Champaign Park District has announced an upcoming grant-funded tree planting at Heritage Park. The planting will take place on Tuesday, September 22, at 9am. Champaign Park District staff, local master naturalists, and volunteers will work together to plant 70 trees in the park along the Greenbelt Bikeway Trail.
Tree varieties that will be planted include Black Tupelo, Dunstan Chestnut, American Linden, River Birch, Sweetgum, Sycamore, Tuliptree, and Umbrella Magnolia.
The Heritage Park planting is made possible by a grant through the Lumpkin Family Foundation’s Nature-based Climate Action Program. The District received $12,000 from the Foundation for tree plantings in 2026. Part of the funds were used for a tree planting in the spring, and the remaining funds will go toward this fall’s planting.
“The Lumpkin Family Grant has been a consistent supporter of our urban forestry initiatives, allowing us to take steps to preserve our local ecosystem, increase carbon sequestration, and provide shade for parkgoers,” said Bret Johnson, Champaign Park District Director of Operations & Planning. “We are grateful for the grant funding and all that it does for our community.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that the Lumpkin Family Foundation has awarded the District grant funding for tree plantings. The District has received $36,200 in cumulative funding from the Foundation to plant over 400 trees in local parks.
More information about the Nature-Based Climate Action Program can be found at https://www.lumpkinfoundation.org/for-grant-seekers/Nature-Based-Climate-Action-Program
To learn more about the Greenbelt Bikeway Trail, visit: https://champaignparks.org/places/greenbelt-bikeway-trail/
About Lumpkin Family Foundation
The Lumpkin Family Foundation was established in 1953 by Besse A. Lumpkin, widow of Dr. William C. Lumpkin. The foundation honors the Lumpkin family’s heritage in Central Illinois, stemming from the family’s early involvement in the Mattoon Telephone Company, which expanded into the national company Consolidated Communications. Over the years, the foundation has received support from multiple generations of the Lumpkin family and has developed professional governance, hiring its first executive director in 1994. Today, with a team of four full-time employees and ongoing volunteer involvement from family members, the foundation focuses on meaningful grant-making in Central Illinois and other communities tied to the family, while also contributing to the broader philanthropic community through various initiatives and training programs.
Learn more about Lumpkin Family Foundation at https://www.lumpkinfoundation.org/
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Chelsea Norton
Director of Marketing & Development
Champaign Park District
217-819-3843
chelsea.norton@champaignparks.org
