Little Rock, Arkansas (February 22, 2024) – Central Arkansas Master Naturalists (CAMN) and Summit Utilities (Summit) are proud to partner on the Tree Replacement Project to revitalize greenery in Pulaski County following the March 2023 tornado. CAMN provides locally grown, native trees to residents who lost their trees in the storm. CAMN and Summit volunteers are working together to grow and, later this year, plant the donated trees for affected homeowners.  

"Following the tornado that impacted Central Arkansas, our crews worked tirelessly shutting off damaged gas lines to ensure safety during the recovery effort," said Vernon McNully, Summit’s Senior Director of Operations. "Nearly a year later, our team members are volunteering their time helping the same community by growing and planting trees for residents impacted by the devastation. Our commitment to the communities we serve extends beyond our core operations because our future depends on healthy, vibrant, deep-rooted communities."  

"CAMN is grateful to Summit Utilities for partnering with us in the Tree Replacement Project," said David Holcomb, CAMN Chapter President. “The Tree Project works to ensure that replacement trees are native to the area, so they are adapted to our climate and growing conditions, which helps to ensure their survival. Native trees also help support biodiversity and thus ecosystem health in our natural communities." 

CAMN was founded in 2006, and its mission is to cultivate a group of dedicated volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. As part of the Tree Replacement Project, homeowners will have a matured, well-maintained sapling tree from the Little Rock Audubon Center planted in their yard free of charge.  

Summit's dedication to the community is shown through the Summit Cares grant program. In 2023, Summit awarded CAMN a Summit Cares grant of $3,000 to support the Tree Replacement Project. Along with awarding Summit Cares grants to non-profit organizations within Summit's operating area, Summit provides team members with up to 20 hours annually of paid time to volunteer in the communities we serve. Last year, Summit team members utilized 8,875.5 hours of VTO. 

To learn more about CAMN’s Tree Replacement Program, visit: https://arkansasmasternaturalists.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=250502&module_id=647949. 

For more information on the Summit Cares grant program and VTO, visit:  https://summitutilities.com/about-summit/community.