CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) − To address the declining tree canopy in Clarksville, several community leaders came together to form Replant Clarksville, an organization that aims to coordinate and expand tree planting efforts from around the community with the help of government agencies, businesses, nonprofits and residents.

“We covered a lot of ground in a few months as far as creating a new organization and getting the structure in place, filling the board with people who we think will bring a lot to the table to get Replant Clarksville going in the right direction right from the start,” said Replant Clarksville Chair Jeff Robinson. “Currently, in Clarksville-Montgomery County today, we’re losing a massive amount of tree canopy, and there’s not much replacement going on at all. That’s the genesis of Replant Clarksville: People in the community realizing that we have this massive amount of tree loss, and we don’t have sufficient replacement of trees going on. Our ultimate focus is to get more trees planted.”

Robinson said when looking over the different factors of tree loss, weather plays a key role, in addition to development and trees aging out.

Goal: 300 trees, then 1,000, 2,000

Replant Clarksville Vice Chair Michelle Rogers told Clarksville Now one their goals is to plant 300 trees in high-profile locations in the first year. Then, they’ll look to build off that success in 2026 with a goal of planting 1,000 trees, then 2,000 trees planted in 2027. The organization will focus on planting larger, more established trees to ensure strong root systems and long-term growth. The focus will also be centered around the use of native tree species, when possible, and placing the right tree in the right place.

She said some examples of native tree species in Clarksville range from deciduous trees, which lose their leaves, to evergreens that don’t. “They come in all sizes, from very small trees like a redbud, to giant trees like the state tree, the tulip poplar,” Rogers said.

Rogers said Replant Clarksville was inspired by similar initiatives like Trees Atlanta, which was founded in 1985 and has planted more than 170,000 trees to combat tree loss in the metro Atlanta area. However, Replant Clarksville looks to emulate them on a smaller scale.

The effort will be organized through four teams: Outreach & Education, Planning & Planting, Volunteer Coordination, and Technical Review. These teams will work closely with local property owners, utilities and government agencies to ensure smart, sustainable planting.

Launch event coming up

The organization’s public launch is set to take place on Monday, May 12, at the William O. Beach Civic Hall, 350 Pageant Lane. The event will run from 5-6:30 p.m., and all members of the public are invited to attend and learn more about Replant Clarksville.

Replant Clarksville has applied for 501(c)3 nonprofit status and is partnering with Austin Peay State University, CDE Lightband, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System and the Regional Planning Commission, among others.

To learn more, visit the Replant Clarksville website or their socials.

| MORE: Tree canopy in Clarksville cut by half in only 7 years by developments, storm damage