ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association is embarking on a grassroots effort to bring more trees to the neighborhood.
WATCH: Tree planting in Historic Kenwood Neighborhood hopes to address decline in oak and other trees
Spearheaded by board member Alec Smith and his wife, Jennifer Smith, who serves as the program director.
The initiative was born out of a need to address the declining health of the neighborhood's iconic Laurel oaks. Jen Smith and her husband, Alec Smith, began the initiative with grant money.
"We started a grant-funded program to plant trees in the right of way—the area between the sidewalk and the street—so that all the neighbors can benefit from it,” Alec explained.
However, those initial grants have since run dry. The program is now relying on private donations.
The community's commitment to revitalizing its green spaces has been strong. During their June fundraising campaign, they raised over $3,600 to plant more trees. More than 30 individual donors gave donations ranging from $5 to $300. That's in addition to a $1,500 donation from Andrea Goldberg and Lenny Aron, who kicked off the fundraising for the summer 2025 tree planting.
This community-driven initiative sets itself apart from more traditional city-led efforts.
“My wife, Jennifer, really led this program, doing a lot of research on other successful tree programs around the Bay Area,” Alec said.
Jennifer, with her background in sustainability, ensured the selected trees were native and suited to the local environment. Neighbors then had the opportunity to choose from a menu of options for their properties.
Residents have shown overwhelming support for the tree planting initiative, with 55 people applying for trees last year. Not to mention the volunteer support.
“We’ll have 20 people show up on a Saturday, and we’ll plant 20 trees in two hours,” Alec said.
The Neighborhood Association has allocated $5,000 from its general fund to keep the program alive.
Local resident and current president of the Historic Kenwood Association, Dissa Marshall, stressed the importance of these trees in maintaining the neighborhood’s charm.
“We are well known for our oak trees… especially after the hurricanes last year, we lost many of our oaks,” she remarked.
Historically, the neighborhood is known for all sorts of trees; oaks, avocado, and mango trees to name a few. And keeping the canopy lush and full is rooted in the neighborhood's DNA.
"When we established as a neighborhood, they did huge planting initiatives to plant more oaks and create more shade across the community, and that was 30 years ago," Marshall added.
As the initiative takes root, residents are encouraged to support the cause through donations. On average, a tree costs about $300, and the neighbors plant them themselves.
More information and where to donate can be found here.
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