NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The March Tornadoes devastated Middle Tennessee, destroying homes, businesses and uprooting trees. One local organization’s goal is to replace some of what was lost. The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps has been working to replace trees that were uprooted by this year’s severe weather events.

Since March, the Corps has been working hard to replace the trees destroyed in many Nashville neighborhoods. News 2 spoke to Jim Gregory, Chair of the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps, about their efforts.

“By November, there will be six semi-truckloads of trees coming into Nashville. The majority of those have already been delivered. Due to a very generous contribution from Hale and Hines Nursery, we were able to move 1,000 trees, four semi-truck loads of trees, within 45 days.”

The Corps also partnered with the Davidson County Sheriffs Office to bring in new trees. The DCSO staff played a pivotal role in this process by moving trees and setting up a staging area.

“Then we have a farm to yard program that moved 456 big trees, like 200-pound trees, into neighborhoods all around Nashville. And by November we will have 500 new trees lining Shelby Avenue due to some grants we received from Federal, State and Local grants.”

The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps is an entirely volunteer-run organization. There are multiple ways to get involved, from volunteering to asking your council member to support tree legislation.

“Pick up a shovel, get involved, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Nashville Tree Conservation Corps is an all-volunteer driven organization and we need people to care a whole awful lot in order to fix the livability of our neighborhood. We can build the biggest buildings but we cannot build the biggest trees. Only time can do that, and shovels and people planting trees in their front yards can do that.” 

The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps is active on social media. You can reach out on Facebook or Instagram, or head to their website to check out ways to bring more trees to Nashville.