Planting Forward

The Planting Forward initiative began after the August 10, 2020, derecho devastated Cedar Rapids, IA, destroying over 50% of the tree canopy and damaging 8,000+ homes. Its goals are to replant Linn County with native trees and educate residents on tree care and the benefits of native species to the environment, pollinators, and people.

Planting Forward: Native Trees for Linn County

We work with local businesses and organizations, schools, and city municipalities to bring high quality native trees to Linn County. In the six years since the devastating 2020 Derecho, Monarch Research has worked with 64 organizations, 96 schools, five city governments, and four colleges to plant nearly 120,000 native trees to Linn County.

Planting Forward is a late summer to early fall program, with the tree ordering window opening in August and trees arriving for delivery and planting in early-October.

Program Timeline:

Spring: We finalize the tree species list and begin partner outreach.
Early Summer: Tree species list is published and shared with confirmed participating partners.
Late Summer: Ordering links (specific to each participating organization) are shared with organizations; ordering window opens August 10, 2026.
August 10, 2026 - September 10, 2026: Employees of participating organizations submit their tree orders.
September 10, 2026: Ordering window for all organizations closes.
Mid-Late September: Details about tree delivery (date and timeframe) are communicated with organizations; organizations recruit their own volunteers to help with tree delivery and distribution.
Early October: All organizations have received their trees and participants plant their trees! All participants are provided with instructions to help guide the planting process and post-planting tree care. Planting care tips are also linked on this page.

2026 program information coming soon!

2026 Tree Species Detail View 2025 Program Overview

Planting Forward Program Partners

MR partners with landowners, schools, hospitals, neighborhood associations, historical sites, and local governments in Linn County, to distribute trees to employees.

MR will also assist partner organizations in communicating program details to their employees, including tree species details and registration options.

We have worked with both major health organizations in Cedar Rapids, Raining Rose, Great America, the cities of Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha and Mt. Vernon and over 90 organizations and schools since the 2020 Derecho.

Tree Delivery

Monarch Research works with our Partners to source a variety of native Iowa trees for distribution. Trees will get delivered to a specific location on your property for easy distribution. We will work with you on logistics and communication plans. Partners will care for the trees until the distribution is complete.

Depending on each company’s program, participants may receive up to three trees, tree wrap, and planting and care instructions.

Would your organization like to participate in the 2026 Planting Forward program? Fill out the interest form below and a Monarch Research staff member will be in touch!

First and Last Name * This person will be our main point of contact for program details and updates.

Email Address * We will use email as our primary form of communication. Please ensure the email address is spelled correctly and free of errors.

Phone Number * Please enter the best phone number to reach you at (mobile, home, or work)

Organization Name * Let us know what business, organization, school, college, or city department you are with!

Number of local Employees in your Organization * Provide the number (or close estimate) of employees in your organization that are Linn County residents. This helps us plan and organize the tree distribution process.

Why Native Trees?

The Planting Forward project emphasizes natives for several reasons:

Ecological Adaptation: Native trees have evolved in Iowa alongside our native animal species, making them better suited to the local environment. All native animals and insects depend on native species to survive. The trees offered by MR, especially Oaks, serve as food sources to native Iowa pollinators, birds, and wildlife.
Biodiversity Support: These trees provide essential habitat and food sources for hundreds of native species. Many of the trees offered in the Planting Forward program are considered keystone trees.
Environmental Health: Native trees are considered the cornerstone of environmental health in the region.
Added Value: Native trees are not only vital to Iowa's ecosystem, they also provide added value to a homeowner's property when properly planted and cared for.

Learn from our partners at Forrest Keeling how to properly plant your tree.

What is the RPMRoot System?

The RPM process is Forrest Keeling Nursery’s patented Root Production Method®, an all‑natural, 12‑step growing system that develops exceptionally dense, fibrous root systems in native trees and shrubs. As the originator of RPM, Forrest Keeling uses this proprietary method to produce plants that grow, flower, and fruit up to twice as fast as conventionally grown stock, with survivability rates often above 90 percent. These stronger roots mean less transplant shock, quicker establishment, better drought and stress resistance, and long‑term vigor, making RPM plants a high‑performance choice for landowners, communities, and restoration projects.

Learn more about the RPM Root System from our partners at Forrest Keeling.

Program History

On August 10, 2020 Cedar Rapids, IA was struck by a derecho, destroying over 50% of our tree canopy and damaging over 8,000 homes. This storm system affected 340 communities in 27 counties in Iowa.

The DNR has estimated Linn County tree loss at 950,000. This overwhelming green infrastructure loss prompted MR and its partners to focus on turbo-charging tree recovery, along with native pollinator habitats, through this Planting Forward initiative.

Monarch Research was formed with the strong belief that responding to the overwhelming environmental challenges faced globally, requires a response locally. Planting Forward is not only a response to the derecho disaster but also an opportunity to restore thousands of native trees to our canopy supporting hundreds of native species. In fact, native trees are truly the cornerstone of environmental health.

The program was created with two main goals:

Replanting all derecho-impacted land in Linn County with high-quality native trees.
Educating residents on proper tree care and the value that only native trees provide to the environment, pollinators, and people.

Learn how native plants and native animals work together to ensure our local ecosystem thrives and grows.

Hear from our friends at Kirkwood College about the positive impact our Planting Forward program makes on our community and ecosystem.

Keep Planting Forward....Other Ways to Participate.

In addition to our Planting Forward partner program, we have TWO additional tree programs:

Woodlands Native Tree Marketplace: provides the opportunity to purchase high quality, budget-friendly trees delivered to the Monarch Research facilities or directly to your property (for an additional fee). Ideal for landowners in Linn County looking for an economical way to add or replace native trees on their properties. The 2026 Woodlands Native Tree Marketplace ordering window will open Friday, April 24.
One Child One Tree-Growing Together: offers one free native tree to every child or grandchild in Linn County. Give the special child in your life a gift that lasts a lifetime and fosters a relationship with nature! The 2026 One Child One Tree-Growing Together ordering window will open Friday, April 24.