Planting Program | By

Abbie Lahmers

NEED TREES?

With planting taking place every spring and fall, PNPP invites anyone who lives or works in an area in need of trees to submit a proposal at any time for a free Neighborhood Street Tree Planting Award, with priority given to lowcanopy neighborhoods. If your site is chosen, PNPP conducts site prep, provides the trees and tools, and offers support in recruiting volunteers and organizing a community planting. PNPP can also connect interested neighbors with alternative resources and options to plant trees. PNPP.org/ planting/neighborhood-plantings

Working with the Forestry Division of the Providence Parks Department, PNPP members plant and steward trees for free in neighborhoods that need them most. They also train volunteer Providence Community Tree Keepers, providing them with a basic understanding of gardening, landscaping, and plant biology.

“It’s tough to make it as a young tree in the big city, and the work doesn’t end after planting time! In order for trees to thrive, they need careful maintenance in their early years,” says Tharinger. While recipients and community groups ensure they’re watered, “PVD Community Tree Keepers provide the critical structural pruning of young trees, which ensures they grow into resilient mature trees that don’t conflict with the surrounding infrastructure.”

In addition to the tens of thousands of trees the organization has grown over the years, they’ve also planted seeds in young environmentalists. Through partnerships with stakeholders in Lower South Providence, they’ve taught community members, including young students, about tree stewardship. “The youth at 360 High School and Juanita Sanchez HS, in particular, have taken a lead on identifying where trees are needed, conducting outreach in the community, and planting trees – they even planned and hosted the City’s Arbor Day Celebration last spring,” shares Tharinger.

Through Garden Time and their Green Jobs Reentry Program, PNPP has also seen participants go on to take the lead in caring for trees in the Silver Lake neighborhood.

“In Providence, as in most cities, the neighborhoods with the fewest trees also have the lowest income levels and highest proportion of communities of color and immigrant populations,” says Tharinger, explaining that these neighborhoods are also more susceptible to other climate-related impacts, such as the heat island effect (in which built infrastructure re-emits the sun’s heat, creating pockets of higher temperatures) and flooding vulnerability, as well as environmentally influenced health conditions like asthma.

“These issues are complex and will not be solved by trees alone, but trees and green space play a critical role in creating a more just and healthy city,” says Tharinger. “Tree equity is the idea that we should all be able to access the benefits trees provide, regardless of where we live.”

Participate in tree plantings and hands-on TreeLC events happening early this month with dates and info posted online at PNPP.org/volunteer.

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Cafe Choklad Cafe

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is:

A Swedish cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.

Where to find it:

At the base of College Hill, look for blue awnings and a red “open” flag at the corner of North Main and Thomas streets.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

Feel like escaping to Europe for an hour or two? Longtime Providence restaurateurs Helen and Jens Retlev founded their cafe with the vision of bringing some Scandinavian flair to the city. “We have been partners in the restaurant business since we got married 40 years ago. We were owners of Redlefsen’s and Jensen’s Great Soups Express back in the days when the Arcade was a mecca for downtown eateries,” begins Helen. “The interior was designed to make customers feel like they are in Stockholm enjoying a cup of co ee and freshly baked pastry – fika!” she explains, referencing the Swedish tradition of taking time to enjoy a good cup of co ee and socialize. Inside, find patrons doing just that amidst colorful walls showcasing Jens’ artwork of landscapes, treescapes, and abstracts, along with Dala horses at the counter, and Swedish words like smörgåsar (sandwiches) painted along the curved wall. Did we mention there’s a fireplace? “We serve breakfast and lunch incorporating some Scandinavian favorites like smoked salmon, shrimp salad, and of course Swedish cardamom rolls… a customer favorite.”

Cafe Choklad

2 Thomas Street

Facebook: CafeChoklad