SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers planted over 200 trees Thursday as part of an initiative introduced by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to plant 1,000 trees in the city's westside neighborhoods.
Over 100 volunteers from Dominion Energy helped to plant 205 Silver Linden, Catalpa, English Oak, Spring Snow Crabapple, and Flowering Cherry trees.
The initiative is trying to address the inequitable distribution of the city's urban forest on the westside.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the trees planted today will take time to grow into a mature shaded canopy, but the efforts, "represent hope, growth and resilience."
The hurricane force windstorm that swept through Salt Lake City and many other areas of Utah knocked down or damaged about 1,500 trees on city property and many more on private property.
City workers have spent more than 20,000 hours on cleanup efforts, but it's estimated the cleanup will take crews into mid-October.
Thursday's event was the largest single-day tree planting event in Salt Lake City.
City residents can request that a tree be planted in their park strip by contacting the Urban Forestry Department by phone at (801) 972-7818
