EAST ST. LOUIS – Local nonprofits, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation (JJKF) and Lansdowne UP have been awarded subgrants by The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). The subgrants, ($499,632.94) and ($280,120.50), respectively, are awarded to improve the community tree canopy. The three-year subgrants, launched in the first quarter of 2025, are used for projects that increase the tree canopy, improve forest health, and create or enhance community forestry programs.
From helping to mitigate flooding and reduce pollution, to improving people’s mental and physical health, community forest projects make neighborhoods greener and healthier.
Together, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Lansdowne UP will plant over a 1,000 trees in East St. Louis over a 3-year period.
“This is an exciting partnership,” Mark Mestemacher, Lansdowne UP President stated, “Lansdowne UP and the JJKF worked together on securing these grants knowing the great contribution a healthy tree canopy can provide to our community. By working together in neighboring footprints, we compound the benefits we all receive.”
A pillar of the community, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation (JJKF) provides afterschool/summer enrichment, sports, academics, community events and so much more. This grant is an opportunity to create a resilient and transformative space for current and future generations as part of a broader collective initiative called the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN). It aligns seamlessly with our commitment to foster healthy lifestyles and community well-being. The JJKF will plant over 800 trees including native and fruit trees within 70 acres, transforming post-industrial land into green space and a model for food system resiliency.
In the words of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, “When we invest in our community and nurture our environment, we create a legacy of hope and opportunity that empowers every generation to dream bigger and achieve more.” The Lansdowne UP subgrant will take place in the 20-acre Lansdowne Park housing development, a former abandoned site that has been developed to offer the first market rate housing in East St. Louis in decades.
This 20- home development is designed to spark population and economic revival in East St. Louis. 300+ trees will be planted in 7 planned zones, including a center greenspace and 2-acre pond area. This project aligns with Lansdowne UP’s mission to transform Lansdowne, East St. Louis – into a thriving neighborhood – one person, one property, at a time. Lansdowne UP strives to not only improve the health and beauty of the Lansdowne neighborhood, but also to provide jobs, workforce development, and housing for those who call East St. Louis home.
Both subgrant projects include a forest survey, tree inventory, planting plans, youth and workforce education, employment and career path opportunities, and community engagement. Grant funds will be used to purchase, plant and maintain trees and provide workforce development under the professional guidance of a Davey Resource Group certified arborist. Planting design and schedules are unique to each subgrant project and will be completed early 2028.
Funding for this project is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative. USDA, The Morton Arboretum, The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Lansdowne UP are equal opportunity providers.
