The reforestation effort is part of a five year project that the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Little Garden Club, Red Mountain Garden Club, the Glen Iris Neighborhood Association and Friends of George Ward Park have started to plant native trees in Birmingham’s George Ward Park.
When George Ward Park was created in the early 1900s (as Green Springs Park), it was heavily wooded; but over time, soil erosion, weather and human interference has taken its toll on the trees. Since 1925, almost no native seedlings have germinated and grown beneath the parent trees. Henry Hughes, Director of Education at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, has been collecting seeds from these original older park trees, and has germinated and grown seedlings such as Blackjack Oak, Post Oak and Red Maple in a greenhouse at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. On October 24th, over 100 of these seedlings were planted. FoGWP and GINA members have been collecting clippings, brush and leaves to spread around the area to restore the natural topsoil and help prevent erosion.
