MadTree’s ‘Let’s Grow Local’ Program Plants Trees in Cincinnati’s West End

MadTree Brewing, Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Groundwork Ohio River Valley, and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful joined forces with volunteers from over 20 organizations for the seventh annual Let’s Grow Local community tree planting event. The initiative brought together hundreds of MadTree employees and volunteers to plant 128 trees throughout Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood.

Since launching in 2019, Let’s Grow Local has planted 801 trees in Clifton, Lower Price Hill, Mt. Auburn, Bond Hill, Avondale, and the West End twice. Beyond the annual planting day, MadTree sponsors Cincinnati Parks’ Fall ReLeaf program, which distributes thousands of free trees to homeowners across Cincinnati each year. MadTree’s collective impact through the two programs totals more than 7350 trees planted in Cincinnati neighborhoods.

“Let’s Grow Local embodies MadTree’s commitment to connecting people to nature and each other,” said Rhiannon Hoeweler, VP of Experience & Impact at MadTree Brewing. “Our dedicated employees, volunteers, and partners are proud to use MadTree as a force for good and give back to our neighbors. The West End’s new trees will cool streets, clean air, and create gathering places where communities can thrive for generations to come.”

The day began with an educational session at MadTree’s Oakley Taproom, where Dr. Aimée Vester, Clinical Fellow in the Division of General and Community Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, shared how access to green spaces benefits children’s health. Dr. Vester highlighted how investing in tree coverage addresses health disparities and supports thriving communities, particularly in neighborhoods where children and families need it most.

Following the morning session, volunteers gathered at Ezzard Charles Park in the West End. Teams planted trees at Dyer Park, Lincoln Recreation Center, City Link Center, and Ezzard Charles Park, while also removing invasive species, maintaining tree wells, and conducting alley maintenance, and litter pickup.

What began in 2019 as a small team outing to plant 60 trees has grown into a powerful annual community impact event. Let’s Grow Local addresses the disparity in urban canopy coverage across Cincinnati, where 20 out of 52 neighborhoods have less than 40% tree canopy. The initiative focuses on planting trees in neighborhoods identified in the Green Cincinnati Plan as having the greatest need for expanded tree canopies.

Trees planted through the initiative provide multiple community benefits:

• Improved air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere
• Reduced urban heat stress—trees can cool neighborhoods by up to 10°F
• Natural stormwater management, with a single large canopy tree controlling 400 to 1,000 gallons of stormwater
• Enhanced mental health, mood, and social connections for residents living and working near trees

The event featured remarks from Cincinnati Councilmember Meeka Owens, Cincinnati Parks Director Jason Barron, Cincinnati Recreation Commission Director of Recreation Daniel Betts, Cincinnati Parks Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Spieser, Ezzard Charles Park Advisory Council Leader Stephan Pryor, Groundwork ORV Executive Director Sarah Kent, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Executive Director Jonathan Adee, and Cincinnati Parks Division Manager of Natural Resources Crystal Courtney.

This year’s event expanded partnerships beyond tree planting to include comprehensive neighborhood beautification efforts coordinated by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. The organization led teams in cleaning and mulching tree wells and maintaining alleys throughout the West End, ensuring newly planted trees have the best chance to thrive while improving overall neighborhood appearance.

Since launching in 2019, Let’s Grow Local has planted trees in Clifton, Lower Price Hill, Mt. Auburn, Bond Hill, Avondale, and the West End twice. Beyond the annual planting day, MadTree sponsors Cincinnati Parks’ Fall ReLeaf program, which distributes thousands of free trees to homeowners across Cincinnati each year.