Abigail Mitchell of Warren County Stormwater helps load a tree into a vehicle during the Operation PRIDE tree giveaway.

After tornadoes ripped through Bowling Green on Dec. 11, thousands of trees were destroyed in its path, changing the city’s tree canopy.

That’s when a group of volunteers decided something needed to be done to help replace that canopy and Re-Tree BG was formed.

The ongoing volunteer project began with the assistance of donations from such organizations as Very Good Tree Service, Wild Ones, the Bowling Green Garden Club and other private donors.

Re-Tree BG Co-Chair Eleanor Bower said they have been busy with several projects to help replace the trees.

City Arborist Jared Weaver, who also serves as an advisor for Re-Tree BG, said unofficial estimates indicate the number of trees lost at around 4,000, with most in residential areas.

Bower said because the tornado zig-zagged across town, there was not just one main area that experienced damage.

“Some of the areas of concentration are up through 31-W, the Creekwood area, the Indian Hills area, Cedar Ridge and Lansdowne,” she said. “It was a tremendous path of destruction.”

Bower said volunteers visited homes, assessed tree loss damage and ordered trees according to how much loss there was.

“At our first tree giveaway, we were able to order 64 trees, so we know that at least 64 households now have a replacement tree,” she said.

She said Re-Tree BG has also partnered with the Warren County Extension Office and was able to give away approximately 100 of their trees and Operation PRIDE had two tree giveaways in November.

Re-Tree BG has also partnered with the city’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department, which helps them find new grants.

“The response has been wonderful,” she said.

Bower said that through their partnership with Wild Ones, they are only distributing trees native to the United States and hardy to Kentucky.

“We are giving away trees that will benefit the birds, bees and pollinators,” she said.

“Now is the perfect time to plant trees,” Weaver said. “Planting them in the dormant season gives them time to grow. As long as the ground isn’t frozen, fall and winter is the perfect time.”

Losing a large portion of the tree canopy has been detrimental to the community and Bower and Weaver stressed the importance of replacing it.

“In our modern age, many of us have gotten to where we think of trees as ornaments,” Bower said. “But that’s not their function. That’s just a side benefit. They create oxygen and take pollutants out of the air. They also provide psychological benefits. Whenever you are around trees or in a park, you just relax.”

And with Kentucky’s high rate of lung cancer, Bower said “you can’t have too many trees.”

Weaver said trees serve a variety of roles in the urban canopy, not only by mitigating fluctuations in the city’s climate, removing particulates from the air and filtering storm water before it goes into the river, but by providing beauty and a nicer city in which to live.

Bower said the next tree giveaway is scheduled for the end of March and they plan on doing things a little differently.

“We will concentrate on one area, go door-to-door and work with the people in that area first,” she said. “Then, once we have contacted everyone and they have picked out trees, we will move on to another area.”

The city’s annual Arbor Day Celebration on April 15 will also aid in rebuilding the canopy by giving away seedling trees and providing information on how to care for them, Weaver said.

The city has also received additional state funding to assist property owners with stump and debris removal and tree replacement.

Bower said Re-Tree is always looking for donations and volunteers who can help the organization in a variety of ways.

“We need people who can not only help plant trees, but who can do visits, send e-mails, work on spreadsheets and join the steering committee,” she said. “We need people who love trees and would like to join us in the effort.”

Re-Tree BG also partners with Operation PRIDE to raise money. Those who want to donate can contact Operation PRIDE.