Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
Fall is tree planting + litter pickup season in Birmingham. How to get involved.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Looking for a way to make a difference in Birmingham? One way is by participating in tree plantings and litter cleanups.
Fortunately, the Magic City is blessed with two groups dedicated to doing just that: Cool Green Trees and Black Warrior Riverkeeper.
Want to get involved? Read on to learn about their work and upcoming events.
Cool Green Trees – 10 Birmingham communities
Birmingham’s premiere tree planting group, almost every month, especially in the fall and winter, you have an opportunity to help plant trees.
From January 2024 to June 2025, the group has planted 591 trees (not seedlings) at ten different Birmingham metro neighborhoods and schools. They include (with number of trees planted):
- East Lake Park (128 trees)
- W.C. Patton Park (88 trees)
- Hudson K-8 (25 trees)
- East Thomas (59 trees)
- Norwood (105 trees))
- Wahouma Park (59 trees)
- Downtown Bessemer Parks (50 trees)
- Enoch Brown Park (6 trees)
- Carver Park (40 trees)
- McNeil Park (41 trees)
Upcoming Event: Tree Planting in Norwood Park — November 7th
In addition to tree planting, volunteers can also participate in a “gentle yoga/forest bathing activity.”
Interested in volunteering? Visit Cool Green Trees.
Black Warrior Riverkeeper – 11 tons!
Nearly every weekend, Black Warrior Riverkeeper is out in the community picking up hundreds of pounds of litter from streams, roadsides and ditches.
Its impact? In 2025, the group has accomplished the following:
- 26 Cleanups
- 22,383 pounds – 11 tons!
- 649+ volunteers
The group has two upcoming events this coming weekend.
On Saturday, October 25 from 9–11AM meet up at Calvary Resurrection Christian Church.
On Sunday there is a Birmingham Watershed Cleanup at East Lake Park – October 26, 9:00AM
Open to the public, the pickup will be joined by the Dora Fishing Club and UAB Green Initiative.
Future Black Warrior Riverkeeper Litter Pickup events for November are found on their Eventbrite page.
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