Signal Tribune Newspaper

By Brett Ashley Hawkins
Editorial Intern

Nearly a hundred people gathered on one side of Atlantic Avenue between 35th Street and Bixby Road to lend their hands to Boy Scouts of America member Gregory Reilly (pictured left) and Citizen Forester mentor John Royce for the planting of 34 crape myrtles last Saturday. Two weeks prior, those affiliated with Reilly’s Eagle Scout Project perfected 34 tree wells in preparation for the planting.
Reilly’s city beautification plans formulated last September when he was searching for a project that, upon completion, would qualify him to be an Eagle Scout. The 17-year-old Lakewood High School student found himself traveling down Atlantic Avenue one day when he discovered one side of the street much more wooded than the other.
Reilly then looked into the kind of tree that would best suit Atlantic Avenue. When looking at a variety of crape myrtles, Reilly found what he was looking for. “After about 20 years, when they’re fully grown, they go to 25 feet tall and about 25 feet wide… it provides maximum shade and oxygen without interfering with any city structures,” he said.
To help with the planting aspect of his project, Reilly called upon TreePeople, a local nonprofit that promotes a trinity of trees, people, and technology for environmental benefit. Members of the nonprofit gave their time and materials to aid the cause. “We’re supporting him and his process,” said TreePeople affiliate Oscar Sanchez. “We are making this city a little better for all of us.”
As each tree’s planting was completed, the TreePeople representatives and those who participated in the planting of the tree held hands in a circle around the tree and spoke a chant in congratulations to the new source of shade and oxygen on the block. Upon the planting of the final tree closest to Bixby Road, the planters (scouts, TreePeople, parents, and otherwise) cried, “trees need people! People need trees! Welcome, the Knolls Ranger!”
The name of that final tree was given in acknowledgement to the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association mascot, the Knolls Ranger (pictured), who attended the event that day.