ReLeaf Partnerships and Committees

TREES FOREVER

Founded in 1989, Trees Forever is a nonprofit organization with a central focus across Iowa and Illinois and a strong national presence. Since its inception, Trees Forever has partnered with the City of Cedar Rapids and built a reputation for collaboration across all sectors. Trees Forever leads the ReLeaf Cedar Rapids plan for the next decade working alongside the City in meeting replanting goals.

Trees Forever will lead the fundraising efforts in coordination with city leaders. Donations of any size will help plant trees for today and future generations, and Trees Forever has promised to manage the recognition of donors for replanting public spaces.

Through its Growing Futures and TreeKeepers programs, Trees Forever will plant and water a large portion of the city’s trees, as it already does today. It will continue to organize tree adoptions and education programs, as it serves as an interface between the City of Cedar Rapids and private organizations and individuals that want to lend a hand in the ReLeaf effort.

RELEAF CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

David Blankenship, Transamerica (retired)

Ron Corbett, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

Nancy Duncan, Trees Forever

Les Garner, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation

Katie Hill, Mortuary Lift Company

Julie Johnson, Hall-Perrine Foundation

James Klein, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust

Tamara Marcus, Linn County

Clark McLeod, Monarch Research Project

Mary Meisterling, Alliant Energy

John Myers, Indian Creek Nature Center

Scott Olson, City Council-City of Cedar Rapids

Scott Overland, City Council-City of Cedar Rapids

Rich Patterson, Indian Creek Nature Center (retired)

Jeff Pomeranz, City of Cedar Rapids

Dan Pulis, Cargill

Chris Thoms, Parks, Recreation & Waterways Commission

Clint Twedt-Ball, Matthew 25

RELEAF CEDAR RAPIDS CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE

Mary Quass, Co-Chair

John and Dyan Smith, Co-Chairs

Brad Hart, Former Cedar Rapids Mayor

Jeff Pomeranz, City of Cedar Rapids

Helen B. Arnold, Arnold Olson Associates

Samuel Jones, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll

James D. Klein, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust

Kim Lehrman, Communications Engineering Company

Cydney Lovell, ITC Midwest

Leah Rodenberg, Alliant Energy Foundation

Kiley Miller, Trees Forever

Shannon Ramsay, Trees Forever

Lisa Williams, Trees Forever

MONARCH RESEARCH

The City has a long-standing partnership with Monarch Research (MR), a non-profit organization co-founded by Clark McLeod and Cam Watts that works to add native pollinator habitat in Linn County, and reestablish the monarch population. MR initiated and led the successful 1,000-Acre Pollinator Initiative, a public/ private partnership with Linn County Conservation, Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation, and Marion Parks to restore 1,000 public acres to a diverse native prairie habitat within five years.

Following the derecho, MR spearheaded Planting Forward, a program that provides high-quality, low-cost native trees to individuals for planting on derechodamaged property. Trees are given to employees of non-profit organizations including hospitals, local government, and school districts’ faculty and staff. Trees are also offered for purchase, at MR’s cost, to larger landowners and local businesses who offer them to employees as a benefit, either for their yards or for neighbors and friends. All trees offered serve as habitat to many native Iowa pollinators, birds, and wildlife, and are core species of Iowa forest ecology. MR raises private funds to purchase the trees and works with organizations that have the ability to manage large tree distributions. Over 28,000 trees were distributed through the Planting Forward program in 2021. MR will distribute 14,450, 3-gallon trees, 3-5’ tall with tree trunk guards, to residents this spring along with educational materials for planting and tree maintenance.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

The City of Cedar Rapids strives to receive diverse input from citizens to guide decisions. Representation from individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences is critical in creating a community that serves all citizens. One of the best ways to have a voice in the future of Cedar Rapids is to serve on one of the many City boards, commissions, or advisory committees.

Women, minorities, and qualified persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by April 30, 2022. For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 319-286-5060, or email city-clerk@cedar-rapids.org.

Find a complete list and learn how to apply by visiting cedar-rapids.org then clicking on Local Government > City Boards & Commissions. Download and submit your application today.