September, 22, 2007 (Indianapolis)-- One hundred volunteers will be planting over 100 trees and native shrubs to create a mini urban forest along Davidson Street and I-65/70 on Saturday, September 22, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. 

The light industrial/commercial area of Davidson Street (407 Fulton & 400 Davidson Street) also runs alongside the east side of the busy downtown I-65/70 interstate.

The highway-view of the city’s skyline will now include a view of an “urban forest”—a large native habitat densely filled with native trees and shrubs. 

 “These trees will add many benefits to the area,” says David Forsell, President of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB)  Views from the highway are often a visitor’s first impression of our city, and studies have shown that drivers prefer views of trees and vegetation along roads. These trees will also help to clean the air of pollution created by cars traveling along the highway and will create a buffer-zone to quiet highway noise,” says Forsell.

Young & Laramore Advertising faces this stretch of land/highway and partnered with KIB to make this project a reality.  Employees will help plant the trees on Saturday, and the firm has generously offered to maintain the newly planted trees.

This planting is part of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s NeighborWoods program, a plan to plant 100,000 trees in Indianapolis over the next ten years.  Major NeighborWoods Sponsors and Partners  include  the City of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Power & Light Company, Veolia Water, Eli Lilly, The Indianapolis Foundation, and the Efroymson Fund, a CICF Fund, and the Alliance for Community Trees.