From Planting to Celebration: Detroit launches Shade Salon Series to Showcase Tree Planting Program Success

2024
  • The Shade Salon Series, a collaboration between the City of Detroit, the Greening of Detroit, and the Gilbert Family Foundation, runs from August to November 2024 
  • The series features three free events that include educational workshops, guided hikes, woodworking sessions, and food harvesting  
  • Events include a free community celebration with live music, food trucks, and vendors  
  • Fall initiatives kick off with the first event on August 24 at Palmer Park 

 

In Spring 2024, the city of Detroit planted 7,365 trees, contributing to the city’s goal of 75,000 trees by 2027. To celebrate a successful Spring 2024 planting and mark the start of the fall planting season, the City of Detroit is launching the Shade Salon event series. The series features three free events from August to November, focusing on building community engagement with the forestry team in the City of Detroit. Each event offers live music, art, food and a range of activities including educational workshops, guided hikes, woodworking sessions, and food forest harvesting. 

This event series is a collaborative effort between the City of Detroit, the Greening of Detroit, and the Gilbert Family Foundation. It all kicks off August 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m at Palmer Park. Each Shade Salon event is at a different Detroit park.

“As GSD and our partners work to restore Detroit’s tree canopy and plant 75,000 trees, we want to ensure residents are excited about new plantings and recognize trees as a critical component of the city’s climate-safe future,” said tree planting project manager Whitney Smith. “We are thrilled to kick off the Shade Salone series in partnership with the Greening of Detroit and the Gilbert Family Foundation. This is an exciting opportunity to engage residents through nature and art to help build community value for trees.”  

  • August 24 - Palmer Park: Explore old-growth forests and identify unique tree species. 
  • October 12 - Clark Park: Reflect on life, growth, and interconnectedness in urban forests. 
  • November 9 - Rouge Park: Experience the transformative beauty of trees through seasonal changes. 

For more details or to register, please visit here. 

In addition to the Shade Salon Series, the Fall 2024 season will feature the launch of the Tree Art Project, which will install seven art installations across the city to highlight the importance of trees as critical city infrastructure. There will be community engagement opportunities for this project during Shade Salon events. 

Shade Salon Series graphic