How We Live: Relief from the heat

As part of CSR Americas environmental impact program, How We Live, 34 Deutsche Bank employees helped Greenscape of Jacksonville plant 30 mature trees at Julius Guinyard Park in the Hogan’s Creek neighborhood. Jacksonville is no stranger to the Florida heat and the trees will give the community the shade it desperately needs.

CSR Americas How We Live program supports initiatives with local environmental organizations dedicated to environmental education, green economic opportunity, environmental justice, and habitat conservation and restoration. Through partnership with Greenscape of Jacksonville, employee volunteers contributed to the ecosystem of Jacksonville’s urban green spaces.

Executive Director with Greenscape of Jacksonville, Lisa Grubba, explained the effect of a community tree planting is immediate.

“Citizens who use or live around the park see the difference right away and always express gratitude at seeing an investment in their neighborhood - especially lower income neighborhoods,” said Grubba.

Michael Iannella, Chief Operating Officer of CB/IB in Jacksonville and Senior Sponsor of Passion for the Planet took part in creating solace from the sun for the neighborhood. He told CSR it’s important for tree planting in warmer climates.

“It provides needed shade in parks allowing kids to safely play outside and helps in decreasing temperatures and providing better air quality in the city,” Iannella said.

For this past tree planting project, volunteers removed trees that were no longer thriving, replacing them with new mature trees, as well as adding trees in several new spots.

“Deutsche Bank's team was essential for planting, watering and mulching new trees and for performing a park clean up. This hardworking team made short work of improving an urban park,” said Grubba.

Jacksonville’s utility company, JEA, was on site lending Greenscape of Jacksonville a helping hand in showing DB employees the right way to plant a mature tree. It will take some time before it looks like the tree is growing. The JEA representative mentioned trees sleep, creep, and then leap. The JEA representative said the growing is happening underground before the third year when it leaps, and growth is noticeable.

“Planting trees is a small thing that makes such a big impact, and it feels great to help protect and better our community and our planet for, hopefully, many years to come,” said Amy Stiles, Chair of Passion for the Planet.