Happy 2026 + Canopy's Spring Programming!
- Team Canopy
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Happy New Year! We hope 2026 is filled with wonder and great possibilities for you all!
CanopyBloomington begins 2026 stronger, more focused and ambitious than ever! We are coming off an amazing 2025 powered by YOU—we have been warmly received into your neighborhoods, yards, and homes; entrusted with your valuable time and generous donations; and have enjoyed sharing meals, conversations, and celebrations with you after planting trees. Collectively, we've made our neighborhoods and community a bit greener, more united, and stronger. Thank you!
Together, we planted 256 trees in seven neighborhoods and with five schools and two non-profit organizations; our 300 active volunteers logged over 1400 hours doing this work; we hosted 18 educational events including tree walks, the launch of our book club and a two-film series at IU Cinema; we trained and employed high school students to care for 400 trees in city parks; and completed our first matching fundraising campaign, thanks to the generosity of many of you. Again, thank you!
We are building on this momentum to have an even more impactful 2026 and want you to be part of it! We hope you find the best opportunities to engage with us in our spring and summer programming. It is going to be fun and fulfilling ... and even more so with you!
Let's plant trees together!
Canopy’s spring plantings will be on Saturdays in March and April and begin in the Park Ridge neighborhood, followed by a postponed planting at the new Early Learning Center and the second stage of Bloomington's ‘Cool Corridors Project’, a collaboration with the City of Bloomington to plant and maintain trees to shade sidewalks, help cool neighborhoods, improve the air quality and quality of life for their residents. This spring planting will be in the Walnut Woods neighborhood. Canopy will also be planting in Bachelor Heights and Highlands neighborhoods this spring, with the support of a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation.
Click here for more information about these plantings and to sign up to volunteer!
Grow your knowledge of trees in Bloomington!
Canopy will be expanding our educational programs in 2026 in several ways. With more details below, the CanopyBloomington Book Club will be reading and discussing four books this year and our growing Youth Tree Tenders program will continue to professionally train a new group of tree care enthusiasts.
We are also organizing and hosting six tree walks throughout the spring and summer months, some in partnership with Sycamore Land Trust and others with local experts, including Saige Sentell, Sycamore Education Director, State of Indiana Ornithologist, Allisyn Gillet, and Will Drews, Indiana DNR Entomologist. Click here to learn more and sign up for one.
Canopy is also working on more educational programs at the Downtown Monroe County Public Library including another installment of Trees 101 and additional film screenings as well as programming bridging the arts and nature. Stay tuned for more information on these as they are developed.
Read and discuss books books rooted in nature!
CanopyBloomington launched our new book club this fall, dedicated to exploring the world of trees and nature through literature. Whether you're a lifelong tree lover, an amateur naturalist, or simply curious about the profound ways trees shape our ecosystems and lives, this club offers a welcoming space to read, reflect, share, and connect.
Discussions are take place at Redbud Books, 408 W Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington. The two book club conversations this spring are The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer and The Overstory by Richard Powers.
The Serviceberry—conversation on Tuesday, February 10th at 6 p.m.
Robin Wall Kimmerer's beautiful book explores the concept of reciprocity and ecological connection through the lens of Indigenous wisdom, using the humble serviceberry as a metaphor for a gift-based economy.
The Overstory —conversation on Tuesday, May 12th at 6 p.m.
Richard Powers' sweeping, multi-generational novel weaves together the lives of disparate characters united by their deep connection to trees.
Sign-up to be part of the CanopyBloomington Book Club here.
Green summer jobs for young people!
Are you a high school student interested in learning about tree maintenance while also earning money this summer? If so, becoming a Youth Tree Tender may be the perfect experience for you! A bulk of our work is done in the Bloomington's Switchyard Park, which is the home to many young trees needing extra care.
Find out more about our Youth Tree Tender program here.
Connect with Bloomington neighborhoods!
Did you know that Canopy staff members go door-to-door in the neighborhoods in which we plant, trying to connect with residents? Not only do we want all residents to know about the opportunities to engage with us and receive free, native nursery trees, but we also want to hear from them—their concerns about trees, what species they like, what areas of the neighborhood could use more trees, etc.
Would you like to join us in this work? The first canvassing dates for our spring plantings are below. If interested in participating, reach out to Jon at community@canopybloomington.org.
Wednesday, Jan. 7 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Walnut Woods |
Thursday, Jan. 8 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Walnut Woods |
Friday, Jan. 9 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Monday, Jan. 12 | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Tuesday, Jan. 13 | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Wednesday, Jan. 14 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Thursday, Jan. 15 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Friday, Jan. 16 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Park Ridge |
Tuesday, Jan. 20 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | TBD |
Thursday, Jan. 22 | 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | TBD |
Be part of Canopy in other ways!
Canopy continues to look for new ways to fulfill our mission and strengthen our neighborhoods and community. If you have any ideas of ways we can help impact your neighborhood, please share these with us at community@canopybloomington.org.
Come visit us at the Bloomington Farmers Market and other local events!
We will also be staffing informational tables regularly at the Bloomington Farmers Market and other events beginning this month. If you have an event where you would like us to be present, please let us know and we will see if we are able.
Bottomline, we want to continue to build relationships and community around our urban forest initiatives. The work we are doing together matters! Our neighborhoods matter! The trees matter! To quote Canopy’s Executive Director, Ava Hartman, “we love working with residents to strengthen communities as we create a healthier, leafier City together.”
We cannot do this impactful work without YOU!
If have any suggestions for Canopy programming, we would love to hear your ideas by emailing community@canopybloomington.org. Learn more about our 2026 plantings, programming and how to be part of the Canopy team by visiting our website or subscribing to our mailing list.
CanopyBloomington is a social impact organization created to maximize Bloomington's tree canopy and sustainably manage Bloomington's urban forest for trees' many environmental, health, economic, and social benefits, with a focus on tree equity and community engagement. The staff, board and volunteers work year-round to plant and care for trees, improve air and water quality, and make neighborhoods healthier and more beautiful. But we can’t do it alone.
By donating to CanopyBloomington, you help fund tree-planting initiatives, educational programs, and community engagement efforts that make a lasting impact. Whether you contribute financially, volunteer for a planting event, or participate in our tree adoption programs, your involvement directly supports a greener, more pollinator-friendly Bloomington.