Newest Children & Elders Forest Unveiled at ISU Horticulture Center

The newest installment of the Children & Elders Forest project is underway in Normal as families and individuals are able to sponsor a tree to be planted in Prairie Grove, located at Illinois State University's Horticulture Center on Raab Road. 

Since 2005, the Children & Elders Forest has planted more than 350 trees in four groves, each tree sponsored by a team consisting of youth and elders.  The program was created to encourage intergenerational sponsorship to create a personal memorial as a gift to the community for many generations to come. 

With the landscape design by ISU Horticulture Center coordinator Jessica Chambers, Prairie Grove's first phase will include 27 trees to be planted in November.  Trees in the first planting will include bur oak, kentucky coffeetree, swamp white oak, sugar maple, black alder, black tupelo, northern catalpa, bald cypress, river birch and sweet gum.

According to Children & Elders Forest coordinator Joe Grabill, photos and descriptions of the trees, as well as information on sponsoring a tree, are available at the Children & Elders Forest web site at www.ceforest.org    The web site also shows the design of Prairie Grove.