New trees brighten tornado-damaged Folwell Park

Folwell Park, which was severely damaged from the North Minneapolis tornado in May, is getting new life today as city and state public officials join sponsors, neighborhood volunteers and local school children to replant the park.

The May 22 tornado destroyed 2,600 boulevard and park trees, including 120 trees in Folwell Park. Today’s event, sponsored by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), Knutson Construction and People for Parks, celebrates the effort to plant 275 new trees in the park and kicks off the effort to reforest North Minneapolis.

“Today’s event marks a significant start to the reforestation of the tornado ravaged northside,” explained Superintendent Jayne Miller. “The Park Board is grateful for the support and generous contributions we have received by Knutson Construction, People for Parks, the University of Minnesota and the community. The trees planted today in Folwell will be here for generations to come.”

As part of its 100^th Anniversary, Knutson Construction is contributing equipment, employee volunteers and 100 trees which will be planted in the park. People for Parks and the charitable bequest by the Carl T. Remick Jr. estate is contributing $5,000 for 50 trees. In addition to the trees planted today, MPRB forestry crews are planting 120 trees donated by the University of Minnesota in the park this week. Nearly 30 different varieties of trees are being planted throughout the 27-acre park.

Folwell neighborhood residents, which worked closely with the Park Board on the planting plan for the park, and approximately 100 fifth through eighth grade students from the Sojourner Truth Academy will assist in the tree planting efforts.

Superintendent Miller acknowledged the collaborative effort to help the northside recover from damages suffered in the tornado by all those in attendance including public officials Mayor R.T. Rybak, Senator Linda Higgins, Representatives Joe Mullery and Bobby Joe Champion, City Council Members Barbara Johnson, Don Samuels and Diane Hofstede as well as northside neighborhood residents, businesses and community groups in Minneapolis.

“There are still many unmet needs in North Minneapolis, and we are working hard with our partners to meet them. The Park Board's commitment to reforesting this great neighborhood marks one more step that will not only get North Minneapolis back to normal, but help make it better than ever before,” said Mayor Rybak.

During the event, Park Board Commissioner Jon Olson announced plans for planting trees along residential streets and yards.

“The Park Board has committed to plant 3,000 public trees in North Minneapolis and to work with the City and other public, private and non-profit entities to make another 1,000 trees available for private properties,” Olson said.

In May of 2012, the MPRB will host Arbor Week, a multi-day volunteer planting effort that welcomes neighborhood residents along with corporate and community partners.

Knowing that home repairs and construction are still underway throughout the area impacted by the tornado, the MPRB is waiting until next spring so that new trees are less likely to be damaged.

"Replacing the beautiful trees our northside was known for, including this effort at Folwell Park, is one of the many ways everyone is pitching in to revitalize our neighborhoods after the tornado.  As always, the northside will recover and prosper," said Representative Joe Mullery.

On May 22, 2011 an EF2 tornado carved a 3.5 mile long path of destruction through North Minneapolis. In addition to homes, vehicles, street lights, sidewalks and other infrastructure, 2600 park and boulevard trees were destroyed. Most of the loss of tree canopy cover occurred in the Jordan, Folwell, Webber-Camden and Willard-Hay neighborhoods. The parks that suffered the most significant tree losses during the tornado were North Mississippi, Webber, Folwell and Theodore Wirth.