We invite you to take a look at the Vision<\/a> section of our website. There you can see photos of the playground today and the vision of what it can become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What type of trees will we be planting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We have consulted with local experts in the nursery industry for guidance. We have learned that the Rooney playground soil is heavy clay and there have historically be challenges with draining water. The historical drainage issues has been addressed by the school district. Our guidance has advised us to plant maple, elm, and oak varieties and to avoid Sugar Maples.
We plan to plant trees with a 2″ trunk or greater. Typically a tree of this size will be 10 to 12 ft tall when planted and require specialized equipment to plant. These trees are more expensive, but they will provide the best opportunity for success in the Rooney environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much does a tree cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our goal is to plant larger trees with at least a 2″ thick trunk at the time of planting. Typically a tree of this size will be 10 to 12 ft tall when planted and require specialized equipment to plant. These trees provide us the best opportunity for success with the challenging school environment, but unfortunately they are more expensive than a smaller potted tree you may see for sale at a big box home improvement store. We are budgeting $475.00 per tree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How many trees do we need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The short answer is a lot. The Rooney playground area is almost 7 acres and we are starting with a blank canvas.
The effort is being organized into the following phases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Phase 1 – Playground Shade – 24 Trees<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Phase 2 – Broader Playground – 35 Trees <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Where will we plant the trees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The specific locations will be determined when tree orders have been placed, but broadly we plan to focus on the areas on the playground side of the building that will make the most impact first — bordering the playground equipment, basketball hoops, swings, etc.
We invite you to take a look at the Vision<\/a> section of our website that gives a snapshot of the transformation we are trying to make.
A plan of the Phase 1 tree placement around the playground areas is shown below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rooneytrees.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tree-Placement-Plan-2025-10-Rev-0-1-1024x727.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How long will it take to plant the trees? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The rate in which the trees will be planted depends on the amount of financial support we are able to gather. Our goal is to complete two plantings per year — once in the spring, once in the fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who will plant the trees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We plan to have the trees planted by professional landscapers. The trees will be staked for the first 1 – 2 years after the planting and be surrounded in a ring of mulch to protect the trees. Our volunteers plan to manage the early life maintenance of the trees — watering, weeding, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’d like to volunteer to help. What can I do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We would love to have as many volunteers as possible. For the first year after planting it is important that the trees are regularly watered. Additionally, it is important that mulch be maintained around each tree to maintain moisture and keep lawn mowers away from the trees. We will need to ensure the trees remain properly staked and the stakes removed when the tree is ready. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our focus at the moment is adding trees, but there are other areas where volunteers can help improve our playground. Together we can make a real difference.
If you would like to help please Contact Us<\/a> or email info@rooneytrees.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow can I donate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We offer two methods to donate — online<\/strong> or mail-in check<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our online method leverages a service from PayPal Giving<\/a> to allow us to accept credit card based donations. A fee of 1.99% + $0.49 is charged for each credit card based transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n