Alliance for Cape Fear Trees

06/11/2026

A heartfelt thank you to the Brunswick Forest Garden Club for generously donating a portion of the proceeds from their successful Garden Stroll to the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees! 🌳💚

We’re proud to serve communities on both sides of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, working to preserve, protect, and plant trees throughout the Lower Cape Fear region. Last year alone, we distributed 1,800 native trees to residents in Leland, helping grow a healthier, cooler, and more resilient community.

And we’re just getting started. This coming planting season, we’ll be planting 25–30 trees throughout the Town of Leland thanks to funding from the Brunswick County Association of Realtors.

Support from organizations like the Brunswick Forest Garden Club helps make this work possible. Thank you for investing in a greener future and helping us grow the canopy for generations to come!

06/10/2026

Looking for a Father’s Day weekend outing that gets the whole family outside?

Join us for Dad’s and Dendrology, a free, family-friendly guided hike through Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve. A truly special place located a short drive from Wilmington in Leland.

We’ll explore the trails, talk trees and wildlife, and learn more about the incredible natural spaces we have right in our own backyard alongside our partners at the NC Wildlife Federation.

This event is free and open to all. Spaces are limited and there are only 9 spots remaining so visit our website site today to sign up!

05/27/2026

There's still time to weigh in on Wilmington's newest park! Check out this Port City Daily for more information, including a link to the City of Wilmington's survey.

WILMINGTON — The City of Wilmington is hosting a second community event to garner feedback on a park it’s bringing to Greenville Loop Road. The city already held its inaugural input session last month…

05/24/2026

Among the many things trees provide—shade, habitat, cleaner air—they also offer something harder to measure but impossible to ignore: peace of mind. 🌳🧠

The human brain evolved among trees, and it seems we still benefit from their company. Studies have found that spending time around trees can lower cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone), reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve mood, and even boost attention span and memory. Some researchers have observed measurable changes in brain activity after just a short walk in a natural setting compared to an urban environment, and studies have found that people living in neighborhoods with more tree canopy report better overall mental health.

The science is increasingly clear: trees don't just improve our landscapes—they support our well-being.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, consider prescribing yourself a little time outdoors. Take a walk beneath a canopy, sit beneath your favorite shade tree, or simply pause to notice the green spaces around you.

Your mind may thank you for it. 💚

05/18/2026

Spring and summer in Wilmington mean one thing for our Tree Stewards: watering season is in full swing. 💧🌳

You’ll find our volunteers out in neighborhoods across the city, giving young trees the care they need to survive and thrive through the heat. Today’s spotlight is on Anne, one of our absolute rock star Tree Stewards, watering a holly tree on the Northside of Wilmington. We’re so grateful for her dedication and heart for our urban forest. 💚

Hollies make fantastic street trees for southeastern North Carolina. They’re evergreen, resilient, wildlife-friendly, and beautiful year-round—with glossy leaves and bright berries that support birds and pollinators. Plus, their toughness makes them well-suited for urban conditions, helping bring shade, beauty, and environmental benefits to our streets for generations to come!

Planting trees is only the beginning. Caring for them is how we grow a healthier, greener Wilmington—one watering trip at a time. 🚛💦

05/11/2026

Your regularly scheduled reminder that trees have a lot to teach us. 🌳

If you’re currently in your “acorn era,” barely hanging on after a storm, or just trying to keep growing in less-than-ideal conditions… this is for you.

Which tree affirmation are you claiming today?

05/09/2026

You heard it here first: we’ve got a new-to-us watering truck! 🌳💧

This investment is a game changer for the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees and our Tree Stewards program. With hundreds of young trees going into the ground each year, consistent watering and care are what turn plantings into thriving canopy. This truck helps us do exactly that—more efficiently, more reliably, and with greater impact across the communities we serve.

Many thanks to the Bolger Foundation and Audi Cape Fear for helping make this dream a reality! Your support is helping us protect the future of Wilmington’s urban forest, one watering route at a time. 🚛🌱

And a special shoutout to the City of Wilmington, NC Government for generously letting us borrow a watering truck for so many years. We’re grateful for the partnership and excited to keep growing together while rolling forward on our own four wheels.

Now for the important part… this not-so-little lady needs a name! Leave your best suggestions in the comments. 👇

05/05/2026

Fellas!!! Quick PSA—know the signs: is it your girl, or is it a native tree? 🌳 Because if she’s out here building cooler, more resilient communities, all while looking beautiful and being a friend to local wildlife, you might want to double check.

…and if it is your girl?? Please tell her to sign up to become a Tree Steward on our website: acftrees.org/treestewards. We love that energy.

05/03/2026

WOW, Wilmington showed UP yesterday to share their hopes and dreams for Wilmington’s newest park. 🌳✨

And boy, trees were clearly top of mind for so many in the crowd, based on the mood boards and word clouds!

Our staff, Board, and Tree Stewards showed up strong to advocate for tree preservation and green infrastructure. Because a park with shade isn’t just nice. It’s activated and alive—cooler, healthier, more welcoming. It’s where people linger, connect, and yes, find a little “therapy” under the canopy. 💚

Didn’t make it out? No worries—you can still make your voice heard by filling out the City’s online survey: wilmingtonnc.gov/parkproject.

05/01/2026

They say money doesn’t grow on trees… but we know better. 🌳

From cooling our neighborhoods to cutting energy costs and catching stormwater before it floods our streets, trees are doing the heavy lifting every single day. In fact, our urban canopy and region’s mature forests aren’t just beautiful—they’re essential infrastructure, delivering real economic, environmental, and health benefits to our community.

So why the tree slander? 😉
It ends TODAY.

Whether it’s “barking up the wrong tree” or “going out on a limb,” we’re flipping the script—and planting the truth:�
🌱 The right tree in the right place = stronger neighborhoods�
🌱 Native trees = better survival + thriving wildlife�
🌱 More canopy = cooler, healthier, more equitable communities

And here’s the root of it all: the Lower Cape Fear region’s canopy is shrinking, and we need YOU to help grow it back.

Ready to make it right?�
🌿 Become a member
🌿 Sign up to volunteer�
🌿 Plant native in your yard

👉 Get involved today: acftrees.org

Let’s turn over a new leaf—together.