Groundwork RI and the Green Team helping with Moshassuck River cleanup for Earth Day with the Friends of the Moshassuck.

Happy Arbor Day!
"Urban trees are powerful solutions to combat extreme heat, purify our air, and enhance
public health and well-being. As an Urban Forestry Grant awardee, we’re working to bring urban trees to neighborhoods where they’re needed most to ensure every community can enjoy the benefits they offer. Join us in celebrating this step forward for tree equity this Arbor Day!"

Join PNPP for an Arbor Day tree planting and celebration Friday April 26th at 4PM at the Joslin Rec Center/Olneyville Resilience Hub!