Reforestation Program

Henry Shaw had a dream. . .
In the 1860's a prosperous English-born St. Louis businessman dreamed of a beautiful park for all to enjoy: beautiful buildings, ponds, statuary, fountains. . . and trees. That man was Henry Shaw, and he spent much of the latter part of his life converting the pastures and farmlands of his Tower Grove estate west of St. Louis into a magnificent urban forest.   Shaw gave these lands to the City of St. Louis in 1868 to create Tower Grove Park. Using his broad experiences from travel and study, Shaw created a gardenesque landscape of great beauty and diversity. One of the most important projects in creating the Park was the planting of thousands of trees, of over 300 varieties.  

For generations, we have enjoyed the beauty and cooling shade of the remarkable collection of trees at Tower Grove Park. The Park has long had the most diverse and interesting urban forest in the Mississippi Valley.  

This great legacy, however, is in danger. Over the past several decades, there has been a slow decline as a result of natural aging of the trees, many of which are over 100 years old. The Tower Grove Park forest has been subject to smoke, disease, and just plain old age.   If action is not taken, our generation could very well witness the diminishment of a great legacy, and a great environmental amenity.  

With this plan in place, we are now able to bring about a great renewal, a revitalization of the original forest at Tower Grove Park. But this will take more money than the Park receives through regular appropriations. Thus, the Park has established a reforestation program based on contributions and grants. This program enables individuals and organizations to participate in the reforestation program, and thus the restoration of a great St. Louis asset.

You or your organization can contribute funds for the planting of one or more trees; or you can contribute to a fund for the better care of our existing trees.  

There is something very satisfying about funding a tree for a public park. Trees live for many years, and provide benefits appreciated by young, old, rich and poor.   Supporting the tree care fund helps insure a longer and healthier life for the thousands of trees and shrubs that now live in the Park.

Please help the trees!

With your donation, you are making a commitment to the future -- and to the quality of life in St. Louis.   Donations start at $250 per tree and are tax deductible.   You will be invited to participate in the planting of your tree, your name and your chosen dedication will be recorded on the permanent donor recognition plaque in the Park office; and you will be sent a map with the location of your donated tree. You can also designate your tree in memory of someone or in honor of a person or event.

There are several donation options to choose from:
$250 per tree and recogntion on donor plaque in the Park Office
$1,000 per tree with permanent bronze plaque at the site
$2,000 per tree, permanent bronze plaque at the site, and perpetual care of the tree.

For further information and to have a brochure mailed to you, please call our Development Program at 771-4454.

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Victorian Memorial Bench Program

Rest . . . Enjoy . . . Behold all the beauty and help convey it to future generations

Contribute to the long-term beauty of this National Historic Landmark Park with your own Victorian Bench.

For a donation of $5,000, a bench of authentic Victorian design will be installed in a location chosen with you.   In addition, a permanent identification plate with wording of your choice will be installed at the site.   What a wonderful and lasting memorial for a loved one or some special occasion.

Tower Grove Park will furnish perpetual care of your bench, and it will be part of the restoration of this Landmark St. Louis landscape.