May 25, 2019

Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Beautification Commission, was awarded a TRIM (Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance) Grant through the Missouri Department of Conservation on September 7, 2018 and the work needed to receive the grant was completed in April of 2019. The grant allowed for the completion of a tree inventory of 2000 trees in maintained areas within the parks.

“We are really pleased to have received this grant,” Brooke Chestnut, Superintendent of Park Operations, said. “It is a great opportunity to really increase our focus on our parks trees and to better utilize our resources.”

In order to receive this grant, the Missouri Department of Conservation recorded tree location, health, size, and species. The inventory will allow for the identification and management of any possible tree related issues within the parks. It will also identify any biodiversity needs in the park canopy. This is an exciting step to better tree management within the parks system.

“Managing the natural resources of the parks system, including tree management, represents a best practice of our profession,” Joe Snook, Administrator of Lee’s Summit Parks & Recreation, said. “It also addresses one of the 33 goals established in our revised strategic plan.”