Bringing Shade & Beauty to the Trail – Cherrylake, one of the region’s largest employers and the leading tree grower in the Southeast United States, has donated 48, 100-gallon Live Oak Trees to bring instant shade and beauty to a half-mile stretch of the South Lake Trail. The segment starts right after Lake Hiawatha Park at the intersection of 561 and 565A and heads west. This area previously had no shade and can be a difficult segment for runners, cyclists, and pedestrians to enjoy.
Lake County Government and the City of Groveland are contributing funds to pay for the irrigation system and adding saw palmettos to the understory. This collaborative effort will help bring attention to the importance of planting native trees and plants in the community to preserve the rural character of the region.
Over the years, Cherrylake has donated over 10,800 trees to the local community as part of their 1,000 Trees For 1,000 Years initiative. Past projects have included tree plantings at Lake Apopka (Apopka Fl), Oakland Nature Preserve (Oakland, FL), Ferndale Preserve (Ferndale, FL) and Tucker Ranch (Winter Garden, FL).
“Our goal is to give back to the community and raise awareness of the importance of planting trees for future generations.” explains Timothee Sallin, Co-CEO of Cherrylake, “Some of the trees we are planting have the potential to live for thousands of years. By planting trees today we are embracing a long and optimistic view of the future for our planet and for many generations of Floridians to come.”
This collaborative effort is a sign of the times. Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks recently invited all the Mayors of Lake County cities to participate in developing a countywide conservation strategy. The first of these meetings will be held at the Venetian Center in Leesburg on February 9, 2022, and is open to the public.
“Our county is positioned within the state and region to experience significant growth pressures over the coming decade. “ says Parks “We need dialogue to establish a new, collaborative vision for how growth in Lake County and its cities can be better coordinated. I hope that this tree planting will inspire our community to embrace collaboration around conservation.”
The City of Groveland has also been working on updating its long-term vision. Multiple community workshops and surveys have been conducted to gather input from the community over the past month. “What we are learning through this process is that our residents place a high value on preserving our natural charm, enhancing our parks and trails, and creating great outdoor environments” explains Timothy Maslow, Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Groveland, “This tree planting is one way we can partner with our community to honor these values.”
The tree planting will be commemorated on Saturday, February 5th at the Cherrylake Farm Races presented by Orlando Health South Lake Hospital at Cherrylake (7836 Cherry Lake Rd, Groveland, FL 34736) at 9:30 AM. The public is encouraged to attend.
About Cherrylake Farm Races:
The Cherrylake Farm Races is an annual community event where participants have the option of choosing between a 5k, 10k, and duathlon race, all of which run through the rolling tree-lined hills of Cherrylake. This is the 5th year Cherrylake is hosting the event and is expecting around 500 participants. For each participant, Cherrylake plants a tree in a protected conservation area and proceeds benefit agriculture programs at Lake County Schools. To sign up and learn more, visit farmraces.com/register.
