When considering climate change, we might ask a multitude of questions, but we don’t want to become “ask-holes”. What’s an “ask-hole”? An ask-hole is someone who constantly asks for advice on important issues—like climate change—without ever taking action. If you’ve ever asked, “What can I do about climate change?” and haven’t followed through on the advice, you might be an ask-hole. It’s time to change that by stepping up for the environment. This article written by Matt O’Dell of Good Shepherd hopes to provide an example of how you can take action through tree-planting.
What Good Shepherd Did
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Kansas City has partnered with local organizations to plant 30 trees in local parks across Gladstone. This initiative addresses a critical issue: the loss of tree canopy due to human activity and the increasing intensity of storms caused by climate change. Trees not only reduce greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide, but also add beauty and value to our communities. By replenishing the tree canopy and ensuring its diversity, Good Shepherd is contributing to a healthier, more sustainable future.
The project was a team effort led by Matt O’Dell, who leads the Creation Care Ministry at Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (ECOGS). The Creation Care Ministry at ECOGS is colloquially known as the Shepherds of the Earth and has their ministry rooted in the spirit of Eucharist Prayer C: “At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.”
Why Trees Matter
Climate change and deforestation have taken a heavy toll on tree populations, causing significant loss of canopy cover in Kansas City, and more broadly in Missouri. This has a ripple effect on everything from biodiversity to property values. Trees act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the impact of greenhouse gases (GHGs). They also provide shade, which can reduce energy costs and increase property values, all while beautifying our neighborhoods.
How They Did It: A Roadmap for Other Parishes
The team worked with key people and organizations to get 30 trees planted and at no cost to the church. They made sure they knew who had the capacity to plant a large number of trees. In this case, it was Gladstone Parks & Rec. The Good Shepherd Vestries and the Rev. Galen Snodgrass had built several relationships, including one with Justin Merkey, Gladstone’s Parks & Recreation Director. After several conversations, Justin was open to receiving a large quantity of trees and was grateful they were free through the Forest ReLeaf of Missouri program.
Matt O’Dell established a few other relationships. First, he contacted Forest ReLeaf of Missouri to see if they could supply Good Shepherd with 30 3-gallon trees through their program for free. The application and order were accepted. They also made contact with Joe Wheelock from Bridging the Gap and Heartland Tree Alliance. Although there are a number of ways Heartland Tree Alliance might be able to assist your parish, Joe helped Good Shepherd connect with a community forester, Taylor Neff. Taylor was able to advise Good Shepherd on appropriate tree selection. She also worked with Justin’s team from Gladstone Parks & Rec to ensure the trees were planted with proper care plans for a high probability of survival.
Good Shepherd ordered 30 trees from Forest ReLeaf, with species chosen to diversify and strengthen the local tree canopy, including Tuliptree, Black Chokeberry, Red Buckeye, Northern Red Oak, Black Oak, and Cherrybark Oak. These species were selected not only for their resilience to harsher climate conditions, but also to diversify the tree canopy which had historically been much narrower.
Forest ReLeaf delivered the trees from St. Louis to Kansas City free of charge as part of their bi-annual KC drop-off event on October 1st. Tim Smith and Bill Millican, longtime parishioners, used their trucks to transport the trees from the delivery site to the church. From there, Gladstone Parks & Rec team coordinated with Taylor Neff to ensure the trees were planted in their new homes in Gladstone parks and City Hall.
Volunteers from Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, dropping off trees for pickup at Swope Park in Kansas City.
Bill Millican from Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (Kansas City) with volunteers from Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, loading up his truck to transport the trees to church grounds.
30 free, ready-to-be-planted trees taken from Swope Park and delivered by parishioners, Tim Smith and Bill Millican to church property. They have since been planted across Gladstone Parks and City Hall.
Lessons Learned and Moving Forward
The key to Good Shepherd’s success was coordination. By bringing together the right people and organizations, they were able to manage all stages of the project, from determining the tree planting needs in Gladstone to selecting the species, arranging transportation, and overseeing the planting process.
They now have the relationships and logistical experience to increase their impact in the coming years. Their hope is that other parishes in The Diocese of West Missouri will see this as a roadmap for their own environmental initiatives. Shepherds of the Earth have also set up composting bins for parishioners to drop off food scraps as well as a composting area for the remnants of the summer and fall harvest from the church’s vegetable garden. They are looking next to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics and Styrofoam for church events. Together, we can take meaningful steps to fight climate change and beautify our communities. Remember, don’t be an “ask-hole”.
This article was written by Matt O’Dell, who leads the Creation Care ministry at Church of the Good Shepherd in Kansas City.
