After nearly four decades of nurturing Newport’s urban forest, the Newport Tree Conservancy has secured a permanent home for its tree propagation efforts.
The organization, founded in 1987 as the Newport Tree Society, will operate from the newly established Minnie Cushing Coleman Heritage Tree Nursery on Coggeshall Avenue. The move comes after years of uncertainty when the conservancy’s previous location at Rogers High School became unavailable due to the school’s rebuilding plans.
The new facility will serve as a dedicated space for growing historic and unusual specimen trees that are later planted throughout Newport’s public and private landscapes. The conservancy’s horticultural staff will continue their work of carefully propagating trees to preserve and enhance the city’s tree canopy.
“This permanent home opens opportunities for education and community engagement,” said the organization in announcing the relocation.
The nursery will host its first public program, “Talking Trees,” on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. Plant Production Manager Morgan Palmer will lead tours of the new facilities, showcase this year’s propagules and highlight trees currently being grown at the site.
The Newport Tree Conservancy was established in response to the decline of Newport’s historic urban forest. Over the past 37 years, the organization has worked to restore and protect the city’s tree canopy through advocacy, education and hands-on reforestation efforts.
Thousands of trees have been propagated and distributed across Newport through the organization’s nursery operations, which were previously housed at Rogers High School.
Registration for the September program is available on the conservancy’s website at newporttreeconservancy.org/events.
For more information about the Newport Tree Conservancy, visit newporttreeconservancy.org or contact Natasha Harrison at natasha@newporttreconservancy.org.
