140,000 Trees Later: How Linn County Is Growing Back, One Native Tree at a Time

140,000 Trees Later: How Linn County Is Growing Back, One Native Tree at a Time

On August 10, 2020, a derecho tore through Cedar Rapids and Linn County, destroying more than half of Cedar Rapids' tree canopy, damaging over 8,000 homes, and affecting 340 communities across 27 Iowa counties. The Iowa DNR estimated Linn County alone lost 950,000 trees — the green infrastructure that shaded our streets, cleaned our air, fed our pollinators, and made this place feel like home.

It would have been easy to grieve what was lost. Instead, Monarch Research partnered with Linn County neighbors and organizations and turned loss into action — one native tree at a time.

Six years later, we have something worth celebrating: 140,078 native trees planted across Linn County since 2020, thanks to thousands of neighbors, students, businesses, and partner organizations. That's not just a number - it's 140,000 acts of hope, each one rooted in the belief that Linn County can grow back greener than ever.

Planting Forward: The Initiative That Started It All

Launched in the aftermath of the derecho, Planting Forward is Monarch Research's native tree restoration initiative that invites local organizations to plant native trees. The idea is simple and powerful: rebuild the county's native tree canopy by getting high-quality native trees into the hands of the people who live and work here, and teach them how to care for those trees for generations to come.

Through workplace partnerships with local businesses, schools, colleges, and city governments, employees of participating organizations can order native Iowa trees — up to three trees per participant, complete with tree guards and planting instructions — delivered right to their workplace in early October.

The results speak for themselves (all figures from Monarch Research's Fall 2026 participation overview):

• 123,603 trees planted through Planting Forward since 2020
• 5,662 participants and 17,895 trees in 2026 alone
• 62 partner organizations in 2026 — including 37 organizations, 15 school districts representing 82 schools, six city governments, and four colleges

From Collins Aerospace and Hy-Vee to Coe College, the City of Cedar Rapids, and the Cedar Rapids Community School District, Linn County's employers and institutions have made tree planting a community project. When your coworkers show up in October to pick up their trees, replanting the canopy stops being an abstract goal — it becomes something you do together.

Pictured left: Coe College Women's Wrestling Team help unload trees for distribution at Coe College.

Pictured above, left to right: Volunteers at Collins Aerospace help load trees into vehicles; employees help unload trees at Quaker Oats; Linn Mar staff and students help organize trees for distribution; Coe College Women's Wrestling team unload trees to be distributed at Coe College. 

One Child, One Tree: Growing Tomorrow's Tree-Planters

Some gifts grow for a lifetime. One Child, One Tree™ – Growing Together offers every child in Linn County a free native tree to plant with their family - at home, at a relative's house, or at a friend's or neighbor's place.

The program's purpose goes beyond the trees themselves. Each tree is described by Monarch Research as a living symbol of growth and resilience, meant to foster a connection between children and the natural world. A kid who plants a tree in kindergarten watches it grow up alongside them — and learns that the future is something you tend, water, and protect.

The program aims to reach every child under age 18 in Linn County, with one tree certificate per family (allowing an order of up to three trees).

• 3,765 trees planted through One Child One Tree to date
• 792 participants and 2,397 trees in 2026 alone

Supported by community partners like Hy-Vee, ImOn, and Indian Creek Nature Center, this program plants something no storm can take away: the next generation of Linn County tree-planters.

"I am so grateful I discovered your [One Child One Tree] program at the Marion Hy-Vee so we were able to participate! Best to you all in your Monarch Research and additional programs. We are very grateful for the resources provided and can’t wait for these trees to grow up - just like our grandkids!" 

- Susan Long, One Child One Tree participant

Pictured above, left to right: little girl proudly holds her white pine; family waits in their car as their tree is loaded; little girl waits to load her tree; One Child One Tree pick up line at Monarch Research.

Woodlands Native Tree Marketplace: Native Trees Within Everyone's Reach

Not everyone gets trees through an employer — and that's where the Woodlands Native Tree Marketplace™ comes in. This program gives Linn County residents and landowners access to high-quality native trees at nursery-direct, budget-friendly prices. In 2026, that meant $25 for a 3-gallon native tree, with no quantity limits for landowners and deer fencing available to protect young plantings.

These aren't just any trees. In 2026, the marketplace offered 26 native species, grown by Forrest Keeling nursery with their patented RPM Root System - the gold standard for healthy root development. With the RPM Root System, the trees experience minimal transplant shock, survive better, and often outgrow larger, more expensive trees within seven years.

• 12,272 trees planted through Woodlands to date
• 164 participants and 795 trees in 2026 alone

Pictured above: Monarch Research staff and volunteers load trees into vehicles of Woodlands participants at Monarch Research.

Why Native Trees Matter

Here's the educational heart of all three programs: not all trees are created equal.

Native trees evolved in Iowa alongside our native animals, insects, and pollinators. They're built for our seasons, our soil, and our ecosystem. Native pollinators, birds, and wildlife depend on them for food and habitat. Many of the species Monarch Research offers — especially oaks — are considered keystone trees, meaning they support hundreds of other native species. Plant an oak, and you're really planting a whole ecosystem.

Properly planted and cared for, native trees also add real value to a homeowner's property. They're the cornerstone of regional environmental health and the green infrastructure that keeps Linn County resilient in the face of future storms and a changing climate.

What This Means for Linn County

Add it all up and a picture emerges of a community that turned catastrophe into renewal:

• 140,078 trees planted across all programs since 2020 - including 123,603 through Planting Forward, 12,272 through Woodlands, 3,765 through One Child One Tree, 138 trees ordered by Native Oasis members, and 300 trees grown through the Mighty Acorn Society.
• 21,225 trees planted in 2026 alone by 6,666 participants.
• 62 partner organizations, schools, colleges, and cities engaged in 2026.
• Plus 3,180 acorns distributed since 2025 through the Mighty Acorn Society, where community members grow native oaks from acorn to sapling.

Together, these native plantings are rebuilding Linn County's canopy and creating food and habitat for native wildlife. The derecho took something from all of us. These programs are how we're taking it back, together.

How You Can Get Involved in 2027

The 2026 programs have wrapped up for the season, but next spring is right around the corner. Here's how to be part of the next chapter:

• Want trees for your family? Check back in spring 2027 for One Child One Tree and Woodlands Native Tree Marketplace ordering windows.
• Want trees for your employees or members? Organizations interested in participating in 2027 can contact Monarch Research through the Planting Forward interest form — watch for next year's ordering and distribution details.
• Want to get your hands in the soil? Complete our Volunteer form or join the Mighty Acorn Society and grow oaks from acorns.
• Want to power all of it? Make a gift at monarchresearch.org/donate and help sustain Monarch Research's work toward a greener future for Linn County.

The storm took our trees. This community is planting them back - and the future is growing green and bright in Linn County.