To celebrate Clean River Advisory Council’s (C-RAC) vision of a bright, equitable future for river communities, the public is invited to participate in a pair of tree-planting events from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
The event will feature tree planting, remarks from organizational leaders, and opportunities to connect with the C-RAC project. It is a joint effort by C-RAC, the West End Revitalization Project, Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Living Lands and Waters.
The public will plant trees at two locations. The primary event and program will be held at 19406 Loud Thunder Road, Illinois City, and Rock Island.
C-RAC is a partnership of the Walton Family Foundation and the Quad Cities Community Foundation and guided by Iman Consulting. It supports inclusive community-based efforts to connect people to the Mississippi River, an event news release said. It centers on people and communities of color and others who have been historically excluded from developing environmental solutions and policy.
Plan is aspirational
An early priority for C-RAC has been the development of a Mississippi River Equity Vision (M-REV). It’s an aspirational plan to connect communities and underscore the significance of culture, wellness, and sense of belonging in and around the Mississippi. Saturday’s event marks the public launch of that equity vision.
“Urban communities can play a central role in advancing nature-based solutions to issues like run-off, pollution, and soil erosion,” said LaDrina Wilson, founder of Iman Consulting and C-RAC coordinator. “Tree equity — an initiative to address the lack of trees in underserved communities — is an example of the community-led, equity-driven projects that C-RAC is taking on. We are excited to share this opportunity and our broader vision with the public.”
The service project is designed to incorporate natural-based solutions that improve communities’ water quality. Find information and volunteer registration here: https://form.jotform.com/LLWMTP/2024c-rac.
