Loving Our Old Trees Project
The old trees in our neighborhoods hold stories of the generations before us. They are part of the culture and fabric of our streets and parks. Their tall canopies provide shade and keep our communities cooler during the hot summer days. Their branches provide homes for birds and places for squirrels to play. Their leaves, flowers, fruits, and nuts provide food for our insects and wildlife. They clean our air and give us oxygen to breathe.
On April 26, 2023, my neighborhood in Northside Richmond lost a 150+ year old White Oak tree, a grounding force in my life. One year later, I am honoring the life of that White Oak through the “Loving Our Old Trees Project”. Read more about the Oak tree here.
Join Find Your Nature and partners to honor our old trees through Love Notes, Wandering with Trees, and a Caring for Old Trees Workshops.
Love Notes
Submit a photo and a short love note to an old tree that is special to you. It can be one from childhood, one that you lost, one that is still with us today. These “Love Notes” will live in a gallery on this website.
Wandering with Trees
Explore your connection to trees and community through guided mindfulness and journaling practices at green spaces in Richmond
Caring for Old Trees Workshop
We held our first Caring for Old Trees Workshop in November 2024. Stay tuned for future dates!
Wandering with Trees Events
Multiple DatesJul 23, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PMYaupon Place and Shalom Farms, 1313 Westwood Ave, Richmond, VASlow down, breathe deep, and connect with your roots through nature based practices
Multiple DatesAug 20, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PMYaupon Place and Shalom Farms, 1313 Westwood Ave, Richmond, VASlow down, breathe deep, and connect with your roots through nature based practices
Multiple DatesSep 17, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PMYaupon Place and Shalom Farms, 1313 Westwood Ave, Richmond, VASlow down, breathe deep, and connect with your roots through nature based practices
Resources
Chickadees, Caterpillars, and Oaks, Oh My! Brought to you by the many partners in the statewide Plant Virginia Natives Initiative
Virginia Big Trees This program is coordinated by the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. They maintain a register of the largest specimens of over 300 tree species in Virginia.