News

Where we're planting next: RIM Park

6 October 2025

Throughout October, we'll be planting 525 trees in RIM Park, just south of University Avenue East. The planting will include a mix of small and large shade trees, mostly native species. A few hardy, non-native (but non-invasive) trees will also be planted in challenging spots, mainly along the berm.

About half of the trees will be planted along the area separating the storm water management pond and University Ave E, and down in the floodplain.

Tree types in this area: Yellow Birch, White Elm, Yellow Buckeye, Freeman Maple, Tamarack, Shellbark Hickory, Pagoda Dogwood, Pawpaw, Black Gum, Witch Hazel, Hackberry, White Pine, Kentucky Coffeetree, Shingle oak, Sugar Maple, Yellowwood, Basswood, Zelkova, Burr Oak

Some of the new trees will create a naturalized area beside RIM Campus Lane. The existing naturalized area will be filled in with trees that can handle occasional wet conditions and expanded toward a nearby grove of basswood and spruce trees.

Tree types: Red Cedar, White Cedar, Hackberry, Black Maple, Chinquapin Oak, White Elm ‘New Horizon,’ Ohio Buckeye, Flowering Dogwood, Pawpaw, Ironwood, White Pine.

The remaining trees will be used to form a naturalized area along the existing mowed berm. The trees will provide shade to the sports fields and also serve as a buffer from University Avenue East. The area features a slope as well and will link into the existing naturalized berm along Solstice Way.

Tree types: Hackberry, Kentucky Coffeetree, Burr Oak, Serviceberry, Red Maple “Redpointe,’ Sassafras, Ironwood, Eastern Redbud, Shagbark Hickory, Tamarack