Help for large landowners who lost trees in derecho

Monarch Research’s Planting Forward will take orders until Feb. 18

By Marissa Payne, The Gazette

MARION — Large landowners in Linn County who are looking this spring to replant trees lost in the 2020 derecho will benefit from the next phase of Marion-based nonprofit Monarch Research Project’s Planting Forward reforestation initiative.

Monarch Research is offering large private landowners easy access to native Iowa trees to be planted this spring in the 2022 Planting Forward for Woodlands project. Interested landowners have from now until Feb. 18 to order trees at the organization’s website, monarchresearch. org, to meet spring planting timelines.

This project is intended for private landowners who lost more than 25 trees during the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho. Monarch Research has earmarked a limited number of trees for these landowners or those with 3 or more woodland acres.

► TREES, PAGE 8A

A tree is protected from deer and other animals Thursday at the Monarch Research Project in Marion. The organization’s Planting Forward initiative, Planting Forward for Woodlands, will help large landowners plant trees. Landowners who lost more than 25 trees in the 2020 derecho or who have 3 or more woodland acres may order trees from the nonprofit by Feb. 18 to meet spring planting timelines. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

► FROM PAGE 1A

“We hit a segment of private landowners we’ve never touched before,” Monarch Research founder Clark McLeod said of what this phase of Planting Forward will accomplish. “They were the larger landowners that lost many trees — and by many trees, I mean 15, 25, 50, 100, 200. And if they have a lot of land, … that need is significant.”

Inventory is limited and will be allocated based on the order submission date on the Monarch Research website. The cost is $18 per tree while supplies last. People may order a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 150 trees.

McLeod estimates trees sold through this program will be about one-third of the trees planted this spring through Planting Forward, as Monarch Research is purchasing 15,000 trees for spring planting. McLeod expects the organization to distribute another 15,000 trees in the fall.

“If demand is heavier than that, we’ll increase the allotment to this program in the fall,” McLeod said.

To inform residents of the program, Monarch Research mailed flyers to about 5,000 large landowners in the last two weeks, McLeod said, and those residents will get another mailer next week.

People can select from 23 native species on the organization’s website. Before placing orders, people can study information on the website about any given tree species’ size, height, width and what sort of environment it thrives in. Bulk fencing for protection from deer also is available while supplies last.

Planting and tree care instructions are available at the time people pick up trees from the Monarch Research property at 4970 Lakeside Road in Marion. Those with an order will be notified by phone or email when the trees arrive, likely in mid-April.

When it’s time for pickup, those who ordered will bring the receipt to Monarch Research and pay the remaining fee owed by check, which should be made out to Monarch Research. The group asks for 50 percent down at the time an order is placed.

Those who are unable to pick up their order can opt for delivery for a fee by emailing monarchzones@gmail.com.

2021 PLANTING SUCCESS

With the rollout of its Planting Forward initiative through a tree equity program and by partnering with employers, Monarch Research in 2021 provided 30,000 trees to Linn County residents.

This effort is separate from but complementary to the ReLeaf partnership between the city of Cedar Rapids and Trees Forever to replant on public parks and rights of way. The Cedar Rapids City Council is slated to adopt the ReLeaf plan at its Tuesday meeting.

McLeod said he hopes to continue to provide 30,000 trees a year as long as there is demand so that all private land is restored with native trees.

“We’re going to run it as long as there are people who need trees,” McLeod said.

In the long run, the derecho will turn out to be an opportunity to replenish the tree canopy and make it even better, McLeod said, but landowners must realize this work must be done together as a community.

“We cannot only get back to where we were, we can surpass where we were, and we’ll do it with high-quality trees if they’re obtained through our program,” McLeod said. “ … Whatever it takes, we’ll get these trees back.”

Comments: (319) 398-8494; marissa.payne@thegazette.com

“We cannot only get back to where we were, we can surpass where we were, and we’ll do it with high-quality trees if they’re obtained through our program. … Whatever it takes, we’ll get these trees back.”

Clark McLeod, Monarch Research Project

A young tree is protected from deer and other animals at the Monarch Research Project in Marion. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)